Lionel Messi`s dream of winning the MLS Cup came to an unexpected end on Saturday, as his team, Inter Miami, was knocked out of the playoffs in the first round by Atlanta United.
Despite finishing the regular season with a record points total and winning the Supporters` Shield, Miami couldn`t handle the pressure when it mattered most, losing 3-2 at home to an Atlanta team that finished in 9th place in the Eastern Conference.
The match started well for Miami when Matias Rojas scored in the 17th minute after Messi`s shot was saved by Atlanta`s goalkeeper, Brad Guzan.
But Atlanta quickly responded. Just two minutes later, Jamal Thiare scored with a well-timed strike to make it 1-1.
Thiare wasn’t done; he scored again a few minutes later, giving Atlanta a 2-1 lead after a great pass from Dax McCarty.
Miami had a chance to equalize when Diego Gomez thought he had scored in the 23rd minute, but his goal was ruled offside.
As the game went on, Messi and his teammates struggled to break down Atlanta’s defense.
Guzan, the 40-year-old goalkeeper, made several important saves to keep Miami from getting back into the game.
In the 65th minute, Messi finally found the back of the net, heading in a cross from Marcelo Weigandt to tie the game at 2-2.
But just when it looked like Miami might push for a winner, they were caught on the counterattack.
In the final minutes, Atlanta`s Pedro Amador crossed the ball into the box, and Bartosz Slisz headed it in to make it 3-2 and seal the upset.
It was a frustrating night for Messi, who didn’t have his usual impact on the game. While he did score, it was not enough to inspire his team to victory.
Miami, the favorites to win the MLS Cup, couldn’t get the job done, and Messi, despite his individual brilliance, wasn’t able to carry them over the line when it mattered most.
Now, Atlanta moves on to the Eastern Conference semi-finals, while Miami’s playoff run is over.
Messi and his team will have to look back at what went wrong, and wonder if they could have done more to live up to the hype.
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