Inter Miami went to D.C. United looking for an easy three points, but they left two on the table and could regret that in the long term.
While taking on a team that has now gone winless in 11 matches could have been a straightforward task, the Herons were missing Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba, and struggled to take advantage of a weaker opponent.
Instead, a rotated squad saw D.C.'s Jackson Hopkins open the scoring in the 13th minute, and Miami struggled to create until Baltasar Rodríguez tied the match in the 64th minute.
D.C. will undoubtedly be happy with the draw and staying out of the loss column for another week, but Miami could see those two dropped points come back to haunt them in the hunt for a second-straight Supporters’ Shield title.
With the draw, the Herons dropped to fifth in the Eastern Conference and are closer in points to the MLS Cup Playoff cutoff line than to the top of the table.
Inter Miami Rotation Highlights Depth Issues
Early in his time on the touchline for Inter Miami, head coach Javier Mascherano was heavily criticized for his lack of rotation and overuse of aging star players. However, recent months have shown his willingness to switch it up and balance the roster, as the club has navigated a condensed schedule of the FIFA Club World Cup, Leagues Cup and MLS regular season play.
That, at its core, is a good thing. Yet, much of the rotation more recently has been forced, with Messi unavailable in two of the last three matches, where Miami have struggled to create much in the attack, despite avoiding losses.
Against D.C., the rotation took another level, with players like Ryan Sailor introduced after previously only playing less than 10 minutes in MLS all season, and midfielder Tadeo Allende taking a run at the striker position.
The focus was clearly on the Leagues Cup semifinal against Orlando City SC on Wednesday, but the lack of depth was evident at Audi Field. Rotation can be fine, but when a midfielder has to start up top due to lack of options, it’s a problem with the roster build—something that was a clear issue on Saturday.
Baltasar Rodríguez Makes a Difference
Baltasar BANGER Rodríguez! 😱
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) August 24, 2025
Miami are back level after this worldie. 👌 pic.twitter.com/dGglmV2dn3
Baltasar Rodríguez had a slow start to his Inter Miami career, but had one of his most influential appearances against D.C. United, scoring the tying goal just minutes after entering the match.
Although the 22-year-old Argentine has yet to see consistent minutes under Mascherano, he has made a significant impact throughout his seven appearances this season, with the goal against D.C. proving his second contribution of the season.
Given his position in attacking midfield, he has been a victim of preference for Mascherano, as Messi, Luis Suárez, and others have taken on more prominent roles in his best positions. Yet, his substitute performance against D.C. could turn heads, not only for his wonder strike, but also for his three completed dribbles and 33 touches through his 36 minutes.
At the same time, Rodríguez could see more playing time through the end of the regular season, with heavy match congestion for Miami between the remaining nine MLS matches, and Leagues Cup semifinals and either third-place match or final.
Leagues Cup Prioritized Over Supporters’ Shield
Inter Miami have games in hand on every team in the Eastern Conference, but topping the table and repeating as Supporters’ Shield Champions could prove to be a challenging target with the points dropped against D.C.
With 46 points, Miami find themselves eight behind MLS and Eastern Conference leaders the Philadelphia Union, who raised their total to 54 points after a win against Chicago Fire FC on Saturday. Miami now have nine games to close that gap, while the Union have six regular season matches remaining, and don’t have to contend with as challenging a schedule.
When looking at points-per-game, Miami sit third in the Eastern Conference as well, and have little room for error should they want to repeat as the league’s best regular season team heading into the MLS Cup Playoffs.
However, the club has likely prioritized winning the Leagues Cup and clinching a Concacaf Champions Cup berth through that competition, over securing the best possible seeding in the playoffs, a feat which did not work out for them in their first-round exit against eighth-seeded Atlanta United in 2024.
While the draw will be a tough one to take, and could prove a critical point in the hunt for the Supporters’ Shield and the top of the table, winning the Leagues Cup would prove a significant and worthwhile achievement for the club.
That match against Orlando City SC goes Wednesday at 7:30 pm ET.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as D.C. United 1–1 Inter Miami: Takeaways From Disappointing Draw Without Messi .