Recap: Orlando City SC 1, Inter Miami CF 1

Sydney Hunte

A Kieran Gibbs equalizer with just under 25 minutes remaining canceled out Antonio Carlos' goal in first-half stoppage time as Florida rivals Inter Miami CF and Orlando City SC played to a 1-1 draw at Exploria Stadium on Wednesday evening.

Orlando had the first real chance of the night via Nani in the 19th minute, but his header from a great delivery from Mauricio Pereyra went straight into the arms of Nick Marsman. Marsman was called upon once more as he kept out a 37th-minute strike from distance by Pereyra. Then in the 39th, Kyle Smith came close to heading in a corner from Nani for the second straight match but missed just wide.

In first-half stoppage time, Orlando did find the scoreboard. Nani sent a perfect cross to Antonio Carlos, whose header found its target to give his team a 1-0 lead. But concern immediately shifted to the wellbeing of the Brazillian defender as he suffered an apparent head injury before walking off under his own power.

Miami had an opportunity to level things in the 51st minute, but Smith came up with an important stop with Robbie Robinson's shot headed toward an empty Orlando net to keep the scoreline in his team's favor.

But in the 66th minute, Miami delivered the equalizer. Victor Ulloa's ball into the box was headed home by Gibbs past a lunging Mason Stajduhar for the Englishman's first goal in MLS.

Orlando, though, appeared to regain the lead with less than 10 minutes remaining through Tesho Akindele as he poked Marsman's deflection of a Smith cross over the line. But Video Review determined that Akindele was offside and the goal was taken off the board.

And despite a late flourish deep in stoppage time for Orlando, they weren't able to find the match-winner.

Goals

45'+1 - ORL - Antonio Carlos | WATCH
66' - MIA - Kieran Gibbs | WATCH

Three Things

THE BIG PICTURE: Are things starting to click a little for Miami? After an embarrassing 5-0 loss to the New England Revolution on July 21, they’ve gone unbeaten in their last three matches, drawing the Philadelphia Union and beating CF Montréal in Fort Lauderdale before sneaking away with a result against their in-state rival. It’s certainly points dropped for Orlando as they controlled play for much of the match but failed to build on a slim lead and claim their second straight win.
MOMENT OF THE MATCH: Orlando were dangerously close to coming up with a late winner in back-to-back matches. Akindele looked as if he’d scored his fourth goal of the season with under 10 minutes to go, but this one would be taken off the board after a second look.

MAN OF THE MATCH: He’ll be disappointed by the fact that his club couldn’t hold on for all three points, but Nani deserves the plaudits for a strong effort on the night, assisting on Orlando’s lone goal as he proved a handful for Miami’s defense.