Inter Miami handed Robert Lewandowski a harsh introduction to Major League Soccer, edging Chicago Fire 3-2 in a breathless contest at Nu Stadium that showcased both Miami’s attacking depth and Chicago’s growing pains.

With Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul rested after their exertions at the World Cup, the spotlight fell on two other global stars. Luis Suárez, already a cult hero in South Florida, delivered a ruthless brace, while Lewandowski’s first MLS outing offered flashes of quality but ended in frustration.

The night began disastrously for Miami. In the 18th minute, goalkeeper Rocco Ríos Novo misjudged a routine back pass from defender Ian Fray, allowing the ball to trickle over the line for an own goal that stunned the home crowd and gifted Chicago the lead.

Miami’s response was swift and driven by Suárez’s relentlessness. In the 27th minute, the Uruguayan drew and converted a penalty, sending Chris Brady the wrong way to restore parity. Early in the second half, Suárez struck again, timing his run perfectly to meet a clever backheel from Germán Berterame and sweeping Miami into a 2-1 advantage.

Lewandowski, leading the line for Chicago after his move from Barcelona, worked tirelessly between Miami’s centre-backs, dropping deep to link play and drawing defenders out of position. His sharp movement created space for teammates, but he rarely received the kind of service he once enjoyed in Europe and was substituted just after the hour mark.

Chicago refused to fold. In the 67th minute, Puso Dithejane punished slack Miami defending, arriving unmarked to slot home the equaliser and briefly tilt the momentum back toward the visitors.

Yet the final word belonged to Miami’s academy. With three minutes remaining, substitute Preston Plambeck pounced on a rebound after Brady had parried another fierce effort from Suárez. The youngster’s composed volley into the roof of the net sealed a dramatic 3-2 victory and underlined the club’s blend of superstar power and homegrown promise.

The result lifted Miami to second in the Eastern Conference on 34 points, five behind leaders Nashville, and reinforced coach Guillermo Hoyos’s belief that his side can compete even without Messi and De Paul.

Hoyos stressed that the Argentine duo will be eased back carefully, citing the physical and mental toll of a World Cup campaign and insisting they will return only when fully ready.