Inter Miami Battles Chicago Fire to High-Energy Stalemate
If you want to talk about spectacle, look no further than what happened at Soldier Field. The stadium overflowed with electric energy as a staggering 62,358 fans filled the stands—the highest crowd ever for a Chicago Fire home game. Everyone came for the fireworks, but defense dominated and left both teams at a standstill. Still, this was no boring match—just ask anyone lucky enough to get a ticket.
Chicago Fire came into this game without a single shutout all season. That changed thanks to a tireless back line and Chris Brady, who delivered his best performance of 2025 so far. The Chicago keeper faced down some of the sharpest attacking players in the league and never blinked. On the other side, Inter Miami's Oscar Ustari had to be equally sharp, especially as the Fire pushed hard in the final minutes.
What really made the stadium buzz was the Chicago debut of Lionel Messi. Every time he got the ball, you could hear the anticipation ripple through the record crowd. Messi converted a free kick in the 63rd minute into a near-certain goal, but Brady pulled off a spectacular fingertip save. Then in the 86th minute, the stadium held its breath as Messi let fly with a signature rocket—only for the ball to cannon off the crossbar, so close to breaking the deadlock.
Key Moments and What’s Next for Both Sides
While Messi grabbed most of the attention, Chicago had their own chances to steal the glory. In the dying moments, Jonathan Bamba linked up with Maren Haile-Selassie for a slick move, springing Bamba into a one-on-one with Ustari. Bamba struck the ball well, but Ustari wasn’t having it—he held his ground and kept the scoreboard frozen. Defenders on both teams threw their bodies in the way of anything threatening, and goalkeepers turned would-be goals into highlights for their collections.
With this draw, Inter Miami keeps their unbeaten record safe at 4 wins and 3 draws (15 points). Looking ahead, all eyes turn to their matchup against the Columbus Crew and, even more so, their high-stakes CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinal against the Vancouver Whitecaps. Chicago Fire walks away with both pride and a bit of relief: the first clean sheet of the season and now sitting at 3-2-3 (12 points), they look a bit sturdier than weeks past.
This game didn’t need tons of goals to keep anyone entertained. Messi showed flashes of magic, both teams tested themselves under real pressure, and for 90 minutes, nobody in that stadium could look away. High-flying offenses are great, but sometimes a fierce battle at the back steals the show.
