Sporting KC vs Miami: CCC 2nd Leg Preview: Can SKC Go To Miami and Knock Off Messi?

Sporting KC vs Inter Miami

When: Tues, February 25, 2025, at 7:00 PM CT

Where: Chase Stadium

Competition: CONCACAF Champions Cup

How to Watch/Stream: Fox Sports 2 | ViX (Spanish)

2025 started with a cold battle at Children’s Mercy Park on Wednesday, where Inter Miami stole a one-goal lead in aggregate score before heading back home for leg 2. With no surprise, Messi was the one to make the house call, with Inter Miami’s first goal of 2025 coming in the 56th minute. This means Sporting Kansas City will go to Miami in hopes of returning the favor and spoiling Inter Miami’s return home leg.

Based on what 2024 brought Sporting KC fans, the idea of winning on Tuesday may be low, but Sporting KC showed something Peter Vermes said they lacked last year and that was fight. “If we would’ve played this game last year, we probably would’ve lost three to nil because we gave up easy chances. This group fought really, really well”. This fight or response was seen when Manu Garcia and William Agada checked into the match.

Manu brought that sense of creativity and attacking threat to the midfield when he came in for Memo Rodriguez, which SKC had lacked in the first half. This begs the question of do we see more of Manu in the 2nd match-up or could Manu coming in sooner possibly have changed the outcome of the first 1st leg?

With a surprise move off waivers on Thursday Sporting KC signed fullback Andrew Brody adding much-needed depth to the right-hand side of the backline. That move could also point to Jake Davis moving to the #8 (box-to-box midfielder) in a 4-3-3. A position that neither Radoja nor Bartlett seem to fit into naturally.

What Will It Take for SKC to Advance?

Before getting to the on-field performance we must look at how the Concacaf Champions Cup is set up with the two-leg system of matches. Unlike UEFA Champions League away goals still exist in CCC, so Sporting KC is going to need at least two goals on Tuesday to secure themselves in the next round. All Miami needs to do to move on is simply get a clean sheet at home.

It’s going to take Kansas City two goals at minimum to move on. With the question marks about the SKC backline, a clean sheet in Miami on the road is hard to expect. Who will supply the goals for SKC? A betting man would say Dejan Joveljic wouldn’t be a bad pick as he is coming off his SKC debut on Wednesday and pairing him with Manu and Erik Thommy could cause a fit for the Miami backline. But Daniel Salloi needs a goal in the worst way after a silent 2024 campaign and a quiet Wednesday night last time out.

Sporting KC are also going to need the fight Vermes saw in the last 20 to 30 minutes, where it felt like SKC was going to find a way to tie the match up. This was supplied by Jake Davis being able to get into higher positions and the pace of Erik Thommy, who was inches away from scoring his first goal of 2025. 

It’s going to take a near-perfect Sporting Kansas City performance to advance. Grit and goals. SKC fans will hope Dejan Joveljic opens his account as an SKC player. We also know it is going to take at least two goals, one being to tie the aggregate score, but here is the catch if the aggregate is 1-1 meaning SKC wins outright 1-0 in the 2nd leg, the game will go straight to a penalty shootout. If Sporting KC manage to win 2-1, they would advance on aggregate being ahead on away goals, despite the aggregate score being 2-2.

What Will It Take for Inter Miami to Advance?

For Inter Miami it is simple, DON’T LET SKC SCORE, keep the clean sheet. But SKC shouldn’t expect Miami to park 11 players in the box, that style of soccer does not fit Inter Miami with their team culture and systems that fit their players. Expect Miami to come out and attack with the likes of Messi, Luis Suarez and Sergio Busquets.

Predictions 

With how the CCC is set up, a team can get away with a sloppy or not-great performance and still have hope going into the 2nd leg. That’s where SKC stands, with a performance that left a lot to be desired they have hope going into Miami. Sporting KC are going to need to defend well in the 2nd leg, as a goal for Miami CF could be a death sentence for SKC.

For the 11 that start for SKC, well your guess is as good as mine, but most experts would say Vermes will come out in his patent system in a 4-3-3. Thommy will most likely be on the wing, with Manu starting at the 10, which will be a must if SKC wants to find a goal early and Dejan will round out the attack at the 9. The real game changer could be where the SKC Swiss Army Knife of Jake Davis starts. If he is in the midfield SKC’s chance of winning may go up, but who starts in his place in the backline Khiry or the new signing of Brody? 

The question of last week was can Messi get it done on a cold Wednesday night in Kansas City? The answer was yes. Now the question is can SKC find it in themselves to go down south and get the job done in Florida? But reminder SKC will be coming off two days rest after taking on Austin FC in their MLS Season Opener.

Prediction: 1-1 in Miami, Miami advances with a 2-1 aggregate score.