SEASIDE >> A point was preserved. Yet, failing to hold a lead late in the match Sunday will keep Monterey Bay FC out of first place.

Returning to the friendly confines of Cardinale Stadium following an 11-day layoff didn’t provide the results the Union had hoped for, playing Miami to a 1-1 draw.

While the tie did keep Monterey Bay FC unbeaten at home and gave them a point, it wasn’t the three points that the win would have provided, leaving them a point behind Western Conference leader San Antonio.

The Union (4-2-3) are 1-1-3 after a 3-1-0 start this spring, improving to 3-0-1 at Cardinale Stadium, where a crowd of nearly 5,000 welcomed them home for the first time since April 12 — the longest stint between home matches in franchise history.

After playing two matches in seven days — both on the road — for the third time this season, the Union used an 11-day break to reignite themselves.

Ilijah Paul produced a goal, his fourth of the year, for the Union in the first nine minutes of the match on an assist from Mayele Malagno.

The Union, who will visit Rhode Island on Saturday, had only allowed one goal in the second half all season in the United Soccer League — that coming back on March 15 in a 3-2 win over Oakland.

However, a streak of seven matches of holding an opponent scoreless in the second half came to a halt in the 87th minute when Miami forward Francisco Bonfiglio drilled his fourth goal of the year.

Miami had won just three matches last year, including a 1-0 decision over Monterey Bay FC, and had the worst record in the USL. It improved to 2-4-1 this season, moving them into a tie for sixth in the Eastern Conference.

Goalie Nico Campuzano came within a handful of minutes of recording his fourth shutout this year for the Union, finishing with eight saves.

With the goal, Paul is sixth in the USL — third in the Western Conference in goals with four. Campuzano leads the USL in saves with 35.

The Union, who finished with the third-worst goal total in the USL last year, are eighth overall through nine matches with 12. With the draw, the two teams are 1-1-2 lifetime against each other.