Inter Miami's playoff dreams were dealt a severe blow as they succumbed to a resounding 4-1 defeat against the Chicago Fire. The match featured stellar performances from former Liverpool player Xherdan Shaqiri and Maren Haile-Selassie, who scored braces, leaving the Herons struggling without their star player, Lionel Messi.

For Inter Miami, making it to the playoffs was already an uphill battle, and this defeat has made the task even more challenging. Tata Martino's side is technically still in contention in the Eastern Conference playoff race. Still, the team must secure victories in their remaining games and hope for favorable outcomes elsewhere to maintain a glimmer of hope for postseason qualification.

In this match, Josef Martinez found the back of the net for Inter Miami (9-16-6, 33 points). However, Messi's absence for the fourth consecutive match loomed large. The Argentine superstar, with one goal and two assists in MLS regular-season play, has not played since a September 20 encounter with Toronto FC.

The victory propelled Chicago (10-12-10, 40 points) above the playoff cutoff line into eighth place in the Eastern Conference, further complicating Inter Miami's postseason aspirations. Chicago also maintained an impressive home record, improving to 6-3-7 in home matches.

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Inter Miami's woes on the road continued, as the team's away record fell to 3-11-2 for the season. Currently, in 14th place in the 15-team Eastern Conference, they find themselves five points below the playoff cutoff line.

Shaqiri opened the scoring in the 49th minute with a precise left-footed strike, but Miami quickly responded in the 53rd minute with Martinez converting a penalty kick. However, Haile-Selassie, who entered the match as a second-half substitute, swiftly restored Chicago's lead in the 62nd minute with a well-placed right-footed shot.

Shaqiri added another goal four minutes later, putting the result beyond doubt with a powerful strike in the 73rd minute.

Despite Miami's control of possession, Chicago created more promising scoring opportunities, leaving Inter Miami with the daunting task of reviving their fading playoff hopes.