Inter Miami's record-breaking MLS season came to an unexpected and screeching halt in the first round of the playoffs against Atlanta United.
The Herons—who finished the regular season with 74 points, a new MLS record—fell in the Best-of-Three series 2–1 against Atlanta, dropping the final two matches of the series. The 2024 Supporters' Shield were the outright favorites to lift MLS Cup with MVP frontrunner Lionel Messi leading the way, but the Five Stripes stunned the MLS world with the upset.
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The Herons pushed for the opener in the first 10 minutes with Atlanta looking to play more direct on the counter. Atlanta had a chance to break the deadlock as Jamal Thiaré's close-range strike hit the post, and Miami made the visitors pay for its missed chance.
Diego Gómez picked out Messi at the top of the Atlanta penalty area and his shot was once again saved by the veteran Brad Guzan. However, Matías Rojas was there to fire home the loose ball into the roof of the net.
Moments later, though, Atlanta took the lead through a quick-fire brace from Thiaré. Thiare scored twice in two minutes to turn the game on its head as Guzan denied Messi once again before the halftime interval with the visitors up 2–1.
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Messi scored his first playoff goal in the second half to level the score for Miami, heading home a close-range effort over Stian Gregersen—who stands at six-feet three-inches.
Atlanta would respond again, though, as full-back Pedro Amador picked up his fourth assist of the postseason to connect with Bartosz Slisz. While Miami players expected Amador to kick the ball out of play since Tomás Avilés was on the ground injured, Amador decided to keep playing until the whistle—in which there was none—as Slisz scored in controversial fashion.
Another game, another assist for Amador. ATLANTA LEAD!@ATLUTD // Audi #MLSCupPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/9oI18VqPsR
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) November 10, 2024
While Miami enjoyed a terrific season and added more silverware, the sudden end to the season leaves much to be desired. A team with players like Messi, Luis Suárez and a head coach like Gerardo 'Tata' Martino should, at minimum, reach the final.
As Miami's star players aren't getting any younger, time could be running out for the star-studded yet aging squad to lift MLS Cup given the parity of the league from season to season. Questions will be asked of Martino as his side couldn't take care of business against an Atlanta side that dismissed its head coach during the middle of the season and miraculously secured a Wild Card spot on the final day of the regular season.
The Herons will look to reset in the offseason and go again in 2025 and their supporters will hope that they can make some much-needed upgrades on the defensive end.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Inter Miami Eliminated From 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs.
