RECAP: Fire Disappoint in 3-2 Loss to Inter Miami
The Chicago Fire are finally back, but not in the manner they hoped.
Two months on from their last game in MLS, the Men in Red took on Inter Miami at Nu Stadium, looking to capitalize on Lionel Messi’s absence.
A rusty Fire side simply didn’t have enough on the day, losing 3-2 to the reigning MLS Cup champions.
Pre-Match Scrutiny
It was a whirlwind few days heading into the match for the Fire. First, Robert Lewandowski’s home debut against the Vancouver Whitecaps was postponed due to poor air quality in Chicago. Not long after, star striker Hugo Cuypers agreed a deal with Liga MX side Monterrey. The transfer drew harsh criticism from pundits and fans, as Cuypers had been instrumental in Chicago’s success and still leads the MLS Golden Boot race.
All of those factors made Wednesday’s game all the more important. Lewandowski was named to the starting lineup, while Mbekezeli Mbokazi was ruled out with a knock. The Men in Red set out in a 4-4-2 of sorts, with Maren Haile-Selassie in a second striker role.
Low Quality, High Entertainment Early
The Fire controlled possession early on, but struggled to get Lewandowski involved. Though the visitors deservedly took the lead at the 18-minute mark, it happened through no effort of their own. A backpass from Ian Fray was completely misplayed by stand-in goalkeeper Rocco Rios Novo. He failed to clear the ball, letting it trickle past him for an own goal.
Miami were offered a reprieve when Chicago’s Jack Elliott made a mistake of his own. The Englishman made a late challenge on David Ruiz, leading the referee to point to the penalty spot. Luis Suarez knocked in the spot kick off the post, leveling proceedings at 1-1 in the 27th minute.
Chris Brady took over as the star of the show from there. The USMNT returnee pulled off a remarkable reflex save to deny German Berterame, who had directed a free header on target in the 37th minute. Just three minutes later, the goalkeeper stretched to make a diving stop from a fine effort by Sergio Reguilon. All things considered, the Fire were certainly happy to hear the halftime whistle.
Not to Be for the Fire in Miami
Suarez has always caused problems for Chicago, and that was already true after the Uruguayan’s penalty goal in the first half. He took it up a notch after the break, though, scoring an absolute beauty in the 51st minute to make it 2-1 to Inter Miami. The striker played a one-two with Berterame, who fed him with a backheel pass, before slamming his finish past Brady.
For someone who’s often been criticized for not going to his bench soon enough, Gregg Berhalter certainly made a bold move just past the hour mark. He made three changes, one of them being bringing Robin Lod on for Lewandowski. The Pole thus ended his debut with minimal opportunities to show his finishing ability.
The gamble paid off. Another substitute, Puso Dithejane, ripped a first-time effort into the back of the net in the 67th minute, only five minutes after coming on. Out of nowhere, the score was 2-2, and the South African had his first MLS goal.
Other than a fleeting brace opportunity for Dithejane immediately following his equalizer, the Fire looked lifeless going forward for the rest of the game. Their complacency was punished in the 86th minute, when Inter Miami regained the lead. Suarez and Reguilon ran circles around the Chicago defense with a quality one-two, before Preston Plambeck converted from a rebounded Suarez shot.
That was enough for the Herons to get their first win over Chicago since 2024. The Fire, meanwhile, left Florida empty-handed.
Post-Match Quotes
There was no faux positivity from Berhalter about the outcome.
“We weren’t happy with the defending,” he said in the post-match media conference.
“It was, for us, a disappointing result and a disappointing performance.”
Speaking about his new star man’s showing, Berhalter was not overly critical.
“I think we need to do a better job as a team getting him the ball in the penalty box,” the manager explained.
“When he has the confidence that the ball is going to get delivered, he’ll be in a good position.”
Lewandowski himself remains optimistic about his outlook at the club.
“Before the game… after a couple of days with my new teammates and new club, I need some time for adaptation,” the Pole stated.
“But in the end, we have to play as a team, and also in defense, and then step-by-step, doing better things on the pitch.”
The next opportunity for the veteran attacker to prove himself will come on Saturday.
The Fire visit New York City FC for a 6:30 pm kickoff in another important game between two playoff contenders.
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