Orlando City vs. Inter Miami: Final Score 2-2 as Lions’ Subs Can’t Hold Late Lead

TAMPA — Orlando City struck first through Martin Ojeda and regained the lead through Ramiro Enrique, but a second-half squad primarily made up of substitutes could not hold the late advantage, giving up a stoppage-time equalizer in a 2-2 draw against Inter Miami at Raymond James Stadium. A stadium soccer record crowd of 42,017 fans — most there only to see Lionel Messi — saw tying goals in each half from Miami’s Tadeo Allende and Fafa Picault spoil the night for Orlando, which finished the preseason winless for the first time.

“We’re happy with the performance,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “There is about a bunch of signs that we see from our team and the game that we want to put together, and then take advantage of the week of work on our training and see if we can get better. But we’re happy we got the objectives accomplished.”

Pareja’s starting lineup featured Pedro Gallese in goal behind a back line of Rafael Santos, Robin Jansson, Rodrigo Schlegel, and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson. Eduard Atuesta made his Orlando City debut in central midfield alongside Cesar Araujo behind an attacking line of Ivan Angulo, Ojeda, and Marco Pasalic with Enrique up top.

The two Florida rivals exchanged half chances early, with Atuesta blocking a shot early and Pasalic firing over the bar from just outside the area a couple of minutes later.

Orlando City started to create off of its defense over the next several minutes, with the first chance coming from an Ojeda steal and pass to Enrique in the 14th minute. The forward took a heavy first touch and was leaning into what would have been a difficult lunging shot when he went down under contact, but referee Filip Dujic ruled that there was no foul in the box.

The Lions scored a minute later anyway off another steal. Ojeda knocked the ball to Angulo on the left and the Colombian slipped a pass back to the Argentine, who chipped onrushing goalkeeper Oscar Ustari, tucking his shot just inside the right post to make it 1-0.

Three minutes after the goal, Schlegel was fortunate he was playing in a preseason game. Jansson lost an aerial duel he would normally win against Allende, which allowed the ball to get in behind. Schlegel tried to nick it away, and may have gotten the ball cleanly, but he was called for a foul just outside the box. In a normal game, he likely would have been sent off for denial of a goal-scoring opportunity, but Dujic gave only a yellow. Messi sent the free kick over Gallese’s crossbar in the 19th minute.

Miami equalized in the 22nd minute. Santos got caught ball watching, allowing Allende to get in behind and take a pass on the right. He sent his shot just inside the left post to make it 1-1 on what was a difficult first half by the Brazilian left back.

Allende came close to a second goal in the 25th minute but fired wide of the left post from the right as again Santos was caught napping. Luis Suarez fired wide of the right post from a tight angle on the left in the 28th minute. Eight minutes later, Telasco Segovia tried to chip Gallese but fired just over the crossbar and onto the roof of the net.

Orlando couldn’t do anything with a pair of corners, but nearly paid off the second on the recycle when Ojeda sent in a dangerous cross that deflected off Schlegel, which kept it from reaching Enrique with the goalkeeper out of position. The Lions should have scored in the 39th minute. Atuesta picked out a great pass to send Pasalic in behind. The Croatian probably had more time than he thought, shooting early, but Ustari made an outstanding save.

Gallese had his own moment of brilliance in the 44th minute to deny Suarez from close range. Moments later, Gallese denied a Messi chip but the Argentinian was offside anyway. The save didn’t count, but it was still fun to watch.

The teams went to the break tied with a goal apiece.

Miami had more shots (6-4) and each team won four corners. Each goalkeeper made one save and both were spectacular.

Shortly after the restart, the Lions generated a good attack, with Atuesta switching play to Angulo on the left. Angulo lost his defender and sent in a good cross that never made it to Enrique, who vehemently shouted for a handball. None was given and the ball cycled back out to Atuesta, who fired well off target.

Jansson was called for fouling Suarez just outside the box moments later, but Messi fired the free kick wide in the 52nd minute.

Orlando made Miami pay for the miss two minutes later. A long ball into the attacking half was misplayed by the Herons’ defense, ending up on Ojeda’s foot. The Argentine slipped his countryman Enrique in on goal and the forward smashed his shot just inside the right post to make it 2-1 in the 54th minute.

Suarez found an opening at the top of the box in the 57th minute, but his shot was no trouble for Gallese, who made a comfortable save. Ten minutes later, Gallese was perfectly positioned when a recycled ball fell to Messi, who had an open header after pushing off of Thorhallsson. El Pulpo made the easy save.

The next 15 to 20 minutes saw both teams making substitutes, with Messi’s departure prompting a bit of an exodus from fans. The game got a bit sloppier after the changes, which included the introduction of Nicolas Rodriguez for his first minutes as a Lion.

Orlando should have put the game away in the 82nd minute when substitute Luis Muriel made a filthy pass through traffic to pick out forward Gustavo Caraballo in the box. The teenager sent his shot too close to Ustari, who made a vital save to keep it a one-goal game. Three minutes later, Muriel fired just over the bar from the top of the box — another costly miss in the end, as it turned out.

In the final minute of stoppage time, as Miami pushed for an equalizer, Orlando’s largely substitute squad failed multiple times to sufficiently clear their lines. Robert Taylor picked up the ball on the left, worked across to the right and fired a shot that got past Gallese but was cleared off the line by Colin Guske. The rebound fell to Picault, who fired it in to tie the match. The game was played without video review, which was unfortunate, because there was a clear handball on Santiago Morales in the buildup to the equalizer.

Shortly after the restart, the game was over. Although there had been talk about penalties if the game ended in a draw, there were no spot kicks and the match ended 2-2.

Inter Miami finished with more shot attempts (14-9) and corners (8-4), with the Lions finishing with more saves (5-2).

“Very happy, because we made a very good game,” Atuesta said after his first match as a Lion. “I was working just like five days with the team, and I feel very, very good on the pitch with my teammates. Trying to know each other is not easy, to know already what he’s doing, what I’m doing for them, I think is not an easy work, but they are very good players.”

“We need rhythm. We need much more rhythm,” Pareja said about what he needs to see from his team in the final week of preseason. “I thought we were not constant on our ways. It was good here and there, but we need more rhythm. I know the result was the most important part, but we were leading the game until the end. So, good for the players that played against a rival that has a bunch of games already. They’re good, but today we could end up just probably 3-1, because we had a few options in the box that we still have been better on that part.”

“I think we are in a good way,” Atuesta said. “It’s a very long season. We have to try to start well. I know the start is difficult because the rhythm is not there, but as soon as possible we’ll start to win points.”

That’s a wrap on preseason. Orlando City’s next match will be Saturday, Feb. 22 at home against the Philadelphia Union in the season opener.