Defending MLS Cup champions Inter Miami returned to play after the World Cup and it appears that there is still some rust ‘The Herons’ need to knock off.
While runner-up Lionel Messi was not present as he rested following Argentina’s defeat, friend Luis Suarez and Inter Miami re-started their season against the Chicago Fire, who recently acquired Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski.
But just moments into the match, Miami keeper Rocco Rios Novo committed a horrific blunder to put his team behind the 8-ball.
Playing the ball out of the back, Novo was in position to receive a pass from his defender, Ian Fray in the 18th minute.
But rather than send the ball up the pitch, Novo whiffed on the kick entirely and watched as it rolled under his foot and into the back of his own net.
The crowd at the Nu Stadium were stunned into silence as Novo was made to do a walk of shame to get the ball from the back of his net.
Inter Miami keeper Rocco Rios Novo made a stunning error in his first game back from break
Novo horribly misplayed a backpass from a defender and watched as it rolled into his own net
Despite this, Novo and Inter Miami pulled out a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Fire
Lewandowski, who was playing in his first match since joining the Fire in the summer, was standing right by Novo and waited to jump on any mistakes. Instead, Novo did the work for him.
However, as horrible as the mistake was, Novo and Inter Miami still pulled out a 3-2 victory over Chicago despite being without Messi and Argentina teammate Rodrigo De Paul.
Suarez bagged a brace with goals in the 27th and 51st minutes before Chicago’s Puso Dithejane evened the game in the 67th.
Miami pulled out the winner when 20-year-old midfielder Preston Plambeck buried a shot in the back of the net just three minutes before the 90.
Inter Miami sit second in the MLS standings in both the Supporters Shield and the Eastern Conference, now five points behind leaders Nashville SC.
