Atlanta United 1-2 Inter Miami: Fafa Picault, Lionel Messi Steal All 3 Points from the Five Stripes
Atlanta United started the match well and dominated Inter Miami at times, but mistakes at the back and an 89th minute winner by Fafa Picault gave Miami a 2-1 win in Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
United’s starting 11 marked the first time this season the club would start their full-strength backline with the return of Brooks Lennon at right back. Muyumba started his second straight game in midfield filling in for the injured Mateusz Klich (quadriceps, was questionable on the injury report yet not in the 18). The expensive, star-studded, struggling SLAM attack started with Latte Lath out of concussion protocol.
Miami’s 11 saw the return of Lionel Messi in the starting lineup after he made a late substitute appearance in Jamaica vs. Cavalier FC (he scored in stoppage time). The other notable starter was former Atlanta United goalkeeper Rocco Rios Novo, known for his short stature, his brilliant debut making 6 saves in the 2021 Concacaf Champions League vs. LD Alajuelense away, and his poor performances for the club while starting in 2022.
After only one shot outside the 18 put wide left by Muyumba off an Almiron pass contested either keeper early, Brooks Lennon made an immediate impact in the 11th minute. He made a run vertically to latch onto a Miguel Almiron long ball, took an excellent first touch, and he quickly whipped in a beautiful cross to the back-post to Latte Lath. The league-record signing headed the ball home into the top-left corner for his third goal of the season, and Atlanta took an early 1-0 lead.
In the 19th minute, another brilliant ball from Brooks Lennon from a more central position about 30 yards out met Latte Lath’s head again, and he put it right where he had on the first goal. However, he had started his run just a little early, and a 2-0 lead was erased for offside.
Just one minute later, chaos ensued. Allende put a low ball through towards Luis Suarez, but Guzan came out diving and pushed the ball away. However, as Atlanta moved the ball in the back, Bartosz Slisz took two faulty touches across the midfield, gave the ball up to Lionel Messi, and the greatest of all time beat a desperate and sprawling Derrick Williams and then Brad Guzan with a chip to level the match. The mistake was Miami’s first real chance all match, and they were able to capitalize.
Another bad giveaway by Atlanta United should have made the match 2-1 to Miami in the 28th minute. Muyumba tried to play the ball out wide to Brooks Lennon, but had it intercepted by Jordi Alba. Segovia then received the ball and chipped it to Luis Suarez, who somehow put it wide right of the goal.
By the 35th minute, Miami had all the momentum and were moving the ball around well. Segovia played the ball wide to Alba, who crossed it towards Suarez, who smartly dummied the ball and left it for Messi inside the 18. His shot surprisingly was scuffed and flew high over the goal.
Atlanta didn’t get overrun, however. They were able to gain some momentum of their own and create chances, highlighted by a thunderous shot outside the box by Miranchuk in the 44th minute that went straight to Rios Novo.
That didn’t mean Miami had lost all of their momentum, though. Atlanta struggled to clear the ball off a corner in stoppage time, allowing a Messi half-volley that called Brad Guzan’s number. His brilliant diving save in the top left corner kept the match tied and reminded us of his heroics in the playoffs last season. One minute later, Almiron kicked Busquet’s leg while trying to clear the ball inside the penalty arc, and Messi’s free kick was handled centrally by Guzan, ending the first half.
The first half was a tale that began with Atlanta dictating the match’s flow, then Miami, and then a back-and-forth struggle for the last 5-10 minutes. Atlanta should be disappointed a mistake in the back by Slisz completely transformed the match, but they were surely not out of it with how Brooks Lennon had transformed the team. The winner of the second half would be determined by who could control the flow of the match for longer and if Atlanta could contain Messi and combination play involving Segovia.
After back and forth possession play by both teams to start the second half, the first chance came from a Jordi Alba volley on the left side of the box. His powerful strike in the 52nd minute hit the outside of the net.
In the 54th minute, pressure from Almiron on Miami left back Noah Allen inside the box almost made it 2-1. He poked the ball away to Miranchuk, who played the ball inside to a wide-open Latte Lath. However, Saba Lobjanidze also made a run inside, which made him and Latte Lath tangle each other up, so Latte Lath’s effort was slow and easy for Rios Novo to handle.
One minute later, Messi received the ball outside the 18, took on and beat Muyumba, did a 1-2 inside the box with Suarez, took a touch while turning 180 degrees, and hit a shot on the half-volley 6 yards away from goal. Guzan stuck out his left arm and made a great reaction save to keep the game level.
Then, in the 59th minute, Tristan Muyumba ripped a shot from 25 yards out that Rios Novo got a hand to in the top-right corner. Miami went right down the field a minute later on the counter, with Messi one-on-one with Williams. He played through Allende on the right side and forced a save on the near post by Guzan.
The 64th minute saw Almiron, while trying to break, dribble right into a Miami player. The ball pinged straight to Messi who beat Gregersen on the left, but Guzan made a kick save (his 6th of the match) at the near post with his right foot.
At this point in the match, Atlanta had contained build-up play with Segovia (he was subbed off for Cremaschi), but only Brad Guzan could contain Lionel Messi. The play was dictated by Miami, and possession for the home team was mostly nonexistent. Defensive efforts were keeping them in the match.
In the 79th minute, Alba got behind Lennon to meet a through ball and played it across towards a wide-open Messi, but Gregersen saved the day. He slid to intercept the pass, got a small touch, and it went into Guzan’s safe hands.
A set-piece in the 83rd minute was set up for Atlanta to drop it on Gregersen’s head. Instead, Lennon crossed it to the back post to a wide-open Xande Silva, whose volley went over the goal.
A few minutes later, an Atlanta corner caused a handball shout when the ball hit the left hand of Federico Redondo. VAR determined that it wasn’t a clear and obvious penalty.
Muyumba gifted an opportunity to Miami in the 88th minute, as he lost the ball to Alba outside the 18. The cross by Suarez after combination play went towards Messi, who hit a half-volley while he was in the air. It was deflected wide right.
In the 89th minute, Fafa Picault met a short corner with a header while moving backwards. Somehow, someway, he put it in the bottom left corner past a diving Guzan, who seemed to have left it for Derrick Williams running to the back post (he didn’t stop it). That was Picault’s first goal for Miami, and he shockingly gave the visitors a 2-1 lead.
Atlanta tried to equalize. In the 95th minute, a ball to Latte Lath saw him settle it with his chest (he likely should have headed it towards goal), where it awkwardly fell to Almiron, and his effort was deflected for a corner. It was the last chance of the match.
No matter how many heroic saves Brad Guzan made, and no matter how many times Atlanta’s defenses kept Miami out, they couldn’t create enough offensively in the second half (a familiar tale this year) before finally conceding late. Messi and company just dictated too much of the game. The three points were probably deserved by Miami, but for the way Atlanta played at times, their resilience in defense, and how the winner was scored late, dropping a point hurts. An exciting, heartbreaking game like this only adds fuel to the fire of a bubbling Southeastern rivalry.
Miami now move above the Philadelphia Union and Columbus Crew to the top of the East with a 3-1-0 record on 10 points. Atlanta falls to 1-1-2 on 4 points, putting them 12th in the East. Miami will play 2nd place Philadelphia next on March 29, while United will face FC Cincinnati away on March 22.