Sports

Suarez scores brace as Inter Miami whip Chicago Fire

Uruguay striker Luis Suarez struck twice to take his season tally to 16 goals in 20 Major League Soccer (MLS) games as Inter Miami defeated Chicago Fire 4-1 on Saturday.

Miami, once again without Argentine star and captain Lionel Messi who continues to be sidelined by an ankle injury, have already secured their place in the playoffs and remain in top place for the regular season ‘Supporters’ Shield’.

But there was no sign of Gerardo Martinez’s side easing off as  Suarez continued his impressive scoring form.

The 37-year-old former Barcelona striker made Miami’s opener in the 25th minute when his shot was parried by Chicago keeper Chris Brady only to fly into the net off the helpless defender Tobias Salquist.

Suarez was on target a minute into the second half when he beat Brady with a low left-foot shot at the near post after a smart exchange with Diego Gomez.

The veteran striker made it 3-0 with a close-range finish after a low ball into the box from his former Barcelona teammate Jordi Alba.

Messi out for Inter Miami as Leagues Cup begins

Giorgios Koutsias pulled a goal back for Chicago in the 82nd minute but Miami completed a convincing win when Leonardo Campana broke down the right and slipped the ball to substitute Robert Taylor with the Finnish winger making no mistake.

Defending champions Columbus Crew, fresh from their Leagues Cup triumph, look well placed to join Miami in the Eastern Conference post-season after two stoppage-time goals earned them a 4-2 win over New York City.

Algerian Mounsef Bakrar looked to have earned New York a point when he finished off a swift counter-attack to make it 2-2 in the 86th minute.

But in the third minute of stoppage time DeJuan Jones took advantage of some hesitant New York defending to poke home and then Jacen Russell-Rowe made it 4-2 for the Crew, who are third in the East.

FC Cincinnati, without suspended Argentine Luciano Acosta, remain a spot ahead of the Crew after a 4-1 win over Montreal with another Argentine, Luca Orellano, scoring twice.

In the Western Conference, second-placed Los Angeles FC suffered a surprise 2-0 home defeat to seventh-placed Houston Dynamo.

The Star

Segun Ojo

Recent Posts

‘Testament to courage, tenacity’: Wale Tinubu lauds president on 74th birthday

The Group Chief Executive of Oando Plc, Wale Tinubu, has congratulated President Bola Tinubu on…

1 hour ago

NDLEA intercepts cocaine hidden in dry stock fish, UK-bound drugs in automobile parts

The operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted a large consignment…

2 hours ago

Senior ISWAP commander Al-Muhajir killed in Malam Fatori

The Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) has confirmed the death of one of its…

3 hours ago

Rivers govt reveals how Ibas spent ₦302B in six months

The Rivers State government has disclosed to the High Court of Rivers State that over…

4 hours ago

PDP convention to prove party is alive, set for smooth proceedings – Wike

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has said the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP)…

4 hours ago

Troops foil oil well vandalism plot in Anambra

Soldiers deployed under the Joint Task Force South-South Operation Delta Safe have thwarted an attempt…

5 hours ago

This website uses cookies.