NEW YORK —
James Sands scored in stoppage time as New York City FC salvaged a 1-1 draw against Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami on Saturday.
Miami opened the scoring in the 75th minute when Ecuadorian Leonardo Campana, who had come on three minutes earlier, finished off a play started by Messi. The Argentine advanced with the ball before finding Jordi Alba, who crossed for Campana to finish in the heart of the area.
After wasting many chances, NYCFC salvaged a point on a corner kick in the fifth minute of added time. Uruguayan Santiago Rodriguez curled a ball into the box for Sands to head home.
Messi was in the starting eleven for the first time since recovering from the ankle injury he suffered in the Copa America final with Argentina two months ago. Despite his contribution to Inter Miami’s goal, the forward showed his lack of training.
The game drew 44,738 spectators to Yankee Stadium. It was the second-highest attendance in team history, behind the 48,047 who attended a game against the New York Red Bulls on June 28, 2015 — the first season in NYCFC history.
The teams also tied 1-1 in Miami on March 30.
The match was a tight one, with 11 yellow cards. Four Inter Miami players, including Alba and Luis Suarez, were booked in a five-minute span in the second half. And one of coach Gerardo Martino’s assistants was sent off for unsportsmanlike conduct.
Curt and ironic in the press conference, “Tata” Martino complained about the performance of referee Jon Freemon, saying that he harmed them in the dying moments of the match: “
“I don’t know if the team lacked something. I would say that the match lacked a good referee,” said the Argentine coach.
After falling behind in the final two minutes of the game, Inter Miami remains atop the Eastern Conference with 64 points. It entered the game eight points clear of the Supporters’ Shield standings — the title awarded to the best MLS team in the regular season — with four games remaining.
Inter Miami will now host Charlotte FC at home on Saturday and NYCFC will face the Red Bulls on the road.
Other matchesColombian Juan “Cucho” Hernandez contributed a goal and an assist as the Columbus Crew beat Orlando City 4-3. Uruguayan Diego Rossi scored another of Columbus’ goals.
Montreal defeated the Chicago Fire 2-0, in a match in which Venezuelan Josef Martinez opened the scoring. Panamanian Coco Carrasquilla contributed the goal in the 83rd minute with which the Houston Dynamo beat Austin 1-0.
Argentina’s Luca Orellano scored on a free kick in the second half, and Cincinnati tied Nashville 2-2. Uruguay’s Jonathan Rodriguez scored in the extra time to give the Portland Timbers a 3-3 draw with Real Salt Lake, which nevertheless secured its ticket to the playoffs.
Also, Charlotte thrashed the New England Revolution 4-0; Minnesota United beat Surprise Kansas City 2-0; the Colorado Rapids defeated Toronto by the same score; the Los Angeles Galaxy defeated the Vancouver Whitecaps 4-2; Dallas beat Los Angeles FC 3-1; St. Louis beat the San Jose Earthquakes 2-1, and the Red Bulls tied Atlanta United 2-2.
