Inter Miami picked up three more points in Major League Soccer action as Luiz Suarez bagged a brace to propel the south Florida side to a 4-1 triumph over Chicago Fire.
Both Eastern Conference teams exchanged blows in the opening stages with lots of space open in transition. However, the visiting Herons would strike first 25 minutes into the first half in the form of an own goal.
Diego Gomez found himself with space down the right-hand side and teed up Luis Suarez with a low-driven cross to the center of the Chicago penalty area. Suarez’s strike on goal was met by Chris Brady, but the goalkeeper’s save bounced off his defender Tobias Salquist and into his own net to give the Herons the lead.
Suarez was denied once again moments later after a powerful header bounced off the crossbar and out of harm’s way for the Fire — but Suarez would go on to get on the scoresheet at the start of the second 45.
El Pistolero was played through on goal by Gomez once again, and the former Gremio striker finished with ease with his weaker left foot to double Miami’s lead. It was an excellent pass to setup the Uruguayan by Gomez with an even better finish to silence the home fans at Soldier Field.
The Herons weren’t done scoring, though. Suarez bagged his brace to score his 16th MLS goal of 2024 after a simple cross across the Fire’s penalty area from former Barcelona teammate Jordi Alba. Suarez made no mistake from just a few yards away as Alba grabbed his eighth assist of the campaign.
Just as the Herons were closing in on their sixth clean sheet of the season, Chicago pulled one back with less than 10 minutes to go in regulation. Former LAFC midfielder Kellyn Acosta sent in a inviting low-driven cross into the Miami penalty area that Georgios Koutsias tapped home from close range.
Miami would reinstate their three-goal lead in stoppage time as two of Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino’s substitutes combined to make in 4-1 in favor of the visitors. Leo Campana was all alone down the right-hand side of the pitch to play a simple ball across the Chicago penalty area for Robert Taylor to fire into the back of the net past Brady.
Even though the legendary Lionel Messi hasn’t made his long-awaited return from an ankle injury, the Herons haven’t shown any signs of slowing down. The win over Chicago was the 18th MLS victory of the season for Miami as Martino’s side sit in first place in the Supporters’ Shield with 59 points from 27 matches played while the Fire’s struggles continue in 14th…
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