Soldier Field- Inter Miami laid a colossal egg Wednesday night against the Chicago Fire losing 4-1 putting their playoff hopes in jeopardy. Josef Martinez scored the lone goal for Miami via a penalty kick, with Xherdan Shaqiri and Maren Haile-Selassie scoring a brace each for Chicago in front of an announced crowd of 62,124, the largest in Fire history.
Kick Off
Tata Martino’s Starting XI featured Josef Martinez at striker flanked by Facundo Farias and Robert Taylor. The midfield was commanded by Sergio Busquets, Dixon Arroyo, and Benjamin Cremaschi. The backline featured Noah Allen, Kamal Miller, Sergeii Kryvtsov, and captain DeAndre Yedlin, with Drake Callender as the goalkeeper.
Josef takes over as the striker tonight paired with Farias & Taylor up top…Cremaschi gets no rest in the midfield…Yedlin is back in the Starting XI…On paper 4-3-3 but it feels like a 4-2-3-1….#InterMiamiCF #MLS NO #Messi𓃵 pic.twitter.com/jZmMIPQDHy
— Xavier Guerrero (@XGLAVOZ) October 4, 2023
The first half was a snooze fest with neither team displaying aesthetically pleasing football, but Chicago was the more dangerous team nonetheless. Miami lacked cohesion and was out of sync the whole half with the match going to the break 0-0.
Snoozer in Chicago…#InterMiamiCF does not look like a team ready to fight for a playoff spot…#MLS
— Xavier Guerrero (@XGLAVOZ) October 5, 2023
Chicago on Fire
The second period was a different story as Chicago came alive and scored early via Xherdan Shaqiri in the 49th minute. The Swiss knifed a cross in the box past Drake Callender with his elegant left foot for the 1-0 lead.
Said goal + celly 👏💪 #CHIvMIA | @XS_11official https://t.co/e7wLojQVpm pic.twitter.com/aMDq9MwVND
— Chicago Fire FC (@ChicagoFire) October 5, 2023
Miami would tie quickly with a perfectly executed penalty kick by Josef Martinez.
— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) October 5, 2023
Fabian Herbers sent a masterful through ball inside the box to Maren Haile-Selassie who ripped it past Callender for the 2-1 Fire lead.
Here's Maren's 1st one for ya 😉#cf97 | #CHIvMIA https://t.co/2VfCCLB9nf
— Chicago Fire FC (@ChicagoFire) October 5, 2023
Selassie scored his brace on a cross to the back post that he slotted into the Miami goal, Inter was down 3-1 and things looked bad for the squad.
Número 2⃣ for our man Maren 😤#cf97 | #CHIvMIA https://t.co/OYakp0Sba7
— Chicago Fire FC (@ChicagoFire) October 5, 2023
Chicago was not done scoring yet, Xherdan Shaqiri received a pass in open space and elegantly dribbled past a defender kicking the ball into the corner of the Miami goal to get his brace and make it 4-1. Mercifully, the match would end 4-1.
Shaq's attack to put the 🔥 up 4-1 😤 https://t.co/cgzHqCQEcW
— Chicago Fire FC (@ChicagoFire) October 5, 2023
Inter Miami needed a positive result against Chicago to remain in control of their playoff quest, but the defeat put Miami’s chances in peril.
Postgame
Inter Miami is no longer in control of its own destiny but still has the possibility of making the playoffs if things miraculously go their way. Tata believes that the remaining games are important for evaluating players for next year’s roster,
I also think the evaluations we do in the matches that remain are important to make the best decisions for next year
Martino has placed his confidence in some players and has disregarded others on the roster despite having a depleted and fatigued group of players. This does not bode well for the future of those disregarded players with Inter Miami, there will no doubt be many changes to the roster in 2024.
Final Thoughts
The rest of the season is looking bleak with Messi and Alba injured and the October FIFA qualifiers around the corner. Miami will lose many players due to the callups. It doesn’t seem right that the MLS continues playing during the FIFA qualifiers when most other leagues around the world adhere to the same schedule stopping during those days.
Martino will be forced to use some players he normally leaves on the bench, those guys are playing for a possible roster spot next season. The effort and quality have been lacking lately on the pitch for Miami and it has to change dramatically if they are to make the playoffs. The possibilities are dwindling, but they still exist and this team will fight until the end to make the playoffs. The issue is at what cost since the players seem to be playing on empty.
Inter Miami is still alive in the chase for a playoff spot, that in itself is a minor miracle given the horrific start to the season. Let’s appreciate the effort from the players to get to this point, but let’s hope Martino gives some of the role players a chance to prove themselves before the end of the season.
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