D.C. United drew Inter Miami CF in their second meeting of the season, closing out the match 2-2 in front of a sold out crowd (total attendance: 19,215) at Buzzard Point.
There was certainly a buzz around the Miami team, and while Leo Messi hasn’t yet joined Miami’s XI, Audi Field was awash in Miami and Argentina kits, his MLS welcome party clearly underway. New head coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino was present, although he didn’t take to the sideline during the match.
The first half was a scoreless deadlock despite the Black-and-Red keeping pressure on the Herons and driving the attack toward the Chico Stand. Cristian Dájome was a strength on the left for the Black-and-Red bolstering offensive efforts, while Christian Benteke and Taxi Fountas worked to drop into the box and find a way past Drake Callender.
The match was chippy from the get go, both D.C. and Miami eager to gain the advantage. Nicolás Stefanelli was taken off the field on a stretcher in the 29′ after an injury and replaced by Israel Boatwright. Benjamin Cremaschi and Josef Martínez found chances for the Herons in the first half, but failed to convert. D.C. United’s back line did a tremendous job marking Martínez shutting him down throughout the first half before he had a chance to build momentum, a task that seems to be imminent for any team opposing the fiery striker.
Miami wasn’t alone in lackluster finishing. The Black-and-Red weren’t able to finish plentiful chances throughout the first half, heading to the locker room with a lot to think about. Despite Benteke, Dájome, Lewis O’Brien and Donovan Pines finding opportunities, the final third remained an impediment.
The second half saw tensions flaring further between D.C. United and Inter Miami. Notably, Taxi Fountas and Ian Fray engaged in several confrontations, as did Dájome and Boatwright. Rosendo Mendoza had his hands full to keep the match moving along.
Finally, the deadlock broke when the Herons struck in the 59′. A cross from Robert Taylor found Benjamin Cremaschi who put away his first MLS goal, firing the ball in from the edge of the box to overcome Tyler Miller.
The Black-and-Red were quick to answer the Herons. Fountas finally found the goal he had been chasing all match in the 65′, whipping the ball past Callender. A true team effort, Yamil Asad flicked a back-heel pass through to Dájome. Fountas was ready and waiting to fire from the top of the box, sinking the ball into the back of the net.
Noah Allen put the Herons back in the lead with his first MLS goal in the 68′. Allen took a free kick that wove it’s way through traffic and right past Miller to bring the scoreline to 1-2.
D.C. head coach Wayne Rooney made a pair of impact substitutes in the 76′ that paid off almost instantly. Bringing in Nigel Robertha and Ruan for Yamil Asad and Andy Najar, the boss set up the Black-and-Red to score in the 77′, the dynamic duo’s fresh legs and keen sense of space overpowering Miami’s back line.
The District Press asked Wayne Rooney if he had hoped for an impact substitution, or was he trying to save Asad and Najar from injury. With a chuckle, Rooney said, “I was hoping. No, of course when you make changes… We felt that there was a lot of space in behind and with everyone’s pacing, Nigel has trained extremely hard to get back fit. I thought he’d done well in the game in Dallas and I’m delighted for him that he got his goal.”
Speaking with Nigel Robertha, he broke down the moment that brought D.C. United level. He said, “Just like every time, he [Rooney] wants me to give 100% when I come in. And as the game was going we were creating a lot of chances and I’m a player that runs in behind a lot and that’s also what he expects from me. So, that’s what I did. When I came in and you saw it, first touch, first goal. So it felt good.”
While the match ended on a high note for the Black-and-Red, there was a feeling that the team should have won. Christian Benteke said, “To be honest, it feels like we lost tonight because I think we could have had these three points.” Robertha agreed. He said, “I think we could have done better. I think we should have won the game because we had a lot of chances…We went like five times one on one with a goalkeeper, you know? If we just finished our chances it’s going to be way easier for us.”
D.C. United will get the chance to improve that clinical finishing when they take on New England Revolution on July 15 at Gillette Stadium.
