MIAMI, Sept 1, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - Luis Suarez struck twice to take his season tally to 16 goals in 20 Major League Soccer games, as Inter Miami cruised to a 4-1 win over the Chicago Fire on Saturday.

Miami, once again without Lionel Messi, who continues to be sidelined by an ankle injury, have already secured their place in the playoffs and remain in top place for the regular season 'Supporters' Shield'.

But there was no sign of Gerardo Martinez's side easing off as Uruguayan Suarez continued his impressive scoring form in a convincing victory.

The 37-year-old former Barcelona striker made Miami's opener in the 25th minute when his shot was parried out by Chicago keeper Chris Brady but flew into the goal of the helpless defender Tobias Salquist.

Suarez was on target himself, a minute after the interval when, after a smart exchange with Diego Gomez, he beat Brady with a low left-foot shot which flew into the near post.

The veteran striker made it 3-0 with his second, a close range finish after a low ball into the box from his former Barca team-mate Jordi Alba.

Giorgios Koutsias pulled a goal back for Chicago in the 82nd minute but Miami completed the rout when Leonardo Campana broke down the right and slipped the ball to substitute Robert Taylor with the Finnish winger making no mistake.

Defending champions the Columbus Crew, fresh from their Leagues Cup triumph, look well placed to join Miami in the Eastern Conference post-season after two stoppage time goals earned them a 4-2 win over New York City.

Algerian Mounsef Bakrar looked to have earned NYCFC a point after he finished off a swift counter-attack to make it 2-2 in the 86th minute.

But in the third minute of stoppage time DeJuan Jones took advantage of some hesitant New York defending to poke home and then Jacen Russell-Rowe made it 4-2 for the Crew, who are third in the East.

FC Cincinnati, without suspended Argentine Luciano Acosta, remain a spot ahead of the Crew after a 4-1 win over Montreal with another Argentine, Luca Orellano, scoring twice.

Orellano's second goal, in the 57th minute, to make it 3-0, was a spectacular strike from inside his own half.