Messi, Inter Miami ousted from MLS playoffs after stunning 3-2 loss to Atlanta United

This is not how it was supposed to end, with Lionel Messi and the top-seeded Inter Miami exiting the MLS playoffs in the first round, trudging off their home field in disbelief. But that is what happened on a Saturday night that stunned the home crowd at Chase Stadium and Apple TV viewers around the world.

All the pressure was on Messi and Inter Miami as they tried to keep their historic season alive, but they were ousted by underdog Atlanta 3-2.

“This was a game we could have won,” said Inter Miami coach Tata Martino. “We had a lot of scoring opportunities, were close to the Atlanta goal many times. When you are eliminated from the playoffs in the quarterfinals, the season cannot be considered a success. We had good times and bad. When you think about where we were last November, we made a lot of progress. But if you think about our expectations that we had for these playoffs, we obviously fell short.”

Goalkeeper Drake Callender said the locker room mood was solemn after the game as frustrated players tried to process the premature ending of their season while hearing Atlanta players celebrating across the hallway. Some players shared words. Others remained quiet. It was a foregone conclusion that Miami would make a deep playoff run because of the team’s star-studded roster and record-breaking regular season.

But it was not to be. The season that began with much hype and a worldwide tour ended with a thud.

“You can look back and say you had a great year, but at the end of the day the MLS Cup is the MLS Cup and this was a step we needed to take to get there and we were not able to finish today,” Callender said. “This is a hard one to take, knowing the opportunity we had to get an MLS Cup...Hopefully, that feeling sticks with guys and we learn from it.

“Am I pissed off? Yeah. Does it [stink] to lose at home third game? Yeah. It hurts. It’s a terrible way to end the year.”

Miami had tied the game earlier in the second half when Messi came to the rescue and ignited his team and its fans with energy. The Argentine scored the equalizer with a rare header at the 65-minute mark off a perfect short cross from fellow Argentine Marcelo Weigandt.

But upset-minded and unintimidated Atlanta United retook the lead in the 76th minute on a header by Bartosz Slisz as Inter Miami defender Tomas Aviles watched from the ground in the box, after going down about a minute earlier. Miami players were asking the referee to stop play to no avail as Slisz’s shot hit the back post. Aviles was then replaced by Sergio Busquets.

Martino said he felt officials should have halted the game in that situation, and felt it was a critical play that proved costly.

Callender said he didn’t blame Atlanta for playing on, as they probably would have done the same in that situation.

He added: “Could the ref have blown the whistle? Maybe. I was in the moment, trying to defend the goal and make the save and I didn’t, that’s something I have to live with. I have to look back and ask, `Could I have done better to make a big save in a big moment and help my team to potentially win the game?’”

Inter Miami, the top seed and highest-paid team in MLS, faced a decisive Game 3 against ninth-seeded wild card Atlanta, which advances to the Eastern Conference semifinals, where it will face Orlando City, which beat Charlotte FC in penalty kicks earlier Saturday.

Emotions were high as a near-sellout crowd tried to will Inter Miami to victory. The fans erupted when midfielder Matias Rojas scored in the 17th minute to give Miami a 1-0 lead. Messi got the play started with a pass to Diego Gomez, who took a shot on target, which was saved by Atlanta goalkeeper Brad Guzan. Rojas was ready for the rebound, and knocked it in from the right side.

The crowd was not done celebrating two minutes later when Atlanta’s Senegalese forward Jamal Thiare tied it up 1-1 after receiving the ball uncovered, slipping past defender David Martinez, and launching a half-volley past Miami goalkeeper Drake Callender.

Inter Miami barely had time to recover from the equalizer when Thiare struck again two minutes later to give the visitors a 2-1 lead and quiet the stadium. Atlanta took advantage of a Miami turnover at midfield and capitalized.

Gomez seemed to score a tying goal for Miami a few minutes later, giving the team new life, but it was called off for offside and Atlanta remained ahead at halftime.

“Our collective effort could have been better, and it’s a hard one to take,” Callender said. “That’s the reality. That’s pro sports. You have to live with it. We’re all grown men.”

He also praised Guzan, saying the 40-year-old is a big reason Atlanta is advancing. Guzan had eight saves in Game 1 and seven saves on Saturday.

“Brad was a huge factor,” Callender said. “Even at 40 he is still very effective. You can see his experience. He made a lot of great saves, great decisions. He was a brick wall back there for them.”

Guzan, asked to summarize how his team beat the Miami star-filled team, said: “They have a very good team with very good individuals who are extremely talented, the best player in the world. We don’t have that. So, how to we make up the difference? We make that up with working hard for each other and defending and doing hard running and tackling and when you do things like that, you’re able to give yourself an opportunity.”

A Miami first-round exit was shocking and a huge disappointment for a team had the best record over course of the 34-game season with 22 wins, four losses and eight ties. Inter Miami boasts the most expensive payroll in the league by far at $41.7 million, and the roster includes Messi and his former Barcelona teammates Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba.

Nevertheless, Atlanta has made things difficult for Miami all season.

Inter Miami has played Atlanta five times this year, and won just once, 2-1 in the playoff opener at home. Atlanta beat Miami 3-1 back in May, they tied 2-2 in September, and Atlanta stunned Miami on Saturday to force Game 3 with an extra-time game winner by Xande Silva before a crowd of 68,455 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Messi, who had back-to-back hat tricks for Argentina and Inter Miami in the two games preceding the playoffs, was held scoreless by Atlanta in Games 1 and 2 and the first half of Game 3.

Miami dominated possession 64 percent to 36 percent, had 10 shots on goal to four for Atlanta, held a 25-9 edge on overall shots, and had eight corner kicks to four. But the only stat that mattered was the final score.

“It was a very difficult day for us,” said Alba. “We should have done better controlling their counter attack. We had a great regular season, were the best team, broke the record for points, but we wanted to win the playoffs. I can’t change the system, but I think playoffs is an unjust format [to decide the champion], but this is how they’ve done it for many years. If it were up to me, it would be more fair to have the champion of the Eastern Conference against the champion of the Western Conference.

“That said, I want to congratulate our opponent. They competed very well against us. Their keeper was spectacular and he stood out and made the difference.”

Messi, the captain of the team, featured in the starting lineup, along with Callender, center back Aviles, center back David Martinez, left back Alba, right back Weigandt, midfielder Fede Redondo, midfielder Rojas, midfielder Gomez, midfielder Benja Cremaschi, and forward Suarez.

Busquets was on the bench after missing Game 2 with a mid-section contusion that led to pneumonia-like symptoms. He did not practice for two weeks and finally received medical clearance on Friday afternoon.

Yannick Bright, the rookie who has become a rock at defensive midfield, was out with a hamstring injury. The absence of Bright and Busquets (in the first half) weakened their area of coverage and it was noticeable as Atlanta found holes to attack up the middile of the field. Hoping to score goals early and take control of the game, Martino loaded up with attackers and went with four defenders in back instead of five.

“If there was a difference between the first and second games and [Saturday’s game], by playing with a back four and deciding to place an additional attacker on the field, the opponent was able to run into space, something that we had generally prevented in the first two games,” Martino said.

The rest of the Miami bench included Leo Campana, CJ Dos Santos, Ryan Sailor, Robert Taylor, Julian Gressel, Noah Allen, Franco Negri and Lawson Sunderland.

Atlanta United’s Starting XI included captain Guzan, Ronald Hernandez, Derrick Williams, Luis Abram, Pedro Amador, Slisz, Triston Muyumba, Saba Labjanidze, Dax McCarty, Alexey Miranchuk, and Thiare.