In the first match with Atlanta United from his series of round of 16, Inter Miami Not only did he defeat his adversary after more than a year, but he also for the first time he won a playoff game in the American league, Major League Soccer (MLS). The team led by Gerardo “Tata” Martino achieved a 2 a 1 as a local at the first crossing of a best of three series.
Luis Suarez He opened the scoring with a goal after a minute and a half, and gave his teammates peace of mind to handle the development. However, shortly after the end of the first half, the Georgian Saba Lobzhanidze He spun freely towards the goalkeeper’s area Drake Callender and equalized with a cross shot. Although the tying goal hit the local team, the Herons continued to attack, mainly through the assets Lionel Messi y Jordi Alba. The Spanish defender received a pass from the Argentine in the second half and took a long left foot shot that hit the net squarely. For his part, the world champion had a notable performance, but failed to score. Guzan grew bigger every time he had the player from Rosario as the protagonist and prevented him from scoring.
With this result, Inter Miami secured the first point of the three series they have with Atlanta United and, For the first time in its brief history, it scored a goal in the playoffs of the MLS. They had reached the knockout stage on two occasions: in 2020 they lost to Nashville 3-0 overall and in 2022 they lost to New York City by the same result.
Next Saturday, November 2, the number 1 team in the league’s regular season will visit Atlanta United at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, in the second game of the series. If they win, they will advance to the quarterfinal round, and if they lose, the third match will take place.. In these series there is no possible tie: if regular time ends in a tie, the definition is by penalties.
Inter Miami ends up winning 2 to 1 with goals from Luis Suárez and Jordi Alba and for the first time wins a Major League Soccer playoff match. Thus, they take advantage in the round of 16 series.
Messi fails in a one-on-one: goalkeeper Guzan wins again.
Ian Fray leaves and Noah Allen enters.
Ian Fray, a 22-year-old defender for Inter Miami, hurts his knee and leaves in tears. He has already suffered two major injuries throughout his career.
Guzan intercepts a pass from Suárez that was about to leave Messi in front of the open goal.
After a pass pricked of Messi, Alba beats Guzan but Peruvian defender Luis Abram saves Atlanta United on the goal line.
Dax McCarty leaves the court and Daniel Ríos enters.
The Portuguese Xande Silva takes a shot that passes close to Callender, the Inter Miami goalkeeper.
Martínez, who plays forward at this point in the game, kicks from long distance. Guzan covers it safely.
Tomás Avilés leaves and Ian Fray enters.
Messi finishes in a one-on-one with Guzan, but the goalkeeper, once again, prevents the conversion.
Jordi Alba, Barcelona’s full-back during Leo Messi’s time in Spain, executes a dangerous cross, which ends in a clearance by an opponent.
Federico Redondo leaves and the young Benjamín Cremaschi, an American with Argentine roots, enters.
Messi makes a one-two with Suárez and the shot results in a corner.
Spanish defender Jordi Alba takes a left footed shot from outside the area and gains the advantage: Inter Miami 2 vs. Atlanta United 1.
With Alba, Messi and Suárez very active, the team goes forward and controls the game.
The American goalkeeper covers up a great one-on-one against Diego Gómez and prevents the home team from taking advantage.
The Uruguayan striker stretches after a center from Martínez, but the ball goes past him.
The Argentine captain tries from a favorable position, but the shot goes just wide.
Jay Fortune and Alexey Miranchuk leave and Tristan Muyumba and Xande Silva enter.
Atlanta United moves the ball and gives play to the final half.
“We have experienced players, with nerve. We don’t have to lose our form because it can help us win the game,” says the coach during the break.
The referee decides the end of the first part. The match is 1 to 1.
Las Herons insist on breaking the tie, while Atlanta United is comfortable with the result.
Inter Miami puts together a promising collective play after a corner, however, Messi does not specify.
After a filtered pass, Thiaré was one-on-one with the goalkeeper, but the shot went wide.
The match was totally dominated by the local team, but they did not extend the advantage and now they are suffering.
With a collective play out of context in the match, Saba Lobzhanidze equalizes for Atlanta United.
Stian Gregersen leaves and Noah Cobb enters.
Defender Stian Gregersen feels sorry after a clash with Suárez and asks for a change.
The team led by Martino manages the times and plays comfortably, but the goal is not open for the second.
A shot by Lionel Messi hits the left post. Then, Marcelo Weigandt has the second move, but Guzan saves.
After a cross from the Argentine, former River defender Héctor David Martínez heads unmarked and the ball hits a post.
The Argentine produced a great play and finished high, but the goalkeeper sent the ball to the corner.
Both with team play and aerial actions, the Florida team is in search of the second goal.
Brooks Lennon leaves due to injury and the Peruvian Luis Abram enters.
The Atlanta United defender suffers a blow to the shoulder after an attacking play by Inter Miami and has to be replaced.
A cross into the area casts doubt on Inter Miami’s defense, but the visitors do not take advantage of it.
The early goal gives peace of mind to Martino’s team, which pays attention to the collective game. The visitors can’t find the ball.
Brad Guzan takes a shot from an angle from outside the Argentine captain’s area.
Less than two minutes before the start, Luis Suárez opens the scoring after a great team play. It is the club’s first playoff goal in history.
Inter Miami moves the ball and the match begins at Chase Stadium.
After the American anthem and the toss between captains, both teams are already positioned in their respective zones waiting for the starting whistle.
It was on September 18, in a match that ended tied at two goals at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, for Atlanta United. The goals were scored by Saba Lobjanidze and Alexey Miranchuk for the locals, and Leonardo Campana and David Ruíz for Inter Miami.
The visitors take the field with Brad Guzan, Brooks Lennon, Stian Gregersen, Derrick Williams, Pedro Amador, Bartosz Slisz, Dax McCarty, Saba Lobzhanidze, Aleksey Miranchuk, Ajani Fortune and Jamal Thiaré. The coach is the American Rob Valentino.
The eleven chosen by Martino as starters for tonight are Drake Callender; Marcelo Weigandt, Tomás Avilés, Héctor Martínez and Jordi Alba; Federico Redondo, Sergio Busquets and Diego Gómez; Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez and Yannick Bright. Matías Rojas, Franco Negri, Leonardo Campana, CJ dos Santos, Robert Taylor, Julian Gressel, Benjamín Cremaschi and Noah Allen will wait on the bench.
Inter Miami will face Atlanta United starting at 9:30 p.m. in Argentina in one of the round of 16 of Major League Soccer (MLS). The team led by Lionel Messi and directed by Gerardo “Tata” Martino was the best in the regular stage of the competition and will try to win a playoff game in the American league for the first time. They had two opportunities: in 2020 they lost to Nashville 3-0 overall in the series and in 2022 they lost at the hands of New York City by the same result. Therefore, he never scored a goal in MLS qualifying matches.
