Liel Abada took two shots in Miami on Saturday and scored with both of them, five minutes apart. Charlotte FC, down 3-0 at halftime with 40 percent of the ball, left Inter Miami's regular-season finale with a 3-3 draw and a point it almost did not need.

Inter Miami CF and Charlotte FC finished level at Nu Stadium on MLS Decision Day, according to the ESPN match page. Miami ends the regular season 16-6-12 with 60 points, second in the Eastern Conference behind Nashville's 77. Charlotte is 15-10-9 with 54 points, fifth in the East.

Three Miami Goals From Set Pieces and Distance

Ian Fray scored from a corner in the 14th minute, Luis Suarez finished a German Berterame layoff off another corner in the 33rd, and Rodrigo De Paul beat Kristijan Kahlina from outside the box in the 42nd, set up by Telasco Segovia. Lionel Messi took four shots, put two on target and hit the post in stoppage time with Miami chasing a winner. Miami had 59.8 percent possession and 15 shots to Charlotte's 11, and committed 14 fouls to Charlotte's six.

Abada in the 50th and 55th, Aloko in the 90th

Charlotte needed five minutes after the break to cut the lead to one. Abada tapped in Tyger Smalls' pass from close range in the 50th minute, then curled one from outside the box in the 55th off a Pep Biel assist. Rodolfo Aloko, on as a 69th-minute substitute, volleyed in the equalizer from the center of the box in the 90th. Kahlina and Dayne St. Clair each made two saves.

The standings explain why the comeback still stung. Chicago finished fourth in the East with 55 points. A Charlotte win would have moved it to 56 and given it home field in the first round. Instead, Charlotte opens the playoffs at Chicago.

Round One Starts Nov. 20

MLS announced the Round One matchups after Decision Day: Inter Miami meets No. 7 Columbus Crew and Charlotte visits No. 4 Chicago Fire in best-of-three series that begin Friday, Nov. 20, after the Nov. 19 Wild Card games. More soccer is on the BallerTube MLS page.