Anders Dreyer scored his 10th and 11th goals on either side of halftime and visiting San Diego FC earned a 2-2 draw against Lionel Messi and defending MLS Cup champions Inter Miami on Sunday night.
Dreyer’s brace helped San Diego (8-11-7, 31 points) snap a three-match losing streak, with his 82nd-minute equalizer spoiling Kily Gonzalez’s MLS managerial debut despite Messi scoring his league-leading 20th goal.
Jeppe Tverskov assisted both goals for San Diego, which remains one point outside of playoff position in 10th in the Western Conference. San Diego goalkeeper CJ dos Santos made six saves against his former club, including a pair against Messi in second-half stoppage time.
After Messi pulled Miami (12-4-10, 46 points) level at 1-1 in the 24th minute, Luis Suarez put the Herons in front in the 74th on a play set up by Rodrigo de Paul.
But Miami settled for a fourth consecutive MLS draw in the first league game with Gonzalez at the helm after he was named to replace interim boss Guillermo Hoyos last month. Gonzalez previously guided Miami to a 2-0 home win over Cruz Azul in the Campeones Cup final on Wednesday night.
Miami remained in third place in the Eastern Conference following the draw, behind second-place New England on the tiebreak of total wins and 11 points behind leaders Nashville SC.
Both San Diego goals came from Tverskov playing speculative passes up the central channel.
In the 12th minute, he played the ball from deep within his own half. With Marcus Ingvartsen also in the center circle acting as a decoy, the pass rolled past him into the path of Dreyer running behind Miami’s back line.
Dreyer continued forward and coolly chipped charging goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair for his second goal in the last three matches.
On Dreyer’s leveler 70 minutes later, Tverskov played a more conventional ball over the top of Miami’s back line. Dreyer timed his run to remain onside, collected himself and drove a powerful finish beyond St. Clair’s left arm and inside the right post.
Messi pulled Miami level in the 24th minute on a free kick from beyond the right corner of the penalty area that narrowly missed connecting with Suarez’s head but continued beyond Dos Santos’ dive and off the inside of the left post.
–Field Level Media
