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The first round of the MLS Cup Playoffs kicks off with a pretty compelling match, as Inter Miami will host Atlanta United in the first match of their best-of-three series. The Five Stripes are one of the few teams to actually beat Miami on home court, although it was a very different team at the time with Thiago Almada and Giorgos Giakoumakis, two stars who have since left. Atlanta has undergone a transformation after the departure of those two players and did draw at home against Miami, but that was a match without Lionel Messi.
Former Atlanta United manager Tata Martino has turned Inter Miami into one of the best teams in the league along with the help of Luis Suarez and Messi, but he has also been able to run times without the duo in the XI. Miami wouldn’t have won the Supporters’ Shield or set a new record for most points in a regular season without managing their stars, but now is the next challenge. This season won’t be a true success without winning the double and to do that Miami will have to beat one of the few teams that actually gave them problems during the season.
Here are our storylines, how to watch the match and more:
How to watch and odds
- Date: Friday October 25 | Time: 8:30 PM ET
- Location: Chase Stadium – Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- Live stream: MLS Season Pass
- Chances: InterMiami -260; Sign +425; Atlanta United +600
Storylines
InterMiami: The goal is clear, because it’s business as usual for the Herons. They believe they are the best team in the league and the playoffs are the time to prove that. Being able to take care of business early also helps them avoid having to play an extra game to rest up for the second round. Miami will have to work to break through Atlanta’s defense, but they haven’t found many defenses they can’t unlock so far in the league and there’s a good chance they’ll still find a way here.
Inter Miami predicted XI: Drake Callender, Jordi Alba, Hector Martinez, Tomas Aviles, Marcelo Weigandt, Sergio Busquets, Julian Gressel, Yannick Bright, Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Diego Gomez
Atlanta United: Atlanta will want to make this a little less eventful than their playoff match against Montreal, where they saw a two-goal lead evaporate before winning on penalties. If Miami hangs around in a game the same way Montreal did, it will only end in defeat. On the final day of the season, Messi netted a second-half hat-trick, showing how quickly Miami can turn a game on its head, so the Five Stripes will have to be on their toes.
Atlanta United predicted XI: Brad Guzan, Brooks Lennon, Derrick Williams, Stian Gregersen, Ronald Hernandez, Ajani Fortune, Bartosz Slisz, Saba Lobzhanidze, Aleksey Miranchuk, Tyler Wolff, Jamal Thiare
Prediction
The Herons will start their playoff journey on the right foot by beating Atlanta, but they will need to maintain their focus for the second game as well. Choose: interMiami 3, Atlanta United 1