FC Dallas pulled off one of the most remarkable comebacks of the MLS season Sunday night, rallying from two goals down to defeat Inter Miami 4-3 at Chase Stadium. Pedro Martins was the hero, assisting on the equalizer and firing home the game-winner in the 81st minute to seal Dallas’ first win since March 29.
Inter Miami, playing without stars Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, Jordi Alba, and Sergio Busquets — all resting ahead of Wednesday’s second leg in the Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals — appeared to have the match in hand. Manager Javier Mascherano’s side, which suffered its first MLS loss of the season, led 3-1 midway through the second half before Dallas’ explosive turnaround.
Dallas struck first in the eighth minute when Shaq Moore fired a low shot past Miami goalkeeper Drake Callender to open the scoring. Miami responded quickly. In the 16th minute, Fafa Picault tucked in a rebound to even the match, and then 18-year-old Ecuadorian Allen Obando scored his first career MLS goal off an assist from Ian Fray to put Inter Miami ahead 2-1 in the 29th minute.
The hosts extended their advantage early in the second half. In the 56th minute, Hector Martinez stormed into the box and rifled a left-footed shot off the far post and into the net, giving Miami a seemingly commanding 3-1 lead.
But FC Dallas roared back with three goals in a blistering 17-minute span. Osaze Urhoghide ignited the rally in the 64th minute, right-footing a shot from the center of the box past Callender. Just five minutes later, Martins delivered a beautiful long ball to Anderson Julio, who sprinted onto it and beat Callender on the run to tie the game at 3-3.
With Miami on the back foot, Dallas kept pressing. Martins completed the comeback in the 81st minute, finishing coolly past Callender after a setup from Logan Farrington to silence the home crowd.
Inter Miami heavily rotated their squad after Thursday’s 2-0 loss at Vancouver, starting only one player — Maxi Falcón — from their usual first team. Callender, making just his second start of the season, replaced Oscar Ustari in goal.
Dallas, meanwhile, snapped a two-game scoreless streak in emphatic fashion, breathing life into a season that had seen the club struggle to find momentum. The win could prove pivotal as Dallas looks to climb up the Western Conference standings.
Inter Miami will now turn its attention to Wednesday’s critical second-leg clash against the Whitecaps, where the return of Messi and the other rested stars is expected.
