MLS club embarrasses itself with horrid own goal in first game after World Cup hysteria

So much for capitalizing on the home World Cup buzz.In the first slate of MLS games since the end of the World Cup, Inter Miami scored an own goal to give the Chicago Fire a 1-0 lead in an embarrassing error.Miami, which didn’t have Argentina star Lionel Messi, came back to win 3-2, but it was still an embarrassing moment for the MLS immediately after the World Cup.In the 18th minute, goalkeeper Rocco Ríos Novo received a pass from defender Ian Fray, who looked ready to clear the threat of Chicago scoring. But instead of kicking the ball back out, Ríos Novo misjudged the clearance attempt, swinging at the ball and failing to make contact – which looked reminiscent of the United States Men’s National Team goalie Matt Freese, who swung and missed against Belgium during the World Cup in another horrific moment for soccer in the States.Freese is an MLS goalie as well, serving as NYFC’s keeper, and was also heavily booed by onlookers Wednesday.Whether it was a timing issue or something else from Ríos Novo remains to be seen, but it allowed Chicago to celebrate its opening goal in shocking fashion. A broadcaster on the call even had fun with the call, saying, “Oh my gosh! Wow! What a disaster!” Calling the play a disaster may be an understatement, but Miami rebounded nicely for its fifth straight win. Trailing 1-0, Miami’s Luis Suárez tied the game with a goal in the 27th minute before adding another to take the lead nearly 25 minutes later. Chicago then evened the score 2-2, but Preston Plambeck’s first MLS goal sealed the deal in the 87th minute to give Miami a thrilling victory. “I want to congratulate the entire squad, a group that has worked incredibly hard during this period,” Miami manager Guillermo Hoyos said after the game.“We’ve been doing things right.

I also want to congratulate the whole club.There are so many people working behind the scenes who make this great happiness possible.” It’s truly moving, because that’s w...