Robert Lewandowski marked his first appearance on home soil for the Chicago Fire with a two-goal display, guiding his new club to a 2-1 win over Charlotte FC on Saturday in Major League Soccer action.
The victory snapped a winless run for Chicago since the league's international break and lifted the Fire to 9-6-2 on the season, worth 29 points, as they continue to chase down the Eastern Conference's leading pack. Charlotte, who sit at 7-7-4 with 25 points, suffered their fourth defeat in five away outings.
Lewandowski, who joined the Fire as a free agent late in June, needed only 20 minutes to open his account in Chicago colors after Charlotte had taken an early lead. Pep Biel put the visitors ahead in the 18th minute, combining with Idan Toklomati before cutting inside and firing a shot into the top corner past goalkeeper Chris Brady. It was Biel's ninth goal of the campaign, keeping him atop his team's scoring charts.
Chicago responded almost immediately. Jonathan Bamba's ball forward was headed on by Philip Zinckernagel to Lewandowski, who shifted the ball onto his right foot after a feint and finished into the bottom left corner past Kristijan Kahlina to level the score in the 20th minute.
The Fire came close to a second before halftime when Zinckernagel set up Robin Lod inside the box, but the Finnish midfielder's effort from a tight angle drifted off target, with Lewandowski unable to get on the end of it at the far post.
Early in the second half, Lewandowski turned provider, threading a pass to Zinckernagel that put him one-on-one with Kahlina. However, an extra touch allowed the Charlotte keeper to close the angle and block the attempt.
Chicago eventually broke through in the 68th minute. Andrew Gutman located Lod just outside the box during a quick transition, and Lod slipped a pass in behind for Lewandowski, who finished from close range past Kahlina for his second of the match and the winning goal.
Elsewhere in MLS action, Lionel Messi made his return from absence for Inter Miami, entering as a second-half substitute in a 2-2 draw against Columbus Crew. Messi was unable to find the net despite two attempts on goal. Luis Suárez had given Miami the lead in the 16th minute, continuing his hot scoring form with his seventh goal in four matches, only for Casemiro to inadvertently level things with an own goal. Suárez later assisted Noah Allen for a header that restored Miami's advantage, but Columbus substitute Brais Méndez equalized late with a free-kick on his debut.
DC United fought back from a two-goal deficit to draw 2-2 with Eastern Conference leaders Nashville SC at home. Nashville had gone ahead through a Sam Surridge penalty and a goal from Shakur Mohammed in the first half, before Silvan Hefti's volley from a corner cut the deficit. Tai Baribo completed the comeback for DC United with a strike from out wide in the 77th minute.
In other results, Thomas Müller scored from the penalty spot to earn Vancouver Whitecaps a 1-1 draw with LAFC, canceling out an early goal from Son Heung-min. Meanwhile, the Portland Timbers extended Seattle Sounders' losing streak to six matches with a 2-1 win, with Brandon Bye netting the decisive goal in the 82nd minute after Kevin Kelsey's opener, while Kalani Kossa-Rienzi replied for the injury-hit Sounders.
Based on reporting from Guardian Football.