Lionel Messi scored but it wasn’t enough as Inter Miami dropped points for the third straight game in a 1-1 draw against Charlotte FC.
An opportunistic Charlotte side largely found a way to keep Miami’s stars at bay in a match where both sides will feel disappointed in not getting three points.
The Herons were quiet and largely ineffective for an hour, while Charlotte was rather wasteful. At the end of it all, a tie seemed an admittedly fair result — although Miami’s hopes at setting an MLS points record are slipping further and further away.
Both sides exchanged chances in the first half. Messi fired narrowly wide from the top of the box. Karol Swiderski’s clever lob attempt landed on the roof of the net.
Charlotte took the lead in the 56th minute, Swiderski deflecting Brandt Bronico’s shot past a wrong-footed Drake Callender. However, Messi provided the necessary moment of magic just minutes later as the Argentine finished on a curling an effort into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.
The game became stretched soon after. Miami had a penalty shout ruled out by VAR. Charlotte put the ball in the net, but saw it chalked off for an offside in the build up. Luis Suarez came closest, though, blasting one over goal from close range with the last kick of the game.
There will be some frustration in Florida here. Miami has now dropped points in three straight, and is rather stumbling its way to the Supporters Shield. The team still has three more matches in which it clinch MLS’s best record but have opened the door slightly for the Columbus Crew, who have a game in hand.
GOAL rates Inter Miami’s players from Chase Stadium…