Miami, Cincinnati and RSL all scrape by; Chicago rise above D.C. United | OneFootball

Major League Soccer was back with midweek action, and there were a few big games of note.

Here is what went down around the grounds.

Inter Miami scrape past Charlotte

Scorers: Agyemang 41′; Taylor 30′, Cremaschi 86′. Red: Agyemang 90+6′

Inter Miami avoided a scare against Charlotte FC after grinding out a 2-1 win on the road.

The visitors opened the scoring when Jordi Alba sent a brilliant cross into the box for Robert Taylor.

However, the hosts responded immediately when Patrick Agyemang beat his marker in his own half, ran into acres of space and curled home the equalizer.

The match continued to be tense, and both teams had poor finishing. Miami registered only four shots on and Charlotte, two.

That fourth was a crucial touch from an outstretched Benjamin Cremaschi at the death to ensure Miami stay top ahead of their clutch meeting with second-place Cincinnati on Saturday.

Charlotte, meanwhile, saw goal scorer Agyemang sent off in the dying seconds, and they currently sit sixth.

Cincinnati pile misery on D.C. United

Scorers: Rodríguez 24′, Pirani 69′; Kelsy 10′, Bucha 39′, 63′

D.C. United put up a good fight against FC Cincinnati but ultimately fell short in a 3-2 win for the visitors.

Kevin Kelsey became the first club player to score at least five goals before turning 20 after forcing goalkeeper Tyler Miller into a huge error within 10 minutes.

Martin Rodríguez’s darting effort from inside the box turned things level, but Pavel Bucha’s squeezed two goals home on either side of the break put Cincinnati in control again.

Gabriel Pirani’s close control skills had D.C. United back in the game, but it was too little, too late for the hosts. The club has now gone 10 straight without a win and sits bottom of the Eastern Conference.

Cincinnati, meanwhile, became one of just two MLS clubs to win seven on the road in a row (Montreal). They are two points back off leaders Inter Miami but have a game in hand. The top two meet on Saturday.

RSL complete comeback over Houston

Scorers: Gómez 22′, Luna 42′, Ojeda 67′; Aliyu 8′, Brody 54′ (OG)

Real Salt Lake kept pace with the two clubs in Los Angeles at the top of the table thanks to a 3-2 comeback win over Houston Dynamo.

Ibrahim Aliyu’s perfectly placed curler found the far right corner after a slick counterattack before Andrés Gómez poked home the equalizer.

A blasted effort from outside the box saw Diego Luna turn things in favour of the hosts until an Andrew Body own goal again levelled things up 2-2.

Braian Ojeda was the eventual hero, as his strike from just around the penalty spot secured all three points.

Looking at the standings, Real Salt Lake are second behind LAFC (who have a game in hand) and above LA Galaxy. Houston, meanwhile, sit seventh but remain only one point back of fourth-place Vancouver.

Late Chicago flurry stuns Philadelphia

Scorers: Haile-Selassie 30′, Cuypers 82′, 90+1′, Gimenez 89′; Donovan 38′, Gazdag 45+7′ (P), McGlynn 49′

Chicago Fire scored three goals in seven minutes to stun Philadelphia Union 4-3 at home as they rose off the bottom of the Eastern Conference.

The visitors were virtually inch-perfect in their attempts, netting three goals from four shots on target. Despite the loss, Dániel Gazdag will notably be happy with this game, as he became the Union’s all-time leading scorer in MLS (51 goals) from the penalty spot.

But Chicago dampened his memorable night when Hugo Cuypers headed home his first and then volleyed the game-winner on either side of Gastón Giménez’s half-volley for the equalizer.

Looking at the standings, Chicago moved up to 13th, while Philadelphia Union sits below in 14th and are level on points with bottom-side D.C. United.

Other results…

We’ll be back for more tomorrow!