Inter Miami playoff chances slim after 4-1 loss to Chicago, Messi may return Saturday

A Chicago Fire record crowd of 62,124 showed up at Soldier Field on Wednesday night hoping to see Inter Miami star Lionel Messi and his teammates face the Fire in a critical game with playoff implications.

A pastel blend of pink Miami No. 10 shirts and Argentine light blue and white ones overwhelmed the Fire red shirts in the stands. But it was the Fire fans celebrating after the game as Inter Miami, minus its injured Argentine star, was routed 4-1, putting Miami’s playoff chances on life support.

It was the sixth game of the past seven that Messi missed for Inter Miami. He has played just 37 minutes for Miami since Sept. 3. After going 12 games unbeaten with him, Miami has one win, three losses and two ties since he got hurt.

Messi is getting closer to making his return, according to Inter Miami coach Tata Martino and midfielder Sergio Busquets, and there is a good chance he will play Saturday against first-place FC Cincinnati.

Busquets, Messi’s former FC Barcelona teammate and close friend, said the injured star is on the verge of returning. One good sign is that he was on the Argentina national team roster released Thursday for upcoming World Cup qualifying matches against Paraguay and Peru. Martino said a determination on Messi’s status for Saturday will be made Friday after training.

Asked how he felt seeing tens of thousands of Messi fans not get a chance to see him play, Busquets said: “The first person who wants Leo to be on the field is Leo. Second is us, his teammates, because we know how important he is for us. It’s a shame, but in the world of football you can’t control injuries. Hopefully, he can come here next year, as that would be best for everyone.”

Martino also addressed the fans’ disappointment: “I understand the expectations of the fans, but we can’t bring him if he is not healthy enough to play. These are the things only we must live with. I find it very strange that a coach has to explain to the rival fans why the best player in the world can’t play. It’s only because it’s him and we’re in the United States. Everywhere else, rival fans would be relieved that the best player in the world was not there.”

Chicago and Miami are among seven teams jockeying for the final two playoff spots in the Eastern Conference with three games remaining.

The Fire moved up to eighth place in the East with 40 points, one spot above the playoff line. Inter Miami is in 14th place with 33 points and will have to win all its remaining games and get help from other teams to reach the postseason.

“I am disappointed because our team has declined in the past 15 days, and now we must win three games and rely on what the rivals do,” Martino said.

Jordi Alba also was absent for the third game in a row. The team sorely missed him and Messi.

Miami’s offense lacked organization and creativity, and when the team did get chances, nobody could finish. Inter Miami’s lone goal came on a Josef Martinez penalty kick in the 53^rd minute after a Jonathan Dean hand ball in the box.

Chicago, meanwhile, scored four second-half goals after a series of Miami defensive lapses on Fire counter attacks. Two goals came from substitute Maren Haile-Selassie in a span of three minutes. His first came shortly after Martinez’s equalizing PK, when he collected a Fabian Herbers through ball and launched a right-footed shot from the center of the box to the top left corner.

His second was three minutes later, with his left foot. The Fire’s other two goals came from Swiss star Xherdan Shaqiri, the first in the 49^th minute and the second in the 73^rd.

Martino felt there were two decisive moments that turned the game in Chicago’s favor. Miami’s Facundo Farias and Benjamin Cremaschi had two clear chances to give Miami a 2-1 lead but failed to convert. Also, Miami left too much open space for the Fire to capitalize on in transition. Martino said the five-man back line had done better, but Wednesday he chose to go with a back four and paid the price.

“We just weren’t clinical enough on our side of the field or the opponent’s side,” said Busquets. “When we had chances to pull ahead, we couldn’t make the final play. Things have gotten very complicated for us, although we are not mathematically eliminated.”

Among the Messi fans who hoped to see him was Rachel Gillins, a high school soccer player from Hobart, Indiana, who arrived on crutches wearing a pink No. 10 “Goat” jersey.

Gillins tore her ACL and meniscus during the first game of her senior season, but that wasn’t going to keep her from driving across the state border to see her favorite player in person. She had received the ticket as a present from her parents for her upcoming 18^th birthday.

“This is an early 18^th birthday present for me because when we saw that Messi was in Miami, I was trying to convince my parents, `It’s going to be my 18<sup>th</sup> birthday and my golden birthday, so can we please go to the Messi game in Chicago?’ We don’t normally do stuff like this for birthdays, but my dad was like, `OK, we’ll get the tickets.’’’’

They bought the tickets in early summer, shortly after Messi joined Inter Miami. Gillins had surgery on Sept. 7, the same day Messi aggravated an old injury while playing with Argentina’s national team against Ecuador.

“As I found out he was injured, I was like, `I really hope he plays against Chicago’, but honestly, I understand,” she said, pointing to the giant brace on her left leg. “I wouldn’t judge him if he doesn’t feel he’s ready to come back yet. He shouldn’t rush. I may not get back on the field until May.”

It was her first time seeing a Fire game in person, so she figured she would have a good time with or without Messi.

That was music to Fire coach Frank Klopas’ ears, whose team was averaging 14,000 fans.

“We talked about moments like this, opportunities, you have to grab them, and we did,” Klopas said. “It was sold out months ago. A lot of fans came for the first time to see Lionel Messi. Who doesn’t want to see him? Wherever Messi goes, it’s amazing what he’s done for the league. But the fans saw a great performance from our team. I guarantee a lot of people will go back home and say, ‘Wow that was entertaining.’ It’s about putting a show on the field. And we did that. Hopefully, they’ll come back next year, and not just for the Inter Miami game.”

And, next time they may wear red.