Lionel Messi and Co. Stunned in MLS Playoffs as Atlanta United Sink Inter Miami
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The game looked poised to go to a penalty shoot-out when Atlanta launched a desperate last raid on the Miami goal to bury a winner
Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi (AFP)
Atlanta United snatched a dramatic last-gasp 2-1 playoff victory over Inter Miami on Saturday, jolting Lionel Messi’s hopes of leading the Florida club to MLS Cup glory.
Portuguese winger Xande Silva blasted home a sensational winner for Atlanta in the fourth minute of stoppage time in front of 68,455 home fans at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium to level the best-of-three postseason series 1-1 and set up a winner-take-all game three in Miami next Saturday.
Top seeds Miami, 2-1 winners in game one last week, had looked to be heading for a series victory after taking the lead through Paraguay international David Martinez in the 40th minute after a terrible blunder by former US goalkeeper Brad Guzan.
Guzan could only watch in horror after he bungled a routine clearance from his own penalty area, allowing Federico Redondo to gather possession and square a pass to Martinez who finished into an empty net for 1-0.
But Atlanta launched a furious second-half onslaught as they battled to save their season and were rewarded when Derrick Williams crashed in a header to equalize in the 58th minute.
An end-to-end game saw both teams create chances thereafter, and Georgia international Saba Lobjanidze almost hooked in a goal for Atlanta in the 89th minute only to see his shot tipped onto the woodwork by Miami goalkeeper Drake Callender.
The game looked poised to go to a penalty shoot-out when Atlanta launched a desperate last raid on the Miami goal, and when Aleksey Miranchuk found Silva, the Portuguese substitute made no mistake and buried a winner into the top corner.
“Words can’t describe it, they’re such a resilient group,” Atlanta coach Rob Valentino said after the win.
“I said to the team before the game it’s everybody together, it’s not going to be one person. And then a substitute comes on and wins us the game.”
New York level series
In other MLS playoff action on Saturday, New York City FC defeated FC Cincinnati 3-1 to force a decisive game three in their first-round series.
New York, needing a victory to keep their season alive, took the lead on 22 minutes after Costa Rica international Alonso Martinez worked a clever one-two with Mitja Ilenic before sweeping a low finish past Cincinnati goalkeeper Roman Celentano.
Brazilian defender Thiago Martins doubled New York’s lead five minutes before half-time, heading in at the back post after a free-kick from wide on the right sowed confusion in the Cincinnati defence.
Third seeds Cincinnati hit back on 65 minutes with a superb individual goal from Argentine forward Luca Orellano, who nutmegged his marker before unleashing a thumping left foot shot into the top corner to make it 2-1.
Cincinnati pressed relentlessly for an equalizer in the closing stages, and Zimbabwe international Teenage Hadebe should have leveled in the 80th minute but blasted his close-range shot straight at New York goalkeeper Matt Freese.
In the closing minutes of stoppage time, New York made the game safe, with Uruguayan midfielder Santiago Rodriguez winning a penalty and scoring it himself with a cheeky chipped ‘panenka’ down the middle of the goal.
Game three in the series will take place in Cincinnati next Saturday.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – AFP)
