Suarez brace and Plambeck's first goal fire Inter Miami to fifth straight MLS win
Synopsis
Luis Suarez reached 100 appearances and 50 goals for Inter Miami on the same night — and still needed a teenager's first MLS goal to seal it. Academy graduate Preston Plambeck came off the bench to net a dramatic 87th-minute winner, capping a 3-2 comeback over Chicago Fire and stretching Inter Miami's winning run to five straight.
Key Takeaways
Inter Miami CF defeated Chicago Fire FC 3-2 at home on 23 July 2026 , their fifth consecutive MLS win .
Luis Suarez scored a brace — a 28th-minute penalty and a 51st-minute right-footed finish — bringing his regular-season tally to 8 goals .
Suarez reached 100 appearances and 50 goals across all competitions for Inter Miami, only the second player in club history to do so.
Academy graduate Preston Plambeck scored the 87th-minute winner — his first goal in MLS and for Inter Miami's first team.
Berterame provided a backheel assist for Suarez's second, taking his league assist tally to five .
Chicago Fire equalised twice, with Puso Dithejane netting in the 67th minute to make it 2-2 before Plambeck's late intervention.
Luis Suarez scored a brace and Preston Plambeck netted a late winner as Inter Miami CF defeated Chicago Fire FC 3-2 at home on 23 July, extending the club's winning streak to five consecutive matches in the 2026 MLS regular season. The result was sealed in dramatic fashion, with academy graduate Plambeck's first-ever MLS goal arriving in the 87th minute to secure all three points.
Key Developments
Chicago Fire drew first blood in the 18th minute through an own goal, taking an early lead at Chase Stadium. Inter Miami responded quickly when a foul by Chicago defender Jack Elliott on Ruiz inside the penalty area resulted in a spot kick in the 26th minute. Suarez stepped up and converted the penalty in the 28th minute, levelling at 1-1 — his seventh regular-season goal of the campaign.
Suarez Reaches Two Club Milestones
The second half opened with Suarez adding his second of the night in the 51st minute, capitalising on a sublime backheel assist from Berterame, who had received a through ball down the right channel before returning it with precision. Suarez finished first-time with his right foot to make it 2-1. The strike was his eighth regular-season goal and his fifth in his last two MLS appearances.
Notably, the performance marked two significant milestones for the Uruguayan forward: his 100th appearance and 50th goal across all competitions for Inter Miami, making him only the second player in club history to reach both landmarks. The assist also pushed Berterame's tally to five for the league campaign.
Chicago's Equaliser and Plambeck's Heroics
Chicago Fire refused to capitulate, drawing level in the 67th minute through forward Puso Dithejane to make it 2-2. Inter Miami pressed for a winner in the closing stages, and the breakthrough came from an unlikely source. Plambeck, an academy graduate who had entered as a second-half substitute in the 69th minute, reacted quickest to a rebound off an initial Suarez effort, finishing from close range with his right foot in the 87th minute.
The goal was Plambeck's first in MLS and his first for Inter Miami's first team — a landmark moment for the young midfielder.
What This Means for Inter Miami
The 3-2 victory keeps Inter Miami on a strong upward trajectory in the 2026 MLS regular season, with five wins in a row underlining the club's form. Suarez's continued output — particularly his late-career consistency in front of goal — remains central to the team's attacking identity. The emergence of academy products like Plambeck in decisive moments adds another dimension to the squad's depth as the season progresses.
Point of View
Not a fluke — but the more telling number from Tuesday night is 50. Suarez reaching 50 goals for Inter Miami at this stage of his career reframes what was initially seen as a marquee signing with a short shelf life. The real subplot, however, is Plambeck: academy graduates deciding MLS matches in the 87th minute is precisely the developmental return clubs invest years building toward. Inter Miami's depth is growing beyond its headline names, and that is the structural story the standings do not yet fully capture.
NationPress
23 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the final score between Inter Miami and Chicago Fire on 23 July 2026?
Inter Miami defeated Chicago Fire 3-2 at home on 23 July 2026. Goals from Luis Suarez (two) and Preston Plambeck secured the win after Chicago equalised twice.
How many goals has Luis Suarez scored for Inter Miami?
Suarez has now scored 50 goals across all competitions for Inter Miami, reaching the milestone during the Chicago Fire match. He also made his 100th appearance for the club on the same night, becoming only the second player in Inter Miami's history to achieve both landmarks.
Who scored the winning goal for Inter Miami against Chicago Fire?
Academy graduate Preston Plambeck scored the 87th-minute winner, his first goal in MLS and his first for Inter Miami's first team. He came on as a second-half substitute in the 69th minute and reacted quickest to a rebound off an initial Suarez effort.
How many consecutive wins do Inter Miami have in the 2026 MLS season?
Inter Miami extended their winning run to five consecutive matches in the 2026 MLS regular season with the 3-2 victory over Chicago Fire.
What assist milestone did Berterame reach in the match?
Berterame's backheel assist for Suarez's second goal took his tally to five assists in the 2026 MLS league campaign. The assist came after he received a through ball on the right side of the box and returned it to Suarez with a backheel.
