Miami and Chicago play out entertaining scoreless draw

Chicago Fire 0 – 0 Inter Miami

CHICAGO, IL–Inter Miami failed to find the net for the first time this season as they dropped points to a Chicago Fire side that could have won it late on.

Lionel Messi couldn’t provide the spark for his side who struggled to impose themselves on a disciplined Chicago side.

It was a cagey start to a match that offered little in the way of quality football. The ball was pinging around and neither side were able to take any kind of control of the game.

Messi took just three minutes to test out Chris Brady in the Chicago goal after the Fire defence lost possession on the edge of their own box.

Ben Cremaschi collected the loose ball and found Messi who unleashed a great shot that was heading for the net, but Brady was equal to it and made a good save.

Federico Redondo saw plenty of action early on, and he found some space on the left. He tried to head the ball into the feet of Lois Suarez, but the ball was cleared. Redondo was almost in again moments later, but he couldn’t quite control the ball and the opening was lost.

The Fire seemed to have more urgency about their game, and as a result they looked more of an attacking threat. Brian Gutierrez was seeing a lot of the ball in the midfield and was linking up well with Philip Zinckernagel.

Inter didn’t have their usual bite in the middle of the park and they failed to dominate possession, as is more typical of their game, and it seemed to invite the opposition to attack.

Omari Glasgow, in only his second game for the Fire, was full of running from right fullback, and provided some good deliveries into the box looking for Hugo Cuypers and co, but the home side couldn’t capitalise.

Oscar Ustari was soon called into action when a mistake led to a Fire attack. Guitierez collected the ball and ran at the Miami defence. The block fell for Mauricio Pineda who struck from distance, but like his opposite number earlier on, the Miami stopper was equal to it.

Cuypers had a sight at goal, but his effort was blocked by the diving Maxi Falcon and Sergio Busquets as Miami were forced into some desperate defending.

Lois Suarez had a great chance late in the first half when Noah Allen found him in the box, but he blazed his effort over the bar as neither side showed enough composure in front of goal.

Gutiérrez had a burst down the right and crossed for Zinckernagel, but Ustari was able to save comfortably. The midfielder should have done better later on when he found himself in the box running at goal, but his tame effort was easy pickings for Ustari, and the Chicago man was soon substituted.

Messi hit the bar with a wonderful free kick, but it was slim pickings for the Inter Miami captain.

Indeed it was the Fire who could have snatched it late on when Jonathon Bamba had to chances to score but couldn’t beat Ustari on either occasion.

But it was a lackluster performance from a Miami side that have played a lot of football in recent weeks. A good squad means there is plenty of player rotation, but they looked tired and lacked their usual cutting edge.

Javier Mascherano will want to lift his players to see them return to winning ways and no doubt they will all be fired up for the trip to Columbus Crew next time out.