Casemiro headed home a Lionel Messi corner shortly after half-time to rescue a 1-1 draw for Inter Miami at Soldier Field on Wednesday night.

Robert Lewandowski had put Chicago Fire in front in the 10th minute, meeting an Andrew Gutman cross to punish an Inter Miami defence that has now taken one win from its last seven league matches. The defending MLS Cup champions had 20 shots and only seven on target, and Chicago goalkeeper Chris Brady dealt with what came his way.

Since early August, Inter Miami’s record reads 1-2-4: one win, two draws, four defeats.

Nomination lands as MLS Cup grip slips

The result landed 48 hours after Ballon d’Or organisers named Messi on the 30-man shortlist for 2026. It is his 17th nomination for the award, one behind Cristiano Ronaldo’s record of 18, earned on the back of another World Cup run to the final for Argentina and the MLS Cup Inter Miami lifted in December against Vancouver Whitecaps.

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Casemiro’s equaliser was Messi’s 13th assist of the season, the most in MLS.

Interim head coach Guillermo Hoyos, in charge since Javier Mascherano resigned in April for personal reasons, pinned the result on the man in the Fire goal.

“I don’t think there was any issue [with the attack] at all. For me, their goalkeeper was the standout player of the match,” Hoyos told reporters.

“The guys performed very well, excellently, I’d say; we just missed out on the result we deserved.”

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Lewandowski scores in a third straight game

The 38-year-old now has six goals in nine MLS games and has scored in each of his last three matches.

Gregg Berhalter’s side are unbeaten in seven (3-0-4). The 63,094 at Soldier Field broke the club’s own home attendance record, set last year against the same visitors.

Berhalter kept the mood cautious after the game.

“We still have work to do, and you can see it. We need to get better because we weren’t in a position to dictate the game for long enough,” he said.

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Nine points behind Nashville

Inter Miami sit second in the Eastern Conference, nine points off Nashville SC in the Supporters’ Shield race.

They travel to a sold-out Bank of America Stadium on Saturday to face Charlotte FC, a home side chasing a ninth straight win.

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