Messi, Lewandowski meet in first MLS showdown at sold-out Soldier Field

Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald on Sep 9, 2026

Published in Soccer

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A record sellout crowd of 63,094 packed Soldier Field on Wednesday night for a highly anticipated Eastern Conference clash between Inter Miami and the Chicago Fire that ended in an unfulfilling 1-1 deadlock for Lionel Messi and his teammates.

Miami has won just one of its past eight games and squandered a chance to gain significant ground on Eastern Conference leader Nashville with back-to-back ties over the past four days. Nashville lost to Toronto on Wednesday, opening the door for Miami to get within seven points with a win over Chicago.

Instead, Inter Miami remains nine points behind Nashville as the two teams prepare to face each other at Nu Stadium in Miami on Saturday night.

The game on Wednesday featured the first MLS matchup between 39-year-old Argentine legend Messi and Polish national team captain Robert Lewandowski, the 38-year-old former Barcelona player who joined the Fire this summer.

Between them, the two stars have scored nearly 1,700 goals for club and country and Messi’s teammate, Luis Suarez, has scored 612. Messi, Lewandowski and Suarez are three of the top four active goal scorers in the world and they were all on the field Wednesday night. The trio shared hugs in the tunnel before the game.

Lewandowski struck first, giving Chicago a 1-0 lead in the 10th minute with a right-footed shot from the center of the box to the top left corner. Andrew Gutman delivered the assist with a perfect cross and Lewandowski pounced.

Inter Miami dominated possession 62% to 38% in the first half and outshot the Fire 9-3, including five shots by Messi (two on frame), but Chicago goalkeeper Chris Brady made three big saves to preserve the lead for the home team.

Three minutes into the second half, Casemiro scored the equalizer for Inter Miami with his third header in the past three games, all off Messi corner kicks. Casemiro, the Brazilian who joined Miami from Manchester United after the World Cup, led the English Premier League with eight headed goals last season. He has quickly become a much-needed aerial threat for Miami.

Messi was held scoreless for the second game in a row after scoring four goals in the 7-1 win over Montreal a few weeks ago.

Inter Miami interim coach Guillermo Hoyos, in charge until new coach Kily Gonzalez gets his work visa, went with the same lineup he used in the 2-2 tie against Atlanta United last weekend.

Fricio Caicedo, the 18-year-old Ecuadorean, started at left back for the second game in a row, replacing Sergio Reguilon, who was out with a hamstring injury.

Noah Allen, who was a regular starter at left back for the past few seasons and Inter Miami’s all-time appearance leader, left the club last week on loan to the Fire with a permanent $3 million move to come in January 2027. Allen was in Chicago’s starting lineup at center back on Wednesday night and made things difficult for his former teammates with a few key plays that thwarted Miami scoring chances.

The rest of Miami’s starters were goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair, right back Ian Fray, Casemiro at center back, Maxi Falcon at center back, midfielder Rodrigo De Paul, midfielder Yannick Bright, midfielder Telasco Segovia, left wing Luis Suarez, right wing Messi and center forward German Berterame.

The Fire is on a six-game unbeaten run in league play and headed into Wednesday’s game after three consecutive draws, most recently a 4-4 deadlock with Toronto FC.

Miami, in second place in the East, was winless in five of its past six games and eager to earn three points to narrow the gap with conference leader Nashville, which was 10 points ahead. Inter Miami also wanted to stave off Chicago, which was in third place, five points behind Miami with a game in hand.

The last time the two teams faced each other, at Nu Stadium on July 22, Luis Suarez scored a brace and Preston Plambeck scored to lead Miami to a 3-2 win over the Fire in Lewandowski’s MLS debut. Inter Miami played without Messi and Rodrigo de Paul, where were on a post-World Cup break.

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