Watch the highlights from D.C. United vs. Inter Miami CF
Box Score
MLS Regular Season – Game 24
D.C. United: 2 Fountas 65′, Robertha 77′
Inter Miami CF: 2 Cremaschi 59′, Allen 68′
Lineups
D.C. United: Tyler Miller, Donovan Pines, Derrick Williams, Victor Pálsson, Andy Najar (Ruan 76′), Russell Canouse (Chris Durkin 87′), Lewis O’Brien, Yamil Asad (Nigel Robertha 76′), Cristian Dájome, Taxi Fountas (Erik Hurtado 90’+4′), Christian Benteke
Inter Miami CF: Drake Callender, Ian Fray, Sergii Kryvtsov, Noah Allen, Dixon Arroyo, Rodolfo Pizzaro (Leo Campana 66′), Benjamin Cremaschi, David Ruiz, Robert Taylor (Ryan Sailor 86′), Josef Martinez (Edison Azcona 87′), Nicolas Stefanelli (Israel Boatwright 29′)
Misconduct Summary
D.C. United: Asad 18′, Fountas 70′, Pines 90′
Inter Miami CF: Arroyo 2′, Kryvtsov 45′ + 6′, Ruiz 90′ + 4
Featured image courtesy of D.C. United // Hannah Wagner
I’m happy we have the break coming up, because I don’t think there’s much more to learn about the team as it stands, and I find myself watching the things this squad does well and wondering whether they will survive the transition to Wayne’s successor, whoever that might be. We have a present, but no perceivable future, really. 😐
I wonder if that outside firm they hired to find a GM is still looking…
Possibly one of those zombie contract situations where the FO receives, and pays, a bill each month for services whose purpose has been forgotten.
I thought Benteke’s header at the end was going to go in, and what a very nice finish that would have been. Alas.
So, Taxi’s goal celebration… was that meant to be directed towards the Miami team for complaining about the comments he most-likely-but-not-conclusively made in the Miami game last year? It seemed pretty tasteless to me, but I haven’t heard any kind of explanation about what was going on with it tonight.
Yeah, that was odd, and if it was truly in response to last year’s issue, what a tasteless end to a wonderful goal.
I wasn’t paying too much attention to the celebration, but those who did certainly had a negative reaction.
I think you all may be to self-absorbed by your anxieties. A goal is always worth celebrating. Although it would have been nicer if we had earned 3 points at the end of the night…
I thought we were the better team with the better chances. I thought Callendar was the man of the match to me. And given how Taxi and Benteke play (and with Miami playing a high line) I’m surprised we didn’t see Robertha earlier–with his speed and ability to run in behind a backline. I could have seen Taxi dropping back in to an A-mid role or playing a 3-man frontline. But what do I know–Rooney’s subs got us the final goal.
Thought Taxi and Benteke were both incredibly sloppy, and I think the explanation is they thought they could waste individual chances against this opponent. Next game, focus.
So, here’s a PSA to those hardy few who are watching home games on TV instead of trekking to the stadium: Turn on the Dave Johnson Radio Audio. Not only do he and Bruce Murray have more cogent observations about the team we support than the Apple doofus crew, but I have a suspicion that Apple will note how many people are listening to them. Let’s support Dave and save our ears from bad takes. Thanks
Also, reminder that both national teams play today! USWNT does one final tune up against Wales, and I’d be shocked not to see the starting lineup from the opening whistle.
Meanwhile, my new favorite coach, BJ Callahan, is hoping to dunk on a depleted Canada side with this team of US players hoping to jostle their way onto the World Cup roster.
USWNT at 4 on TNT, USMNT at around 8 on FS1
A match we should have won but could have lost.
Dajome had an outstanding match bombing down the left side.
Asad had his best match since his return. A very hard stint defensively
And a brilliant back heel to help set up a tying goal.
Until his goal I thought that Taxi had a terrible match. Bad decisions and bad shooting.
Benteke was oh so close so many times.
We lose Pines but get back Klich next match. Unless you’re at Buzzard Point in person, I believe that Commentariat members don’t give Klich his due.
Totally agree about Klich. He works his ass off. He often times deserves the second assist. He leads by example. I can see why Leeds fans loved the man.
My impression of the game was that Dajome but especially Najar and Asad carried the team for the first half. Najar seemed to be having lots of fun and one could tell that Asad was putting great effort and had some really good passes. In the second half, when both Najar and Asad understandably got tired (you can tell that the run for the first goal took a toll on Asad – he hasn’t really been playing after all), Taxi took over and tried to push the team. Saturday simply wasn’t Benteke’s night but I also do feel that the team needs to balance the way they attack, it can’t be that everyone just looks for Benteke all the time, they also need to look for Taxi just as much because he’s the better finisher of the two.
Though I and everyone are disappointed by not coming away with three points from last night’s match, as Rooney says, that point giving us 30 to date could be important. Montreal, Red Bull, and Chicago are all behind us at 26 points with two games in hand. But that means that each would have to get a win and a draw to match us in their “catch up” matches.
Rodman gets a brace as a second half sub. 2-0 the score. The flow through most of the game wasn’t quite right, but Vlatko is going to be hard pressed to find a reason to avoid starting her.
Agreed. USWNT totally dominated (Wales only completed 49% of passes!!!) but Rodman really took over as second half sub. Sanchez and Sullivan played well. I was totally unimpressed by Alyssa Thompson.
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