Atlanta United shocks Miami, advances in MLS playoffs

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - Atlanta United stunned MLS and the soccer world by defeating Inter Miami 3-2 on Saturday at Chase Stadium, knocking Lionel Messi’s team out of the playoffs.

Jamal Thiare scored twice and Bartosz Slisz scored the winner in the 76th minute to offset goals by Matias Rojas and Messi. Thiare’s brace was the second in the team’s playoff history.

Atlanta United, which had to have help on Decision Day to make the playoffs, will face Orlando in the Eastern Conference semifinals in two weeks by winning for the fifth time in six matches. Miami, which set an MLS record for points in the regular season, will wonder how it was knocked out by the ninth-seeded Five Stripes by losing the last two matches in the best-of-3 series.

ExploreDate and time set for Atlanta United’s semifinal match with Orlando

Atlanta United, which fired its manager and its technical director during the season and also sold two of its best players, knocked out a team that included World Cup winners, Euro winners, some of the best players of their generation.

“I‘d love to say something fancy like I’m a tactical genius or something like that, but I’m not,” interim manager Rob Valentino said. “I’m not, and that’s not the way I coach. So just (things) talking about all along, internal belief, fighting and sticking together.”

Brad Guzan made the win stand up with another in a string of strong performances and personal battles with Luis Suarez. Guzan finished with seven saves, including one in which he got just enough with his left hand to make the ball spin away from the goal, down the line and out of bounds.

“They have a very good team with very good individuals who are extremely talented, best player in the world,” Guzan said. “We don’t have that. And so how do we make up the difference? We make that up with working for each other and and defending and doing hard running and tackling and when you do things like that, you’re able to give yourself an opportunity. And tonight, we’re able to take those chances.”

Valentino made one change to the starting lineup that he used in Game 2. Tristan Muyumba replaced Jay Fortune, who suffered two ankle injuries. Fortune made the game-day roster. Valentino changed the formation from two centerbacks to three. The rest of the starting 11 was composed of Thiare, midfielders Alexey Miranchuk, Dax McCarty and Slisz, wingbacks Saba Lobjanidze and Pedro Amador, centerbacks Derrick Williams, Luis Abram and Ronald Hernandez, and goalkeeper Brad Guzan.

Atlanta United came close to opening the scoring in the 15th minute when Thiare hit the post with a shot. Miranchuk hit a pass over Miami’s back line to Amador, who one-timed a left-footed cross that Thiare was able to get a boot on at the near post.

Miami took a 1-0 lead when Matias Rojas was first to reach a parried save by Guzan of a Messi shot in the 17th minute. Guzan’s stop was superb but the ball bounced right to Rojas.

But Atlanta United was not going to meekly go out.

Thiare hammered a shot past Drake Callender from 17 yards to tie the match at 1 in the 19th minute. It was Thiare’s first goal in the playoffs. It was assisted by McCarty, who passed it toward Miranchuk, whose run toward goal drew the defenders toward him and opened the space for Thiare.

The trio hooked up again with Thiare making it 2-1 in the 21st minute. McCarty played another pass over to the top to Miranchuk, who squared a pass to Thiare to one-time another shot.

“I wasn’t expecting it,” Thiare said. “Lately I haven’t been very lucky with my goal-scoring opportunities, but everything went great tonight, and it’s a fantastic memory for myself and for the team.”

Miami appeared to tie the match at 2 on a goal by Diego Gomez but an assistant referee threw up his flag late for an offside, erasing the goal.

Guzan dove to his left to save a deflected Messi shot in the 34th minute. A few minutes earlier, Suarez faked being tripped by Guzan to try to win a penalty kick. The two players, standing feet apart, then began gesturing toward each other after the referee had waved to play on. Suarez had tried to get Guzan thrown out by embellishing contact early in the second half of Game 1. Guzan denied Suarez again from close range in stoppage time to send Atlanta United into halftime with a 2-1 lead.

They weren’t done.

Credit: AP

Credit: AP

Miami finished the half with 12 shots, four on goal, compared with Atlanta United’s three and two. Messi and Suarez combined for eight shots, three on goal. Miami created 10 chances compared with Atlanta United’s two.

Miami put Atlanta United under pressure to start the second half. Guzan stopped a goal-line header at the back post, causing the ball to roll across the mouth of the goal and out for a corner kick.

Valentino subbed on Fortune and centerback Stian Gregersen for McCarty and Muyumba in the 60th minute. Hernandez moved to right wingback with Lobjanidze playing as a second striker and possible target should Atlanta United try to counterattack. Miami manager Gerardo Martino subbed on Leo Campana for Benjamin Cremaschi.

Miami got its tying goal in the 65th minute when Messi got between Gregersen and Hernandez to power a header past Guzan. It was Messi’s first goal in the series. Campana shoved Guzan in the back after the goal and Suarez, always ready to bite on controversy, rushed over to get into Guzan’s face.

“He’s a guy you probably want on your team, because he’s a winner,” Guzan said. “He does whatever it takes to win. He does a lot of stuff that is difficult to deal with throughout 90 minutes and fair play to our guys, because you can’t give him a yard, man. They were able to, for the most part, keep him contained.”

Slisz gave Atlanta United a 3-2 lead in the 76th minute with a powerful header from a pass by Amador. It was Slisz’s first goal in the playoffs and Amador’s fourth assist in the playoffs and eighth this season.

Miami players were upset because Tomas Aviles had fallen to the ground with what appeared to be an injury. Atlanta United was under no obligation to stop playing.

Xande Silva and Daniel Rios subbed on for Williams and Thiare in the 77th minute. Silva quickly won a free kick on the edge of the 18-yard box.

Noah Cobb, who subbed on for Miranchuk in the first minute of stoppage time, cleared a shot off the line in the 92nd minute to keep Atlanta United’s lead.

Messi was fouled 25 yards from goal, in the center of the pitch, in the 92nd minute to set up a free kick and possible last chance to tie the match. His shot hit Atlanta United’s wall.

“Going down against this team in this environment and not losing faith and giving them just an unbelievable counterpunch in the first half, that just gave us that belief,” McCarty said. “And when you have that, it can take you a long way. Right now, we have that, and you have to harness it. You have to use it. Nothing else is guaranteed. We’re going to be on the road for the rest of the postseason, and I think we’ve proven we’re not scared.”

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Atlanta United’s 2024 schedule

Feb. 24 Columbus 1, Atlanta United 0

March 9 Atlanta United 4, New England 1

March 17 Atlanta United 2, Orlando 0

March 23 Toronto 2, Atlanta United 0

March 31 Atlanta United 3, Chicago 0

April 6 Atlanta United 1, NYCFC 1

April 14 Atlanta United 2, Philadelphia 2

April 20 Cincinnati 2, Atlanta United 1

April 27 Atlanta United 1, Chicago 1

May 4 Minnesota 2, Atlanta United 1

May 7 Atlanta United 3, Charlotte Independence 0 in U.S. Open Cup