Luis Suarez continued his prolific form, scoring twice to bring his season tally to 16 goals in 20 Major League Soccer (MLS) games, as Inter Miami secured a commanding 4-1 victory over Chicago Fire on Saturday.
Despite the absence of Lionel Messi, who remains sidelined with an ankle injury, Miami showed no signs of slowing down. With the playoffs already secured and the team sitting comfortably at the top of the standings for the regular season 'Supporters' Shield,' Suarez once again led the charge for Gerardo Martinez's side.
The 37-year-old Uruguayan striker was instrumental in Miami’s opener in the 25th minute. His shot was parried by Chicago’s goalkeeper Chris Brady, only for the ball to ricochet off defender Tobias Salquist and into the net. Suarez struck again just one minute into the second half, finishing off a slick exchange with Diego Gomez and beating Brady with a precise low left-foot shot at the near post.
Suarez capped off his performance with a close-range finish to make it 3-0, courtesy of a low cross from his former Barcelona teammate Jordi Alba. Chicago Fire managed to pull one back in the 82nd minute through Giorgios Koutsias, but Miami sealed their win when Leonardo Campana broke down the right and set up substitute Robert Taylor for an easy finish.
Elsewhere in the league, defending champions Columbus Crew bolstered their playoff hopes with a dramatic 4-2 win over New York City FC. Two stoppage-time goals from DeJuan Jones and Jacen Russell-Rowe ensured the Crew, fresh from their Leagues Cup triumph, remain third in the Eastern Conference standings.
FC Cincinnati, playing without their suspended star Luciano Acosta, retained their position just above Columbus with a 4-1 win over Montreal, highlighted by a stunning long-range strike from Argentine Luca Orellano, who scored twice.
In the Western Conference, second-placed Los Angeles FC suffered a shock 2-0 defeat at home to Houston Dynamo. Ezequiel Ponce and substitute Lawrence Ennali scored for the visitors, with Ennali displaying impressive speed to round Hugo Lloris and score the second.
In the Pacific Northwest derby, Juan Mosquera's 54th-minute goal earned Portland Timbers a crucial 1-0 win over Seattle Sounders. The victory leaves Portland, Houston, and Seattle locked in a tight race for the top seven spots and automatic playoff qualification, with the Sounders currently sitting in eighth place on goal difference.
