Inter Miami CF earned a 2-2 draw with D.C. United at DRV PNK Stadium. Ecuadorian striker Leonardo Campana scored his seventh goal in all competitions this season, while defender Damion Lowe scored his first MLS goal, to extend the club’s unbeaten home streak to four.
Lineup Notes
Inter Miami opened the match with a starting XI featuring a number of changes following the team’s midweek U.S. Open Cup win over South Georgia Tormenta FC. Drake Callender once again started in goal; DeAndre Yedlin, Lowe, Chris McVey, and Kieran Gibbs formed the backline; Gregore, Jean Mota, and Bryce Duke lined up as the midfield trio; Robert Taylor and Ariel Lassiter started on the wings alongside striker Campana.
The match marked the return of Lowe, who started against D.C. after missing Inter Miami’s last two matches, while Campana, Gibbs and Mota started after resting in the team’s midweek match. Callender, meanwhile, started his third consecutive match for the First Team, his longest such run for Inter Miami. Ryan Sailor appeared on the bench following his MLS debut in the team’s last MLS regular season match.
Match Action
After a weather delay of just over an hour to start the match, Inter Miami opened proceedings with a number of ambitious counter attacks and lively dribbling. Notably, the winger duo of Taylor and Lassiter pushed forward frequently while Duke attacked through the middle.
Inter Miami was forced into a first-half substitution, with Gibbs coming off injured in the 29th minute. He was replaced by Sailor, making his second consecutive MLS appearance after starting against Charlotte FC for his MLS debut last weekend.
Two minutes later, the hosts took the lead. McVey, who moved to left back following the substitution, took on several defenders and passed to Campana in the box, who then played a one-touch ball down the left wing to Lassiter. The Costa Rican then crossed a ball into Campana, who met the ball in front of goal and flicked a shot past the keeper at the near post to open the scoring. The goal was Campana’s sixth in MLS and seventh across all competitions this season, while the assist was Lassiter’s third.
Inter Miami then doubled its lead in the 45th minute from a set piece. Mota struck a curling delivery from a corner to the center of the box, and Lowe rose up over two defenders, heading the ball off the post and into the back of the net to make it 2-0. The goal marked a pair of firsts for Inter Miami, as it was Lowe’s first goal and Mota’s first assist.
D.C. United, however, notched a goal of its own just before halftime. Julian Gressel crossed a ball into the box and Michael Estrada flicked it back to Taxiarchis Fountas, who curled it into the back of the net to halve the deficit.
Inter Miami appeared to score a third goal early in the second half when Duke played a ball to Lassiter down the left wing and the winger hit a driven low shot into the back of the net, but the goal was disallowed as the linesman raised his flag, judging Lassiter to be offside.
It was the visitors, though, who would score next when Fountas drove down the right wing, played a ball to Russell Canouse into the box, who then passed to Ola Kamara in front of goal. The striker connected with the pass and netted to equalize.
Inter Miami continued to push for a winner through remaining minutes, including the final moments following a red card for D.C. United’s Chris Durkin, but the 2-2 scoreline held through the final whistle.
Post-Match Reaction
"There was lots I was really pleased with considering our feelings after the game on Tuesday. I thought we've controlled most of the game, just two lapses of concentration," said head coach Phil Neville. "The disappointment is that we didn't get the victory we thought we deserved, and that hurts a little bit because we thought our performance deserved that."
Next Match
Next for Inter Miami is a midweek MLS match on the road, with the team set to face the Philadelphia Union on Wednesday, May 18 at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Individual match tickets for each remaining regular season home match on the Inter Miami CF schedule are available visiting https://www.intermiamicf.com/tickets/single. Fans can also call 305-428-0611 to learn more.
