A Quiet MLS Debut for Lewandowski as a Messi-less Miami Beats the Chicago Fire 3-2
Lewandowski started his first game for the Chicago Fire at Nu Stadium on July 22nd. Notably, he did not start alongside Hugo Cuypers, Chicago Fire’s and MLS’ current 2026 top scorer, (scoring 13 goals in 11 games) as he was just transferred to Liga MX side CF Monterrey for a $7.5 million fee.
In Lewandowski’s debut for the Chicago Fire, the 37-year-old striker managed a shot and completed 16 passes as he settles into the beginning of his career in MLS. The first goal of the match was an own goal by Inter Miami goalkeeper, Rocco Rios Novo, who was under pressure by the striker after a pass from Miami defender Ian Fray.
Chicago Fire head coach Gregg Berhalter withdrew Lewandowski in the 63rd minute for Robin Lod, when the Fire was trailing 2-1. He finished with one shot, taken in the 14th minute and blocked, and four touches inside the Miami penalty area.
Miami played without Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul, both rested after the World Cup, and without new signing Casemiro. Chicago out-shot Miami 15 to 14 but put only four on target against Miami’s seven. The result was Miami’s fifth straight win as they remained in 2nd place in the Eastern Conference, while Chicago Fire ended a 3-win streak from before the World Cup break.
Attendance at Nu Stadium was 25,123.
Lewandowski Starts on the Bench as NYCFC Sink the Fire 3-1 for the Third Straight Meeting
Three days after his debut, Robert Lewandowski started on the bench, and by the time he came on the game was arguably already lost. New York City FC beat the Chicago Fire 3-1 at Yankee Stadium on Saturday night, scoring three times in the first half before Lewandowski entered at the break.
Gregg Berhalter kept the dual-striker formation that had featured Lewandowski in Miami but handed the start to Robin Lod instead. The Fire fell behind in the 10th minute when Nicolás Fernández Mercau ran onto a clearance from captain Jack Elliott and struck from distance past Chicago goalkeeper, Chris Brady. Chicago answered in the 21st through Joel Waterman, his first goal of the season, tapped in at the back post after Anton Salétros’s set piece was flicked on by NYCFC’s Agustín Ojeda.
The equalizer did not last as Ojeda immediately redeemed himself and put New York back ahead in the 29th, finishing a through ball from Andrés Perea, before setting up Malachi Jones from close range in the 41st minute for a 3-1 lead that held to the final whistle.
Introduced at halftime for Maren Haile-Selassie, Lewandowski was busier than his debut in fewer minutes. He managed two shots and completed nine of ten passes across 45 minutes. His clearest look on goal was a header that Matt Freese saved, one of four stops the New York goalkeeper made on the night and among the Chicago Fire’s better chances. Still, it was the third straight meeting NYCFC has won 3-1, and New York now dominates the head-to-head series with 14 wins, 8 draws, and 4 losses across 26 matches.
Lewandowski Getting Back into Shape
Robert Lewandowski’s last game before his career in MLS began was an international friendly with the Polish national team against Nigeria back on June 3rd, and his last goal was in La Liga with Barcelona in their final 2025-26 season game against Valencia. Gregg Berhalter has both praised Lewandowski’s effort off the pitch when training with the Fire, while acknowledging that there will be a period of time that the striker will take to get back in shape as both of his appearances were for roughly 45-65 minutes.
Lewandowski’s debut was initially scheduled for the Fire’s home at Soldier Field against Vancouver, but that game was postponed due to wildfire smoke affecting air quality. As a result, his first chance to play at home, the debut Chicago’s Polish community has waited for, could come on August 1, when the Fire host Charlotte FC at Soldier Field.
A note from Poland.us: Even so, the Polish-American community in New York City turned out in force to support Lewandowski at Yankee Stadium, our white and red waving in the stands. He is still settling in on the pitch, but off it, his presence is clearly felt and helping the sport grow in the States. NYCFC may be our local club, but we wish Lewandowski success in his games ahead.
