It all comes down to this.
Atlanta United won Game 2 of the Round One Best-of-3 Series in the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs between Inter Miami CF, an exciting 2-1 finish in the 94th minute at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in an atmosphere goalkeeper Brad Guzan said felt “2018-ish” (kudos to you, 17s). With the win, Atlanta tied the series, after Miami took Game 1, and forced a Game 3 that will determine which team will move on.
Game 3 is Saturday, Nov. 9, and there’s no glossing over the stakes – the winner of Saturday’s contest will win the Round One series and advance in the MLS Cup Playoffs. A loss means the end of the season for one of these two Eastern Conference clubs.
Many eyes will be tuning in to see if Lionel Messi and top seed Inter Miami will continue their historic season or if Atlanta United can feed off the energy of their exhilarating Game 2 win and continue their underdog story. For No. 9 seed Atlanta United, the extra pressure is not much of a concern.
“Internally, we’re so focused on ourselves, that stuff is all on the outside,” Guzan told media on Thursday.
This week at the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Training Ground, Atlanta United has been focused on preparing for their third meeting with Miami in just over two weeks. In between intense training sessions, the group has found moments of laughter and camaraderie, which their captain said is just as important as match situations and tactical adjustments.
“You need that because come Saturday, it’s going to be all business,” Guzan said.
Atlanta knows what they need to do. Here are a few storylines specific to Game 3 to keep in mind heading into Saturday.
The venue and Atlanta’s mindset playing on the road
As the lower seed, Atlanta knew heading into the Round One matches that they would not have home field advantage in the Best-of-3 Series. But that hasn’t deterred the 5-Stripes.
Atlanta United has looked unfazed playing on the road the last few months of the season. Atlanta United closed out the regular season going unbeaten in their final four road matches in MLS play, including the 2-1 win in Orlando on Decision Day that secured their postseason berth. Atlanta also won the Eastern Conference Wild Card game in Montréal, the team’s longest road trip of the postseason, to advance to the Round One matches.
When it comes to playing at Chase Stadium, Atlanta United has done well. In May, Saba Lobjanidze scored a brace to lift Atlanta United to a 3-1 win over Miami at Chase Stadium, one of Atlanta’s biggest wins of the regular season. Saba also scored the lone goal for Atlanta in the first game of the playoff series on the road in Fort Lauderdale. That match was tied at halftime, but eventually Atlanta’s condensed playing schedule and tired legs caught up with them and the team fell just short 2-1.
So, when it comes to playing on the road, Atlanta United has no reason to be afraid.
“Nothing changes in terms of where the venue is, for me,” interim head coach Rob Valentino said Thursday. “Messi is fantastic… We have to have a really good start, be really aware of where he’s at, amongst other players.”
Preparing for Lionel Messi and a talented Miami attack
We know Atlanta United is going up against one of the most talented teams in Major League Soccer. So far in the playoff series, Atlanta United has been able to match the Supporters’ Shield winners in scoring. Both sides have scored three goals total in the series.
One reason Atlanta United was able to secure the win at home against Inter Miami on November 2 was the team’s ability to capitalize on set pieces. Atlanta has been good at creating opportunities on set pieces during the season, ranking as one of the top teams in the league, but hasn’t always been able to finish. Atlanta United ranked eighth in MLS in expected goals on set pieces (0.3) and sixth in shots per match from set pieces (four).
In Game 2, Atlanta United found success, which led to the team’s opening goal. On the second phase of a corner kick, fullback Pedro Amador delivered a cross into the box. Center back Derrick Williams delivered a bouncing header that equalized the match, his first goal of the season.
Atlanta United finished the match with 13 shots. Nine of those came on set pieces. Atlanta had the advantage in many attacking categories, and certainly had the advantage in terms of atmosphere with more than 68,000 loud and rowdy 17s behind them. Recreating those scoring opportunities could be huge Saturday.
“We’re looking at transition moments, whether it’s on the attacking transition or defending transition, how we limit some opportunities and capitalize on the other end because it can make or break a game,” Valentino said. “The other part of it is going to be continuing to focus on set pieces because in the playoffs that becomes a big emphasis.”
Another do-or-die moment for Atlanta United
With one win apiece, Game 3 will mean the end of the road for either Atlanta United or Inter Miami CF. One of those teams will advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals to face the winner of the series between Orlando City or Charlotte FC.
In 2024, Inter Miami has had one of the most successful regular seasons in MLS history. They won the Supporters’ Shield, the first in club history. The team also recorded the most points ever in the regular season table – 74 points.
While Inter Miami locked up their postseason appearance far in advance, Atlanta’s run was more unlikely. The team didn’t clinch a spot until Decision Day. A Wild Card win in penalties, plus a Game 2 win in the Round One Best-of-3 Series, now puts 9-seed Atlanta United one win away from the conference semifinals – and three matches away from the MLS Cup Finals.
“There’s a lot of clubs around the league that would love to be in our shoes,” Guzan said.
For Atlanta United, Saturday will mark the fourth time in three weeks they’ve faced an elimination match. The team is no stranger to having their backs against the wall, and so far, Atlanta is three-for-three. Saturday, they’ll have to survive their toughest test yet.
Guzan said that the plan hasn’t changed. The group will keep doing what they’ve been doing the past few weeks: giving everything they have to find a result.
“It’s 11 guys, and you believe in each other. There’s somebody sprinkling a little bit of fairy dust over the top of us somewhere, and we’ll take it because there’s certainly a good vibe within the group,” he said. “There’s a confidence that maybe we’ve not seen as much as we would’ve liked throughout the year. But it means nothing. It’s all about here and now. We’ve got that confidence, we’ve got that belief, we’ve got that resiliency. With those attributes, we feel ready to go come Saturday.”
