For the first time this MLS season, Inter Miami lost a game in which superstar Messi played. The 3-1 defeat to Atlanta United turned the fans’ expectations completely upside down
Miami had not lost in the MLS since the devastating 4-0 defeat to coach Sandro Schwarz’s New York Red Bulls on March 23.
On Thursday night, however, the ten-game streak came to an end: Coach Gerardo Martino’s team surprisingly lost 3-1 at home to Atlanta United. However, because Cincinnati lost 2-0 to Nashville (both goals were set up by former Hertha Mukhtar), Messi & Co. remain top of the Eastern Conference.
But since Thursday, Miami’s superstar has also known what it feels like to lose in this MLS season. The 2018 MLS champions had celebrated their last league win on 31 March – almost two months ago – (a 3-0 win against Chicago), and Atlanta have subsequently gone nine games without a three-pointer (0/5/4).
Miami coach Martino saw the “greater will” in his opponent. “But it’s not a game where I have to analyze what went wrong, because it was a little bit of everything,” the Argentine clarified: “The conditions were favorable, much more for us than for them. But as we said yesterday, their position in the table is deceptive and they showed that today. “
Only two teams with fewer points than Atlanta
In the Eastern Conference, only two teams have fewer points than Atlanta (16). However, United got off to a highly motivated start against Miami and took the lead shortly before the break with a spectacular long-range shot from Lobjanidze into the left corner – Busquets was unable to keep up (44′).
After the break, Miami showed that they had not learned from not marking the 29-year-old Georgian closely enough: Lobjanidze moved inside from the right in front of the penalty area and dinked the ball left-footed into the bottom left-hand corner (59).
The visitors then retreated far back into their own half – and immediately got their reward: Miami allowed the ball to circulate like a handball, Busquets fed Messi, who finished perfectly from the second row with a left-footed shot into the bottom right-hand corner (62′). It was the Argentinian’s eleventh goal of the MLS season, bringing him level with team-mate Suarez.
Now Bürki is waiting for Messi
Miami tried everything, but Atlanta were the more efficient team and took advantage of another attack to make it 3-1 – at the end of a combination, Thiare steered the ball into the right corner with a direct shot (73rd).
On Sunday (1.30pm), Messi & Co. take on St. Louis City SC, led by former BVB keeper Bürki, who have recently suffered three straight defeats. Atlanta host Charlotte FC on Sunday evening (10.45pm).
