Lionel Messi‘s Inter Miami crashed in the first round of the MLS playoff against Atlanta Unitedwhich added its second victory in the best-of-three series by winning away by 2-3 and eliminate those from Florida. Inter Miami was the best team of the first phase y broke the MLS points record (74), but suffered a hard blow when they fell to an Atlanta United that finished in ninth place in the East with 40 points and reached the playoffs as eighth through an invitation
Messi and company, who were the favorites to win the MLS Cup, closed with a resounding defeat a 2024 season in which they won the MLS Supporters Shield title. In addition to this elimination in the first round, Gerardo Martino’s team fell this year in the quarterfinals of the Concacaf Champions Cup against Monterrey and lost in the round of 16 of the Leagues Cup against the Columbus Crew. However, FIFA, due to its good performance in the first phase of the MLS, gave it the invitation that the host country (United States) had for the expanded Club World Cup in 2025.
Those in pink won the first game of this series 2-1, but lost 1-2 in the second. In the third they had everything in their favor in their stadium, but Atlanta United sealed an unforgettable performance with goalkeeper Brad Guzan as the hero, and with dynamite on the counterattacks to exploit the shortcomings behind Inter Miami.
Without Sergio Busquets starting with a blow (they entered in the 78th already with 2-3), Inter Miami assumed from the beginning the role that corresponded to them: long possessions, control of the match and harassment of an opponent sheltered behind.
However, the visiting team made it clear very quickly that they would be very dangerous on the counterattacks and in the 14th minute Thiaré sent a ball to the post. Only three minutes after that scare, Inter Miami took the lead on the scoreboard. Messi received a ball at the penalty spot and made a mistake, which he does not usually make, but after Guzan’s enormous save the ball fell to Paraguayan Matías Rojas, who did not forgive. The script was being fulfilled and Inter Miami had the tie on track, but Atlanta United revolutionized the game with two blows in a row.
In the 19th minute, Jamal Thiaré took advantage of the immense spaces behind the local defense and beat Drake Callender with a right foot into the top corner. Two minutes later, Atlanta United went on the counterattack, Alexey Miranchuk assisted Thiaré and the Senegalese made it 1-2.
Those two goals left Inter Miami in “shock” and launched a total siege on Atlanta’s goal. Paraguayan Diego Gómez scored the equalizer, but it was disallowed for offside. It was not the only opportunity for an Inter Miami with multiple avenues of attack, but no precision: Messi did not hit the mark after an excellent combination with Suárez, the Uruguayan did not score with an acrobatic shot, the Argentine David Martínez had his own with a header. .. And in most of the photos of Miami’s frustration Guzan appeared, full of energy and with several extraordinary saves.
Inter Miami showed signs of frustration, but the usual one came to the rescue: Messi. The Argentine headed in a cross from his compatriot Marcelo Weigandt in the 65th minute and the locals began to emerge from the maze. But the traps were not over. In the 76th minute and after a play that had everything, Bartosz Slisz rose at the far post to score Atlanta’s third goal with a header while Tomás Avilés, from Inter Miami, was on the ground suffering from physical problems. From there it was a will and a miss against the clock against Inter Miami while Atlanta United resorted to epic action (Noah Cobb saved a ball on the goal line) to close a historic victory.
