Atlanta United welcomed Inter Miami CF, the first team in MLS to clinch a playoff berth, for an exciting midweek meeting Wednesday night. Alexey Miranchuk, Atlanta's designated player signing during the summer transfer window, scored his first career MLS goal, an incredible long-range golazo to save a point for Atlanta United with a 2-2 draw at home against the best team in Major League Soccer.
The wild ending built into a frenzy in front of the third-largest crowd in MLS history for a midweek match. However, the result doesn't help Atlanta United in their push for the MLS Cup Playoffs. Atlanta United still sits in 10th place with 31 points in the Eastern Conference table, one spot below the playoff line heading into the final five matches of the regular season.
“At this point, we need points," Atlanta United goalkeeper Brad Guzan said. "We needed three points. We had as many chances as we had, and we should be coming away with three points.”
When did Alexey Miranchuk's magical goal arrive?
At the most opportune time.
Down a goal, Atlanta United was playing on the front foot, looking for the equalizer against Inter Miami CF and their superstar Lionel Messi, who entered the match as a second-half substitute. The game opened up and, following a throw-in, Brooks Lennon and Miranchuk were given a lot of space on the right side. Unmarked, Lennon popped the ball back to Miranchuk at close-range. Miranchuk took the space that Miami allowed him, unleashed an incredible shot with his left foot into the far corner of the net to equalize the match 2-2 in the 84th minute.
The finish is Miranchuk's first career MLS goal in just his third appearance.
"Fantastic finish, right?" Guzan said. "There's not many goalkeepers in the world who are going to save that. That's a glimpse of his quality and what he can do with the ball at his feet. Been trying to encourage him to do that more often. He's been great with the group. We're excited he's on our side."
Did Lionel Messi play at Mercedes-Benz Stadium?
Of course the first question on the minds of everyone when Inter Miami CF comes to town is will we get to see Lionel Messi in action. The world-class headliner did not appear in the starting XI for Miami but entered the match in the 61st minute as a second-half substitute.
Messi's entrance into the match intensified the atmosphere at Mercedes-Benz Stadium as Atlanta United was in the midst of trying to claw back from a one-goal deficit. As expected, every eye in the stadium focused on No. 10 in pink when the ball was at his feet.
How did Atlanta United allow the opening goal?
In the opening minutes of the match, Atlanta’s backline looked organized. The center back pairing of Stian Gregersen and Derrick Williams each blocked a dangerous cross in the opening 10 minutes of play. Guzan made his first save of the night in the 14th minute, flying to block a long-range shot from his former teammate Julian Gressel.
That changed, however, in the 29th minute when Franco Negri slipped a pass through the middle to David Ruiz. The 20-year-old midfielder finished it off to give Miami a one-goal lead.
Atlanta United's short-lived answer
Saba Lobjanidze picked up right where he left off in May when he scored his first career MLS brace against Miami. It was the winger who scored the equalizer Wednesday evening in the 56th minute.
The play started with Dax McCarty switching the ball wide to Pedro Amador. The fullback had time to point out his target and crossed it into Saba making a run. The winger got a head on the ball to bounce it in for the equalizer.
"I'm still disappointment with it because we needed three points. We should win this game," Saba said. "We played a good second half. Anyway, one point is good. In the locker room, it's a positive thing. I hope next game we get three points."
The score held level for only three minutes. With the match tied, Inter Miami answered moments later on a direct free kick. The strike taken by Leo Campana richocheted off the Atlanta wall and into the net for a goal. The finish gave Miami a 2-1 lead in the 59th minute.
Saba Lobjanize and Pedro Amador were standouts on the left side of the pitch
Atlanta's left side was strong thanks to the outstanding effort and creativity from Saba and Amador throughout the night. On Wednesday, Saba was a bright spot in the attack notably racing up and down the pitch and unafraid to take on defenders 1v1 in open space. Not only did he score the first goal for Atlanta, he was a few steps off from scoring a second in the 71st minute on a low cross from winger Edwin Mosquera.
Amador continues to look like a strong addition to Atlanta United. He’s proven to be a lockdown defender on the backline. In the first half, the Portugese defender halted a Miami fast break. Later, he disrupted a pass with a sliding tackle in the 25th minute. In fact, it was Amador's block at the goal line that led to the tying goal from Miranchuk.
Along with his defensive prowess, Amador is active in the attack. He set up Saba's goal for his first assist with the club. Amador also seems to be an option on free kicks. After he suffered a hard tackle that resulted in a foul, Amador stepped up to take the ensuing free kick. He whipped a nice ball into the box aimed at Bartosz Slisz making a run near post. Slisz didn’t quite connect, and the Herons cleared the ball out of danger.
"Pedro specifically, whether he was defending him of defending the box, clearing off the line, he's been fantastic the last two games," interim head coach Rob Valentino said. "That's a person who's integrated into the team really well."
The continued integration of Alexey Miranchuk in the Atlanta United attack
In just his third match wearing the 5-Stripes, we’re seeing more imagination and participation from Miranchuk in the attack, whether it's finding Lennon on a vertical run over the top or setting up striker Daniel Ríos for an attempted header on a long cross -- or, of course, scoring his first career MLS goal.
In one of the best plays of the first half, Saba made some nifty moves in open play, then sent a pinpoint cross to Miranchuk on the far post. Miranchuk had a good idea, heading the ball Slisz making a run, but Miami arrived to the ball first. Slisz then recycled the ball, looking for Saba at the post, but again Miami reached it first and cleared it away for a corner kick.
"He's adapting really well," Valentino said of Miranchuk. "He's a fantastic personality, he's a great player and I think he's really going to help the team. He helps make people around him better. I'm happy we have him. I'm happy he's on our side. He was able to get himself a goal tonight, and hopefully kick on and help contribute more."
Sept. 14 vs. Nashville SC | Sept. 18 vs. Inter Miami CF | |
|---|---|---|
Shots | 10 | 17 |
Shots on target | 5 | 5 |
xG | 0.6 | 1.9 |
Did Atlanta United bounce back from their Nashville loss?
Atlanta United entered Wednesday's meeting with a strong need to put the previous performance behind them. On Saturday, the club lost to Nashville SC 2-0 at home.
Atlanta United played more inspiring soccer Wednesday evening, especially in the second half. They took 17 shots, compared to 10 Saturday, and more than tripled their expected goals. Atlanta challenged Inter Miami when the visitors held a one-goal lead. The quality of the opponent was higher Wednesday, against the best player in the world and the best team in MLS, which shows Atlanta United is capable of challenging.
“That’s what I told [the team] at the end there though, that is the standard that we are talking about,” Valentino said during his postmatch press conference Wednesday. “The way we played that game at the end, maybe not from a tactical standpoint because it became so open, not exactly the type of soccer we want to play, but in terms of work rate, commitment to trying to win the game, that is what I’m talking about. That is every day. Every day at training, every single day behaviors over a consistent period of time, and then that gets you far.”
What's next for Atlanta United?
Five matches are left for Atlanta United in the regular season.
After back-to-back games at home, Atlanta United now takes the club's playoff push on the road for two consecutive away games against Eastern Conference clubs. First, Atlanta United travels to New Jersey for the first meeting of the season with New York Red Bulls on Saturday, Sept. 21. Then, it’s onto Subaru Park to face Philadelphia Union on September 28.
The club has just two home matches remaining on the regular season schedule, so don’t miss your chance to be part of Atlanta’s 2024 season:
- October 2 vs. CF Montréal – View Tickets
- October 5 vs. New York Red Bulls – View our last chance ticket offer
