Luis Suárez Scores Twice as Inter Miami Ruin Robert Lewandowski’s MLS Debut with Dramatic Win Over Chicago Fire
Inter Miami marked their return from the FIFA World Cup break with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Chicago Fire, as Luis Suárez produced another outstanding display and youngster Preston Plambeck scored a dramatic late winner to spoil Robert Lewandowski’s long-awaited Major League Soccer debut.
Playing without superstars Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul, who are both resting after Argentina’s run to the FIFA World Cup final, Miami showed they remain a force to be reckoned with under head coach Guillermo Hoyos.
The victory extended Inter Miami’s winning streak to five consecutive MLS matches, strengthening their position near the top of the Eastern Conference standings.
Suárez Continues Incredible Goal-Scoring Form
Luis Suárez once again proved why he remains one of football’s deadliest strikers.
Fresh from scoring his first MLS hat-trick since 2024 in a thrilling 6-4 victory over the Philadelphia Union before the World Cup break, the Uruguayan carried his impressive form into Wednesday night’s clash.
After Chicago Fire had taken an early lead, Suárez calmly converted from the penalty spot in the 27th minute to bring Inter Miami level.
The veteran striker remained dangerous throughout the contest and played a decisive role in the winning goal. His close-range effort was brilliantly saved by goalkeeper Chris Brady, but Preston Plambeck reacted quickest to smash home the rebound in the 87th minute and seal all three points for the hosts.
Lewandowski Finally Makes His MLS Debut
Much of the pre-match attention centred on Robert Lewandowski.
The Polish striker finally made his first appearance for Chicago Fire after signing for the club on June 29. His debut had been delayed after Chicago’s previous league fixture against Vancouver was postponed because of poor air quality.
Despite the defeat, Lewandowski showed glimpses of the quality that made him one of Europe’s greatest goalscorers.
The 37-year-old arrives in MLS after an extraordinary career that includes multiple Bundesliga titles, a UEFA Champions League crown, and a record-breaking 41-goal Bundesliga season with Bayern Munich during the 2020-21 campaign.
Although he was unable to celebrate a winning debut, Fire supporters will be encouraged by what they saw from their marquee signing.
An Unusual Own Goal Gives Chicago the Lead
Chicago Fire opened the scoring in bizarre fashion during the 18th minute.
A routine back pass from defender Ian Fray turned into a nightmare when goalkeeper Rocco Ríos Novo completely missed his attempted first touch, allowing the ball to roll through his legs and into the net for an unfortunate own goal.
The mistake handed Chicago an unexpected advantage, but Miami responded with composure.
Suárez’s penalty restored parity before the game developed into an entertaining end-to-end contest.
Dithejane Announces Himself
Chicago substitute Puso Dithejane made an immediate impact after entering the match in the second half.
Replacing Philip Zinckernagel in the 62nd minute, Dithejane scored his first MLS goal just five minutes later with a composed first-time finish from inside the penalty area to level the match at 2-2.
His goal looked set to earn Chicago a valuable point before Plambeck struck late to send the home supporters into celebration.
Hoyos Explains Messi and De Paul’s Absence
Following the match, Inter Miami manager Guillermo Hoyos addressed the decision to leave Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul out of the squad.
The Argentine coach stressed that both players are being given sufficient time to recover after an exhausting World Cup campaign.
Hoyos emphasised that there is no fixed timetable for their return, explaining that the club wants both stars to recover physically and mentally before returning to competitive action.
He praised the squad for maintaining high standards despite missing several key players and credited everyone behind the scenes for helping the club continue its impressive run of form.
Five Straight Wins for Inter Miami
Inter Miami have now won five consecutive MLS matches, carrying the momentum they built before the World Cup break into the second half of the season.
The victory once again highlighted the squad’s depth, with younger players stepping up alongside experienced leaders such as Luis Suárez.
As Messi and De Paul continue their recovery, Miami’s ability to collect points without two of their biggest stars could prove crucial in the race for silverware.
Chicago’s Winning Run Comes to an End
For Chicago Fire, the defeat ended a three-match winning streak.
The club also faces uncertainty over the future of leading scorer Hugo Cuypers, who has reportedly attracted interest from Liga MX side CF Monterrey after scoring 13 MLS goals this season.
While Lewandowski’s arrival brings fresh optimism, Chicago will be disappointed not to have marked his debut with a positive result.
Final Thoughts
Inter Miami once again showed why they are among the most dangerous teams in Major League Soccer.
Luis Suárez continued his outstanding scoring form; Preston Plambeck delivered the decisive late moment, and the club proved it can still win without Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul.
Meanwhile, Robert Lewandowski’s highly anticipated MLS debut ended in disappointment, but the Polish striker will undoubtedly have many more opportunities to leave his mark on American soccer in the weeks ahead.
