Inter Miami winger Fafa Picault says Javier Mascherano’s side are not in “panic mode” after their Supporters’ Shield hopes took a huge blow with a 5-3 defeat to the Chicago Fire in the MLS.
The Herons, whose 11-match unbeaten home run came to an end despite two second-half Luis Suarez goals drawing them level, cannot finish top if Philadelphia win either of their two remaining matches.
Miami sneak one in and get one back. Game on. pic.twitter.com/mP4mm4k6A9
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) October 1, 2025
“I don’t really have an explanation,” said Picault, whose side also drew 1-1 at Toronto on Saturday. “It’s not something we want to repeat.
“We just have to change the page and look forward to the next games. It just goes back to us, as a unit, going to our drawing board as players and following what we’re supposed to do, being unified and working towards that.
Luis Suarez pounces. 🇺🇾
Miami pull one back. This is going to be a fun finish! pic.twitter.com/aLFf5nkaZm
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) October 1, 2025
“We’re towards the end of the season so we want to fix those issues now, but it’s still not a panic mode. We just have to do it and make sure we do it in the games.”
LUIS SUAREZ TIES IT. 💫 pic.twitter.com/ksMTiPysb0
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) October 1, 2025
Inter Miami vs Chicago: Messi misfires
With 24 goals, Messi remains the MLS top scorer – one ahead of LAFC’s Denis Bouanga – but has now gone two league matches without a goal for the third time this season.
Messi shot against a post after Dje D’Avilla’s header from Maren Haile-Selassie’s corner gave the Fire an 11th-minute lead, but Jonathan Dean then exploited ample space on the right to enter the box and double the visitors’ advantage 20 minutes later.
Chicago lead Miami after 10 minutes in. Dje D’Avilla opens the scoring!
📺 #MLSSeasonPass or Apple TV+: https://t.co/zuXdC2ze9o pic.twitter.com/Vmq6IBCEYC
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) September 30, 2025
Tomas Aviles poked in a 39th-minute reply following Messi’s corner and Suarez struck twice from inside the penalty area after the restart, only for Justin Reynolds to restore Chicago’s lead with an 80th-minute tap-in before Bryan Gutierrez completed the scoring in spectacular long-range style.
CHICAGO FIRE AGAIN. 💥
Jonathan Dean doubles the lead! Miami is stunned. pic.twitter.com/BKWCa3QHXf
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) October 1, 2025
“We clearly have a lot of things to improve,” accepted Mascherano. “We have been inconsistent throughout the year but the team has also had a lot of good spells.
This game. 🥜@ChicagoFire make it 3-1! pic.twitter.com/gDqCuCfPIC
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) October 1, 2025
“If a player does not understand what the coach wants, it is the coach’s responsibility for not expressing that as clearly as possible.
JUSTIN REYNOLDS GIVES CHICAGO THE LEAD AGAIN pic.twitter.com/e2SmBT7r5C
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) October 1, 2025
“I will try to transmit our ideas to the players in a better way, so that what happened [against Chicago] won’t happen again.”
OH MY BRIAN GUTIERREZ BANGER TO MAKE IT 5-3 OVER MIAMI 🔥 pic.twitter.com/HjBi5TzRbg
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) October 1, 2025
Inter Miami fixtures, schedule
While Chicago celebrate ending the longest active wait for a playoff place by returning to post-season competition for the first time since 2017, Miami’s form could be dipping at the wrong time.
The most high-profile side in the MLS are in the middle of a run of seven matches in 21 and may need five points from their final three regular-season games to seal a place in the top four, ensuring they have home advantage first in the initial best-of-three series in the playoffs, as well as two home games should their tie required a third match.
Mascherano changed his entire starting defence expect Jordi Alba, then made three changes at half-time by bringing on Baltasar Rodriguez, Ian Fray and Tadeo Allende for Aviles, Marcelo Weigandt and Telasco Segovia.
Miami are next in action on Saturday (19:30 ET / 16:30 PT / 00:30 BST on Sunday) at home to New England, who are guaranteed to finish 11th.
Inter Miami v Chicago Fire stats
- Chicago have five wins to Miami’s three in the 10-match history of the fixture and lead the aggregate scoreline 20-16
- Miami had won the previous two meetings before a 0-0 draw in Chicago on April 13
- Luis Suarez is the only Miami player ever to have scored more than once for the club against Chicago, netting four times against them in total
- D’Avilla’s goal was the first time Chicago have scored during the first 15 minutes against Miami
- Messi has 32 goals and 14 assists in 40 appearances this season
- Chicago’s nine away wins this season has broken a club record set in 1999
- Their 41 away goals in 2025 is a club record for a single campaign
- New England and Nashville (both in 2021) are the only previous teams to have scored five at Chase Stadium
