Inter Miami CF picked up right where it left off before the FIFA World Cup break, extending its winning streak to five matches with a dramatic 3-2 victory over the Chicago Fire on Wednesday night. A late winner from Preston Plambeck spoiled the highly anticipated MLS debut of global soccer icon Robert Lewandowski as Miami continued its climb near the top of the Eastern Conference despite being without two of its biggest stars.
The six-week MLS hiatus did little to cool off the Herons, who improved to 10-2-4 on the season. Playing without Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul, both resting after helping Argentina reach the FIFA World Cup final, Miami leaned on veteran striker Luis Suárez once again. The Uruguayan scored twice and helped engineer another thrilling comeback victory.
The night’s hero, however, was Plambeck. The young forward scored his first career MLS goal in the 87th minute when Suárez’s shot from the middle of the box was denied by Chicago goalkeeper Chris Brady. Plambeck reacted quickest, burying the rebound to send Chase Stadium into celebration and secure all three points for Inter Miami.
Miami’s resilience was tested from the opening stages after an unfortunate own goal gifted Chicago the lead in the 18th minute. Defender Ian Fray rolled a routine back pass toward goalkeeper Rocco Ríos Novo, but the keeper completely missed his attempted first touch as the ball slipped through his legs and into the net for one of the most bizarre goals of the MLS season.
The Herons responded before halftime through Suárez, who calmly converted a penalty kick in the 27th minute to level the match at 1-1.
Chicago regained the advantage after the break, but Miami once again found an answer. Puso Dithejane, who entered the match in the 62nd minute for Philip Zinckernagel, made an immediate impact by scoring his first MLS goal just five minutes later. The substitute finished with his first touch from inside the penalty area to tie the contest at 2-2 and shift momentum back toward the home side.
That set the stage for Plambeck’s unforgettable moment late in the second half, as the youngster delivered the match-winner to cap another comeback performance for Javier Mascherano’s squad.
Suárez continued his sensational run of form after entering the World Cup break on a high note. The veteran striker recorded his first MLS hat trick since 2024 in Miami’s wild 6-4 victory over the Philadelphia Union before the league paused for the World Cup and followed it up with another two-goal performance in the season’s restart.
While Miami celebrated another victory, the spotlight also shined on Lewandowski’s long-awaited MLS debut.
The 37-year-old Polish legend finally made his first appearance for the Fire after signing with Chicago on June 29. His debut had been delayed after Chicago’s scheduled match against Vancouver was postponed because of poor air quality in the Chicago area.
One of the greatest goal scorers of his generation, Lewandowski arrives in MLS after an illustrious European career highlighted by seven Bundesliga Golden Boot awards and a league-record 41 goals during Bayern Munich’s historic 2020-21 season. Although he showed flashes of his elite movement and finishing instincts, he was unable to prevent Chicago from suffering a heartbreaking defeat.
The loss snapped the Fire’s three-game winning streak as they fell to 8-5-2 on the season. Chicago also faces another significant challenge moving forward, with reports indicating leading scorer Hugo Cuypers, who tops MLS with 13 goals this season, is expected to leave the club for Liga MX side CF Monterrey.
For Inter Miami, the victory demonstrated the club’s growing depth. Even without Messi and De Paul, the Herons found enough firepower through Suárez and two first-time MLS goal scorers to continue their impressive winning streak.
With confidence soaring and their superstars expected to return in the coming weeks, Inter Miami appears well-positioned to remain one of the league’s top contenders as the second half of the MLS season gets underway.
