Video: Lewandowski scores and Messi responds with a record in a thrilling American showdown

Inter Miami rescued a precious point away at Chicago Fire, turning around a one-goal deficit to draw 1-1 in front of a record 63,094 spectators at Soldier Field in the early hours of Thursday.

Robert Lewandowski stole the limelight early, putting Chicago ahead in the tenth minute with a spectacular acrobatic goal. Casemiro levelled for Inter Miami after the break, heading home a Lionel Messi cross.

Lewandowski strikes early

The hosts went ahead inside ten minutes, Lewandowski scoring in flamboyant fashion to hand Chicago a perfect start.

His goal came in a fixture bringing together two of European football's most prominent stars of recent years, Lewandowski and Messi, inside one of America's most famous stadiums.

Messi's cross leads him to a record

Inter Miami fought their way back after the interval. Casemiro rose to meet a Messi corner and headed it into the net to level the score.

That decisive pass was Messi's 13th assist in the league this season, taking him top of the competition's providers.

With 18 goals to his name, the Argentine became the first player in Major League Soccer history to record 30 or more goal contributions across three different seasons, according to the American network ESPN .

Chicago's goalkeeper denies Messi and his team-mates victory

Inter Miami went hunting for a winner in the closing minutes, but Chris Brady stood in their way. The goalkeeper saved six shots, including a dangerous effort from Germán Berterame in the 16th minute, one of three crucial stops he made before the break.

Guillermo Hoyos, Inter Miami's coach, spoke after the match: "I don't think there is any problem in attack at all. For me, their goalkeeper was the best player in the match."

He added: "The goalkeeper is part of the game in the end. We created chances from different areas, but he did his job well. The players put in a very good performance, indeed an excellent one, but we didn't get the result we deserved."

Record attendance

A crowd of 63,094 packed into Soldier Field, breaking the previous record for a Chicago Fire home match, set last season in this same fixture.

There was extra significance in the race for top spot, with Nashville losing to Toronto earlier in the day. The draw kept Inter Miami second, nine points behind the leaders.

Chicago Fire, meanwhile, can climb from fourth to third when they face New England Revolution in the next round.

Messi seeks a historic achievement

Inconsistency has plagued Inter Miami since the start of August: one win and two draws against four defeats.

Messi and his team-mates hope to keep competing for the title, aiming to make Inter Miami the first side since Los Angeles Galaxy in 2011 and 2012 to win back-to-back Major League Soccer titles.

Click here to read article