With Lionel Messi in the starting eleven, Inter Miami let a victory slip away on Saturday, after New York City FC tied it 1-1 in stoppage time in the MLS.
Ecuadorian Leonardo Campana scored his seventh goal of the season in the 75th minute, but James Sand tied the score at the end of the game in the 90+5′.
Messi, 37, did not have one of his best games, although he did participate in his team’s goal.
“I’m only going to talk about the collective performance, I don’t have to make any reference to my players individually,” said Inter Miami coach Gerardo Martino, when asked about Messi’s performance.
The match was short on chances in the first half. New York City FC was consistent with high pressure on a small field where Inter Miami struggled to adjust to their style.
In the second half, the match was full of contact and resulted in a total of five yellow cards for Inter Miami.
The match lacked a good referee. I think we played a good match and we should have won,” said ‘Tata’ Martino.
Campana entered the game in the 72nd minute and three minutes later scored Inter’s goal with a first-time shot from the edge of the six-yard box after a pass from Jordi Alba following a pass from captain Lionel Messi.
Campana, 24, has 31 goals and extends his lead in Inter Miami’s all-time scoring lead, while Messi has 27 and is third on the list behind the now-retired Gonzalo Higuaín with 29.
In the dying moments of the match, James Sands beat Argentinian Tomás Avilés to a corner kick and headed in the final 1-1.
Inter Miami closes a three-game week with five points after a win over Philadelphia Union and draws against Atlanta and NYCFC.
In the overall standings, the South Florida team has 64 points and opens up a nine-point lead over FC Cincinnati and LA Galaxy.
