Inter Miami vs. Seattle Sounders: A high-stakes Leagues Cup rematch | OneFootball

By MLSsoccer staff

Just 16 days ago, Seattle Sounders FC cruised to a 3-0 victory over Inter Miami CF during the Leagues Cup final at Lumen Field.

Now, a rapid rematch awaits when Miami host Seattle on Tuesday evening at Chase Stadium in MLS regular-season action (7:30 pm ET | MLS Season Pass, Apple TV+).

As disappointed as Miami were to fall short of a second Leagues Cup title, they're focused on rebounding from Saturday's 3-0 defeat at Charlotte FC, which dropped them to eighth place in the Eastern Conference table (46 points).

"You can’t play a game over. Even if it’s the same opponent, it’s another type of game, in another competition, with different circumstances and contexts," said Herons head coach Javier Mascherano.

"For us, it’s important to try to play a good game. More than anything, get a good result to get back into the top spots [in the standings] and regain the confidence this team has had through most of the season."

Final stretch

With eight games left, and multiple matches in hand on teams above them, Miami have ample opportunities to climb the table and gain momentum heading into the Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs.

What better way to start than taking a victory over Seattle?

"We have an enormous challenge in front of us, which is to end the regular season in the best way possible and go into the playoffs to try to get something that has escaped us all year," said Mascherano.

"We were so close in [Concacaf] Champions Cup, Leagues Cup. Now, we have to try to go as far as possible in the MLS playoffs."

WATCH: Seattle Sounders dominate Inter Miami for Leagues Cup title

Proof of product

Naturally, Seattle carry plenty of confidence during their cross-country trip to Florida.

They recently kept Lionel Messi under wraps, and the Herons' attack will be shorthanded while Luis Suárez serves the second match of his three-game suspension for a post-Leagues Cup altercation.

"It'll be fun," Seattle defender Jackson Ragen said of the rematch.

"We know they're going to be motivated after the last game, but nothing changes for us. We come out and play the way we want to play, expecting a very tough opponent."

Playoff opportunity

The Sounders, currently fourth in the Western Conference (45 points), could also move closer to clinching a playoff spot. They'll accomplish that with a win at Miami, combined with LAFC beating or drawing Real Salt Lake on Wednesday (9:30 pm ET | MLS Season Pass, Apple TV+).

With plenty at stake, and the chance to build on a 2-2 draw vs. the LA Galaxy over the weekend, Seattle can make another statement of intent.

"It's going to be two teams coming in that are hungry and hopefully we get the same result the last time we played them," said Sounders leading goalscorer Danny Musovski.

Added defender Reed Baker-Whiting: "We are very motivated after our game, and they also had a tough game where they weren’t able to beat Charlotte. We're going to continue with the momentum that we have."

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