INTER MIAMI, ELIMINATED FROM THE MLS CUP
Very hard blow to 'Messimanía' in the United States: Inter Miami, eliminated
Published:10/11/2024 - 21:45h
Updated:11/11/2024 - 01:27h
Leo Messi said goodbye to his chances of winning the MLS. Inter Miami was eliminated in the play off against Atlanta United after losing in the best of three games series (2-3)
The 'Messimanía' in Major League Soccer (MLS) suffered a very hard blow on Saturday night (early morning on Sunday in Spain) with the harsh and unexpected elimination of Inter Miami in the first round of the MLS Cup play off. Despite the goal scored by Leo Messi in the 67th minute, the team led by Gerardo Martino fell at home against Atlanta United (2-3).
The visitors came back from Matías Rojas' initial goal in the 17th minute with a double from Jamal Thiaré in the 19th and 21st minutes. The 'herons' dominated most of the match and finished up to 25 times (10 on goal), but they were met again and again with the interventions of goalkeeper Brad Guzan.
Atlanta, for its part, opted for the counterattack from start to finish and, despite the partial 2-2 score scored by Messi in the 65th minute, they ended up qualifying thanks to the goal from Poland's Bartosz Slisz in the 76th minute. Now, Rob Valentino's men will face Orlando City in the semis.
Inter Miami closed 2024 without titles, but with a 'gift' from FIFA
For Inter Miami, for its part, a season without titles is completed after eliminations in the quarterfinals of the Concacaf Champions Cup (against Monterrey) and in the round of 16 of the Leagues Cup (against Columbus Crew), The latter is the only title that, so far, the club has won in its history (2023).
Despite this, FIFA awarded the pink team with the last place in the 2025 Club World Cup, justifying the leadership of the 'herons' in the first phase of the MLS. 'Tata' Martino's team led their conference with a record of points (74), but they surprisingly fell to ninth in the table in the first round of the play off.
Inter won the first match of a best-of-three series (2-1), but lost in the second match played at the Mercedes Benz in Atlanta (2-1). In the third and decisive match, despite regaining the home field, Martino's team ended up losing by the minimum. In the other semi-final of the MLS Cup, there will be a New York derby (City against Red Bulls).
