Baltasar Rodriguez scored in the 64th minute as Inter Miami, playing without injured superstar Lionel Messi, escaped with a 1-1 draw against D.C. United on Saturday in Washington, DC.
Inter Miami (13-5-7, 46 points) was gunning for their third victory in a span of eight days, including a 2-1 win over Tigres UANL in the Leagues Cup quarterfinals Wednesday.
Jackson Hopkins scored in the 13th minute for D.C. United (4-15-9, 21 points), who extended their run of MLS matches without a victory to 11. The last D.C. win came on May 31.
The draw was the second straight for D.C. United, and it came in the home debut of new coach Rene Weiler.
D.C. was without its top scorer, Christian Benteke, who was serving a one-game suspension because of an accumulation of yellow cards.
In the midst of a busy schedule, Miami employed a makeshift starting lineup, with eight changes to its starting group from its Leagues Cup win. The Herons next face Orlando City on Wednesday in a Leagues Cup semifinal.
Inter Miami did not start any of their Barcelona Four, which include Messi, Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets and Luis Suarez, who have combined for 27 goals and 36 assists in MLS matches this year.
Busquets and Suarez entered in the 55th and 63rd minute respectively and helped Miami control the flow the rest of the way. The Herons owned possession for 65.5 percent of the match and had 11 crosses to one for D.C.
It was the second straight year that fans in D.C. were denied a chance to see Messi, who entered the day leading the MLS in goals with 19 in as many appearances. Messi also was sidelined with a hamstring injury when Miami won in Washington in March of last year.
Miami is 2-2-2 this season in MLS games Messi has missed.
Hopkins put D.C. on top early when he one-touched a looping pass from Matti Pelota to his right, freeing himself for a right-footed blast from the middle of the penalty box, which was just inside the left post.
The goal was the second in the career of the 21-year-old. His first tally came a week ago in D.C.’s 1-1 tie at CF Montreal.
Miami got the equalizer with a spectacular shot in the 64th minute. From outside the penalty box, Rodriguez fired a fading, right-footed strike into the top right corner.
It was the first goal for Rodriguez since he was signed on loan in March from Argentine top-flight side Racing.
Luis Barraza had two saves for D.C. Rocco Rios Novo had one save for Miami.
–Field Level Media
