FORT LAUDERDALE.- Jordi Alba scored in the second half, two minutes after Chicago tied the game and the Inter Miami beat the Fire 2-1 on Saturday.
Paraguayan Matias Rojas scored for the fourth time this season to give Inter Miami a 1-0 lead in the sixth minute. Rojas has appeared in 10 games this season, including seven starts.
Before the match, Inter Miami paid tribute to Lionel Messi for winning the Copa America last Sunday. The Argentine star wore an orthopedic boot on his right leg after injuring an ankle ligament in the final of the continental competition.
The Herons didn’t miss him much.
Chicago trailed until German defender Rafael Czichos took advantage of an assist from Argentine-Paraguayan Gastón Giménez to score his third goal of the campaign in the 75th minute.
The tie prevailed until Alba scored with a left-footed shot in the 77th minute. It was the Spaniard’s fourth goal of the season.
Inter Miami moved up to 53 points and moved away from the top of the Eastern Conference. Cincinnati is second with 48 points after falling 3-1 to the New York Red Bulls.
Chicago is 14th and second to last in the conference, with 25 points.
OTHER PARTIES
Argentine Ramiro Enrique scored the goal for Orlando City, who tied 1-1 against New York City FC.
Atlanta United beat the Columbus Crew 2-1; the Philadelphia Union thrashed Nashville 3-0; Los Angeles FC crushed the Seattle Sounders by the same score; Toronto beat Montreal 1-0; Minnesota United defeated the San Jose Earthquakes 2-0; Austin tied Charlotte 2-2; the Houston Dynamo defeated the Vancouver Whitecaps 4-3; the Los Angeles Galaxy won 3-2 against the Portland Timbers; Dallas tied the New England Revolution 1-1 and Sporting Kansas City tied St. Louis with the same score.
Source: AP