ORLANDO, Fla. _ Nothing about the night was completely normal.
On the pitch, Orlando City and Inter Miami played the first match in what is expected to be a long-lasting rivalry. And on the pitch, the rivalry looked bitter already _ the teams combined for four yellow cards and 29 fouls as the Lions pulled away for a 2-1 win.
In the final seconds of play, both teams appeared ready to hold out for a gritty draw. But captain and designated player Nani flew in as the hero for Orlando City, netting his first goal in his first game of the year with a point-blank shot in the box.
It was a wild finish on a night that lacked the usual pomp and circumstance of a traditional rivalry match. Instead, it reflected the unique and slightly eerie atmosphere of the MLS is Back Tournament. Without fans in attendance, the air hung heavy with silence that was only broken by the shouted commands of players and coaches.
There was no supporters section to celebrate goals. The players and coaches did their best to make up for it, with Lions strength coach Fabian Bazan crouching to roar into an on-field mic as his players dissolved in cheers.
Understanding that this night was never going to be normal, the league and the Black Players for Change brought powerful energy to the match. Commissioner Don Garber announced ahead of the tournament that MLS would not play the national anthem before matches to accommodate social-distancing protocol.
Instead, the pregame display became a moment to show support for the league's Black players. This moment, too, was silent.
Slowly, players from each team in the league filed onto the field in black T-shirts with varying messages _ "Black and Proud," "Silence is Violence," "Black All The Time." They wore black gloves and masks that read "Black Lives Matter."
The Orlando City and Inter Miami starters followed, forming a circle at midfield to take a knee. The remaining members of the Black Players for Change closed around them, lifting their fists in unison.
Orlando City midfielder Junior Urso shook as he tried to hold back tears. The display set a sober tone for the night.
Once the game kicked off, both teams were disjointed in the first half. Defenders muffed passes and attackers struggled to connect to one another.
Although Orlando City dominated more than 60% of possession, they struggled to translate that time on the ball into chances in the box. Striker Chris Mueller saw two opportunities in the box, but neither shot landed home.
Inter Miami barreled out of the gates in the second half, setting up Juan Agudelo to net a goal from the back post in the 47th minute.
Trailing by a goal gave the Lions a desperate edge, which boiled over in the 51st minute when striker Dom Dwyer's arm clotheslined Miami defender Andres Reyes in the throat in transition.
Dwyer and Reyes had been gunning for each other all night, clashing in the air and smashing into each other on the ground throughout the first half. The collision sent Reyes to the ground gasping for air. He was eventually removed from the pitch on a stretcher.
After a full 70 minutes of flying around the attacking third, Mueller finally found the net for an equalizer off a skipping cross from Nani.
The goal gave the Lions a much-needed injection of energy even as both sides began to devolve into end-to-end transition battles.
Nani's goal in stoppage time marked the Lions' first win of the year and first victory for new coach Oscar Pareja, setting the team ahead as the first side with net three points during the MLS is Back Tournament.
