Inter Miami have been surprised at Chase Stadium as Chicago Hearth pulled off a 5-3 victory in a match the place the Herons by no means regarded snug. After the disappointing defeat in Main League Soccer, head coach Javier Mascherano admitted he owed Lionel Messi and the gamers an apology for his tactical strategy.
Within the first half, regardless of holding 69% possession, Miami struggled to neutralize the Hearth’s sport plan. By halftime, Chicago have been already up 3-1, benefiting from their probabilities whereas exposing the Herons’ defensive lapses.
Mascherano tried to show issues round after the break with a triple substitution to vary the staff’s strategy. Luis Suárez managed to tug Miami stage at 3-3 within the 74th minute, however Chicago responded with two fast strikes within the eightieth and 83rd minutes to seal one of many membership’s heaviest defeats since Messi’s arrival.
In his postgame press convention, Mascherano took full accountability for the setback. “It was a sport the place, clearly, the one answerable for the strategy and for all the things that occurred was me. We deliberate for one form of match, and it turned out to be one thing utterly completely different. At halftime, we determined to make adjustments, and that labored for a lot of the second half, however we ran the chance of getting caught on the counter — and that’s precisely what occurred.”
Lionel Messi #10 of Inter Miami CF chats with Javier Mascherano, Head Coach of Inter Miami CF, in the course of the MLS match between Inter Miami CF and Chicago Hearth FC at Chase Stadium on September 30, 2025 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
The Argentine coach doubled down on his accountability. “It’s a disgrace, not due to names, however due to the sport plan. I imagined a match the place we may have possession and management, and right now I wasn’t in a position to assist them in that regard. So this defeat is fully my accountability,” he added.
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For Chicago, the win capped a historic evening. In Gregg Berhalter’s debut season, the Hearth secured their first MLS Cup playoff berth since 2017 and set a brand new benchmark with 41 objectives on the street, the second-best away tally in league historical past behind the LA Galaxy’s 44 in 1998. For Miami, it was a bitter blow — one Mascherano publicly shouldered in full.
What’s subsequent for Messi’s Inter Miami?
The three-5 loss left Miami fourth within the Japanese Convention with 56 factors from 31 video games, seven behind leaders Philadelphia Union, who’ve 63 in 32. With the Supporters’ Defend now out of attain, the Herons’ focus shall be on ending as excessive as attainable within the standings forward of the playoffs.
Subsequent up, Miami will host the New England Revolution on October 4 at Chase Stadium earlier than welcoming Atlanta United in the course of the worldwide break. The common season will conclude away to Nashville, with a playoff spot already secured.
