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If there was any question about the appeal of Inter Miami's away fixtures fading, those questions were answered on Wednesday as the first MLS clash between Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski attracted a Chicago Fire-record attendance of 63,094 at Soldier Field to watch the 1–1 stalemate.
While Miami's traveling circus has been a massive attraction throughout MLS, with the Herons' away fixtures accounting for four of the top nine MLS regular season attendances in history, signs had emerged that the novelty of the eight-time Ballon d'Or recipient was beginning to fade. Throw in another former Barcelona icon and a showdown between two genuine MLS Cup contenders, and all that buzz comes flooding back.
ROBERT LEWANDOWSKI.
The heavyweights are going at it and Lewandowski hits first. 🥊 pic.twitter.com/XmEttvXxGo
Wednesday saw both Messi and Lewandowski in the starting lineup, with the Polish forward drawing first blood in the 10th minute, netting his sixth goal in nine MLS appearances with a perfectly executed volley from a curling cross by Andrew Gutman. Messi, though, refused to be silenced, registering his 13th assist of the campaign in the 47th minute as Casemiro powered in a corner kick to level proceedings.
Despite the draw and an encouraging display, Miami failed to claim all three points and saw their poor run extend to just one victory in their last seven outings, while wasting an opportunity to close the gap in the now nine-point Supporters' Shield race after Nashville SC fell 2–1 to Toronto FC.
Casemiro Settles As Center Back
Inter Miami's defensive line may currently lack two natural center backs, but holding midfielder Casemiro has grown into the position impressively in recent weeks and delivered a standout showing against Chicago.
Despite Miami being put under pressure by a wide-oriented and high-pressing Fire side early on, the former Real Madrid and Manchester United stalwart dropped deeper to cover the gaps left by defensive partner Maxi Falcón. He was also composed in possession and demonstrated his sharp vision, threading a direct aerial ball to Germán Berterame in the 16th minute, which the Mexican international was unable to convert.
Beyond those defensive qualities and his ability to ignite attacking moves, he also added his third goal of the season, once again heading home from a set piece — a trait he has made his own since transitioning to the center back role.
Casemiro heads it home for the equalizer. 🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/7O2wr2cAyz
While the winning blueprint for a deep playoff run likely doesn't feature Casemiro anchoring the defense, he has proven to be a more than capable option in the role and was rarely caught out of position unlike some of his teammates.
Once Micael and Gonzalo Luján regain full fitness and become available, it may serve Miami well to move Falcón — who struggled to contain Lewandowski — out of the starting eleven and introduce a new partner alongside Casemiro at the heart of defense.
Flipping the Intensity
Slow starts have plagued Inter Miami throughout the season. Yet the Herons managed to pull themselves out of their early hole within 15 minutes, halting Chicago's initial surge driven by Phillip Zinkernagel, Andrew Gutman, and Lewandowski.
The turnaround was largely sparked by an animated Rodrigo De Paul in midfield, who appeared more fired up than he typically does in MLS regular-season fixtures. Telasco Segovia chipped in with forward runs that injected energy into a side that had been struggling to find any rhythm.
While the Herons will operate quite differently once Christian "Kily" González takes charge on the sideline, it appears that the stretch of one win in six games against higher-intensity opponents helped them learn how to shift momentum. Factor in the enormous crowd at Soldier Field — the kind of atmosphere Miami's stars were used to in Europe — and raising their intensity and control seemed to come more naturally than it had in recent outings.
Finishing Struggles Arise
Inter Miami showed more energy than in recent outings and pressed until the final whistle in their toughest test of the recent stretch, yet they couldn't find a winner despite more encouraging displays from their attacking players.
Down the right side, 18-year-old Fricio Caicedo's combination play with Telasco Segovia provided a more balanced attacking transition when paired with Ian Fray's surging runs on the left. However, they largely failed to create meaningful chances for Luis Suárez, who struggled to make an impact as a winger while Berterame occupied the center forward role.
What a save from Brady to deny Berterame 🚫
📺 Apple TV: https://t.co/WJWizbK6eb pic.twitter.com/aUOQFVNqIl
In total, Miami managed just one goal from 20 shots, with only seven on target, on a night when even Messi's set-piece deliveries failed to make a decisive impact.
The situation is now a genuine concern for Miami. With just one win in seven matches and uncertainty surrounding González's arrival in the dugout, they have one final opportunity to chip away at Nashville's lead at the top of the table in Saturday's fixture. A defeat there would likely deal a fatal blow to any remaining hopes of a Supporters' Shield comeback.