Chicago Fire secured their place in the Major League Soccer playoffs on Tuesday with a dramatic 5-3 victory over Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami.
Luis Suarez scored twice to haul Miami level at 3-3 after they had trailed 3-1, but the Uruguayan’s efforts were ultimately in vain as a tired Miami side, playing their sixth match in 17 days, faded late on in Fort Lauderdale.
Chicago’s triumph marks their first return to the postseason since 2017 and continues a successful comeback to club management for coach Gregg Berhalter, the former United States boss who was dismissed from the national team last year.
“It was an objective of ours to reach the playoffs, and we have achieved it with two games left,” Berhalter said. “But for us it is about continuing to build a strong team that can win.”
Despite Miami dominating possession, Chicago’s pace on the counterattack repeatedly caused problems in the first half.
Dje D’Avilla opened the scoring in the 11th minute with a header from a corner, before Jonathan Dean finished off a rapid break to make it 2-0 just after the half-hour.
Tomas Aviles pulled one back for Miami in the 39th minute, but Rominingue Kouame restored Chicago’s two-goal advantage on the stroke of half-time with another swift counter.
Suarez sparked the comeback after the break, sliding home in the 57th minute before curling in a superb equaliser in the 74th.
However, Miami’s frailties at the back resurfaced six minutes later when Justin Pledger Reynolds tapped in from close range to restore Chicago’s lead.
There was little Miami could do about the fifth, as Brian Gutierrez unleashed a 25-yard strike into the top corner in the 83rd minute to complete a memorable night for the visitors.
