The defeat leaves Miami next to bottom of the Eastern Conference and five points off the last playoff spot with just three games remaining and their destiny no longer in their own hands.
MIAMI -- Missing Lionel Messi again, Inter Miami's hopes of squeezing into the MLS playoffs suffered a body blow on Wednesday, Oct. 4, with a 4-1 defeat to Chicago Fire.
Swiss former Liverpool and Bayern Munich playmaker Xherdan Shaqiri scored twice with his compatriot Maren Haile-Selassie also grabbing a brace. Chicago regained the lead in the 62nd minute when substitute Haile-Selassie slotted home after being played in by Fabian Herbers. The Sounders, who missed out on the playoffs last year, secured their 14th playoff appearance in 15 seasons.
The Houston Dynamo and Vancouver Whitecaps also qualified for the playoffs with the Texans' drawing 1-1 at Montreal and the Whitecaps beating St.Louis 3-0.