Inter Miami makes history, then loses 2-1 to D.C. United after heartbreaking sequence
Inter Miami made history in a hurry Saturday, when Rodolfo Pizarro stunned D.C. United and the Audi Field crowd with the expansion club’s first-ever goal inside the second minute.
But in the span of 10 wild minutes early in the second half, the historic day turned horrific for the nascent Miami team, as players watched an apparent 2-0 lead turn into a 2-1 defeat.
While fans were still settling into their seats, Pizarro, the Mexican midfielder with the distinctive hair, found himself unmarked at close range, and tapped in a cross from Scottish winger Lewis Morgan. The play began with an impressive run by No. 1 draft pick Robbie Robinson on a counter attack.
Pizarro made his trademark Joker face and was immediately swarmed by his jubilant teammates. Up in the suite level, team owners Jorge and Jose Mas celebrated as did the 12 Miami Heat players who showed up for the game on the eve of their Sunday game against the Wizards.
Miami briefly took a 2-0 lead on a Morgan goal early in the second half, but then everything unraveled. Morgan’s goal was disallowed after a video review showed that Miami defender Roman Torres had a handball in the sequence leading to the goal. Referee Rubiel Vazquez ejected Torres with a red card, leaving Inter Miami a man down.
Just after Torres left the field, D.C. United was awarded a penalty kick for a Victor Ulloa foul in the box on Edison Flores. Yamil Asad converted the penalty kick to tie the score 1-1 in the 59th minute, and two minutes later, Frederic Brillant knocked in a rebound off a D.C. United free kick to score the go-ahead goal.
Miami fought valiantly with 10 men, even created several scoring chances, but for the second week in a row, the team headed home heartbroken. Last week, Inter Miami lost 1-0 at Los Angeles FC in their inaugural season opener.
“I’m gutted, and I know the guys are gutted,” said Inter Miami defender Ben Sweat. “We worked extremely hard with 11 men, with 10 men, we controlled the game. To go from 2-nil up to a red card to a penalty to a second goal...it was just five minutes (shaking head)..it’s football. We need to learn from what we could control and go from there.”
Sweat called it one of the must bizarre games of his career.
“Those three to five minutes were just unbelievable, I’ve never experienced anything like that in my life. It was very frustrating, but we did everything we could with 10 men, created just as many chances as we did the first half with 11 men, so that’s something to be proud of and keep our heads up high.”
Pizarro agreed, and felt the team deserves better than a pair of losses after how they played.
“We deserved more from these two matches,” he said. “This one we lost for silly mistakes, but we have to just keep working and try to win the next game. After the first goal, I was very happy, enjoying the moment, unfortunately, we didn’t get the result, which is the most important thing.”
He said a lapse in concentration allowed D.C. to get back in the game.
“You have to stay totally focused on the match and what comes next, not keep thinking about the bad thing that just happened,” he said. “Unfortunately, those five minutes changed the whole game for us.”
Coach Diego Alonso repeated over and over again how proud he was of the team, despite the loss. He also refused to blame the referees.
“I never complain about officiating, I always respect them and the job they do,” Alonso said. “They have a big responsibility. I understand that they can make mistakes, as we all do. We have to work as a team to make fewer mistakes to avoid these situations. I am so proud of these players, and I told them that in the locker room. We have far less in the standings than what we deserve. We have to keep fighting and working and we will be rewarded.”
“We had a chance to win, even with just 10 players. I am very happy to be their coach, very happy to represent this club, and I know we will do big things in the future.”
Robinson’s right leg tangled with D.C. United’s Steve Birnbaum, and he limped off the field just before halftime. He did not return to the game, and was replaced by Juan Agudelo.
Alonso made two lineup changes from the first week. He replaced starters Matias Pellegrini and Alvas Powell with Dylan Nealis and Andres Reyes, going for five defenders, with Nico Figal an option to join the attack.
The starting XI: GK Luis Robles, D Nealis, D Roman Torres, D Reyes, D Figal, D Ben Sweat, MF Victor Ulloa, MF Wil Trapp, MF Morgan, MF Pizarro, F Robinson.
Inter Miami plays its long-awaited home opener Mar. 14 at 2:30 p.m. against the Los Angeles Galaxy at their new Fort Lauderdale stadium. The game is sold out.
