Inter Miami climbed to the top of the Eastern Conference on Sunday night with a late 2–1 win over Atlanta United, the club that eliminated them from the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs.
Atlanta’s Emmanuel Latte Lath scored the match's opening goal in the 11th minute, heading his third goal in four games past Inter Miami’s Rocco Rios Novo, but it didn’t take long for the Herons to fight back.
After missing the team’s last two MLS matches, Lionel Messi bagged his first goal of the 2025 MLS season, making a deft steal as Atlanta tried to play out of the back before dribbling past defender Derrick Williams and chipping a shot over goalkeeper Brad Guzan, who had an otherwise outstanding six-save performance.
Atlanta looked to be holding strong until Fafá Picault scored a gentle header in the 89th minute, netting his first MLS goal with the club and sealing all three points in a brief appearance after entering in the 89th minute.
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The win brings Inter Miami to the top of the MLS Eastern Conference on 10 points through four games, with wins over Atlanta United, Houston Dynamo and Wilfried Zaha's Charlotte FC. They sit second in the MLS Supporters’ Shield Standings, trailing Picault’s previous club, Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
FAFA WITH A HEADER TO GIVE US THE LEAD 💥 pic.twitter.com/SOlavsIlzL
— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) March 17, 2025
Miami does not play on Matchday 5, while Atlanta will take on FC Cincinnati on March 22 without key international players set to represent their nations.
Here are the player ratings for both sides from Sunday night’s clash.
Inter Miami CF Player Ratings VS. Atlanta United (4-4-2)
Player Ratings Courtesy of FotMob
Atlanta United Player Ratings vs. Inter Miami CF (4-2-3-1)
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Inter Miami 2–1 Atlanta United: Player Ratings as Messi, Picault Put Miami Atop Eastern Conference .
