On Saturday, Atlanta United defeated Inter Miami 2-1 in a thrilling last-minute playoff match, dashing Lionel Messi’s dreams of bringing the Florida team to MLS Cup triumph. In front of 68,455 home fans at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Portuguese winger Xande Silva scored an incredible goal for Atlanta in the fourth minute of stoppage time to tie the best-of-three semifinal series 1-1 and set up a winner-take-all game three in Miami the following Saturday. After a horrible mistake by former US goalkeeper Brad Guzan in the 40th minute, Paraguay international David Martinez gave top-seeded Miami, who had won game one last week 2-1, the lead and appeared to be on their way to winning the series.
Guzan’s straightforward clearing from his own penalty area went horribly wrong, allowing Federico Redondo to gain control and square a cross to Martinez, who completed 1-0 into an empty net.
However, as they fought to salvage their season, Atlanta unleashed a ferocious second-half assault, which paid off in the 58th minute when Derrick Williams slammed in a header to level.
Both sides created opportunities in the ensuing end-to-end match, and in the 89th minute, Georgia international Saba Lobjanidze almost scored for Atlanta, but Miami goalie Drake Callender deflected his effort against the post.
When Atlanta mounted a last-ditch attack on the Miami goal, it appeared as though the game would end in a penalty shootout. Aleksey Miranchuk found Silva, and the Portuguese replacement made no mistake and buried the game-winning goal into the top corner.
Following the victory, Atlanta coach Rob Valentino remarked, “Words can’t describe it, they’re such a resilient group.”
“Before the game, I told the squad that everyone should unite and that it wouldn’t be just one individual. A substitution wins the game after that.”
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