D.C. United showed determination and attacking urgency Saturday night, mounting a late push but falling 2–1 to Inter Miami CF in front of a record crowd of 72,026 at M&T Bank Stadium.
Inter Miami took an early lead behind goals from Rodrigo De Paul in the 17th minute and Lionel Messi in the 27th. Messi’s finish—his 899th career goal—came after a well-placed pass into the box, as the Argentine star lifted the ball over goalkeeper Sean Johnson to double Miami’s advantage.
The electric atmosphere continued at halftime with a special performance from Washington, D.C. native rapper Wale, adding to the spectacle of a historic night that brought one of the largest crowds in MLS history to Baltimore.
Despite the early deficit, D.C. United continued to press and grew stronger as the match progressed. The Black-and-Red controlled much of the second-half momentum, limiting Messi’s impact after halftime and forcing Miami to defend deep for long stretches.
United broke through in the 75th minute when Tai Baribo finished a rebound in the box after a shot from Jackson Hopkins was saved by Miami goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair. The goal ignited a late surge, with additional attacking chances created by Hopkins, Lucas Bartlett, and Louis Munteanu as D.C. pushed for an equalizer.
While Miami held on for the win, United’s resilience and second-half pressure stood out in front of the historic crowd, giving the Black-and-Red positives to build on heading into their upcoming road match against the Chicago Fire FC.
