On matchday (20) of the Major League Soccer (MLS), Polish striker Robert Lewandowski scored the match-winner as Chicago Fire beat Antoine Griezmann’s Orlando City by a 2-1 scoreline to climb to fifth position on the league table.
Hugo Cuypers opened the scoring for the away side in the fourth minute before David Brekalo equalised for the home team in the first half. The match got delayed in the second half for close to an hour due to bad weather conditions.
Chicago Fire stepped up the pressure after the game resumed after a lengthy delay and got the winner in the 68th minute through Lewandowski from the penalty spot. They held firm to see out the game and grabbed all three maximum points at stake.
In the other big game, Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami were seeking to bounce back to winning ways after a bad sequence of results in both the league cup and the league. They were held to a 2-2 stalemate by Philadelphia Union in a very tough game on the road.
The home side broke the deadlock in the eleventh minute through striker Indiana Vassilev after he finished off a brilliant team move. Inter Miami hit back in sensational fashion with two quick goals to take the lead in the 21st and 26th minutes through Danny Pinter and Lionel Messi. The away team led the game into the halftime break.
Back from the recess, Philadelphia Union took the game to their opponents and got the equaliser in the 58th minute through Jacob Glesnes to level the scores.
Both teams went in search for the match winner but couldn’t find one and had to settle for the full-time draw. Inter Miami’s search for a win in all competitions now stretches to four straight games.
In other selected games of the round, league leaders Nashville SC stunned New York Red Bulls by a 1-0 scoreline away from home; Toronto FC and Charlotte FC settled for a 3-3 stalemate; FC Cincinnati beat New York City 2-1; and CF Montreal beat Columbus Crew by a 2-1 scoreline on the road in a game in which new signing Alexis Sánchez made his Major League Soccer debut.
Written by: Agboyibor Hope Francis
