WASHINGTON (AP) -- D.C. United and the Miami Fusion played to a 2-2 tie Wednesday night in a match pitting the best team in the league against its last-place division rival.

D.C. squandered numerous scoring chances throughout the game and failed to capitalize on two early goals by Abdul Thompson Conteh. Alex Chacon and Diego Serna scored for Miami in the second half.

Miami is atop the Eastern Division with the best record in MLS at 12-3-5. D.C. is in last place of the same division at 6-12-2.

Conteh scored his first goal in the 30th minute off a perfectly placed crossing pass from Brian Kamler. Taking a pass from Ryan Nelson 40 yards out, Kamler streaked past Miami forward Diego Sarna and midfielder Tyrone Marshall before placing a crossing pass on the right foot of Conteh for a redirect into the right corner of the net.

Conteh followed with his second goal three minutes later to give United a 2-0 halftime lead. Conteh beat Pablo Masteroni to a loose ball in front of the Miami net, took a quick step to adjust, then dribbled a shot to the right of helpless Fusion goalkeeper Nick Romando.

Miami came to life in the second half. In the 53rd minute Fusion defender Chris Henderson crossed to Chacon for an easy shot past United goalkeeper Mike Ammann.

Serna, the MLS goal-scoring leader, tied the game 2-2 with a header over Eddie Pope and Carey Talley in the 73rd minute. Chacon beat Ryan Nelson on the outside, then sent a high crossing pass to Serna amongst traffic in the middle of the box. The goal was Serna's 13th of the season.

The game may have been saved for Miami when Masteroni defended an open goal by acrobatically kicking Jaime Moreno's dead-on shot up and over the crossbar in the 53rd minute. It was one of many missed opportunities for D.C. in the second half. In the 81st minute, Conteh broke away for a one-on-one, only to send his shot over the crossbar. In the 89th minute, Moreno's diving header missed just wide of the Fusion goal.