Inter Miami returned to official competition in Major League Soccer (MLS) with a hard-fought and important victory: a 3-2 win against Chicago Fire in Matchday 16. The match was marked by the absence of Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul, and by an incredible blunder from Argentine goalkeeper Rocco Ríos Novo.
The Florida team, managed by Guillermo Hoyos, had to overcome a poor start and an unusual defensive error to maintain their position at the top of the Eastern Conference. Despite not having their star players, Luis Suárez’s leadership and the team’s collective response tipped the scales in the final stretch of the match.
Messi and De Paul were left out of the squad by the coaching staff. According to Hoyos, both players needed rest and family time after playing in the World Cup final with the Argentine National Team. The idea is for them to gradually reintegrate into competition, given a busy schedule of domestic and international matches.
The match had its first major impact in the 17th minute of the first half. Ríos Novo received a back pass from Ian Fray inside the box and, pressured by debutant Robert Lewandowski, attempted to clear with his right leg. The failed attempt ended with the ball in his own net, giving Chicago Fire a 1-0 lead and surprising the home crowd.
Far from being discouraged, Inter Miami reacted quickly. In the 25th minute, David Ruiz was fouled inside the area, and the referee awarded a penalty. Luis Suárez, with his usual composure, calmly slotted the ball past the post to make it 1-1. The Uruguayan was decisive again at the start of the second half, when he finished off a well-worked team move that included a backheel assist from Germán Berterame to turn the score around.
A back-and-forth finish and the Eastern Conference standings
Chicago Fire, who used the match to formally present Lewandowski as their big signing of the season, refused to give up. In the 23rd minute of the second half, they leveled the score at 2-2 through Puso Dithejane, in a stretch of the game where both teams shared possession and the play became end-to-end.
When the draw seemed inevitable, substitute Preston Plambeck appeared in the six-yard box to pounce on a rebound and volley home the final goal, making it 3-2. The goal sparked celebrations among the home fans, who once again enjoyed a crucial victory even without Messi on the field.
With the win, Inter Miami heads into another break in the schedule in good shape. MLS will pause briefly for the Leagues Cup, an international tournament in which Messi’s team already knows it will debut on August 5 against Atlético San Luis. The club, champion in 2023 and finalist in 2025 of that competition, will try to become a protagonist again while managing the physical loads of its main figures.
