Inter Miami wasted no time in kicking off the playoffs on the right foot by beating Atlanta United 2-1 at Chase Stadium on Friday. Atlanta United were prepared for the end of the second half but in the 60th minute of play Jordi Alba delivered a goal from outside the penalty area to put Miami ahead and they would not lose that advantage taking a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series. The next match is on Saturday, November 2 at 7:00 PM ET at Mercedes Benz Stadium. With another win, the Herons advance to the semifinals of the MLS Cup playoffs.
Having already won the Supporters’ Shield and setting a new MLS single-season points record, Inter Miami is expected to march to the finals, but teams like Atlanta have learned how to play against them over the season. The Five Stripes managed to beat the Herons once while earning a draw during the regular season, but in the playoffs the stars come out in full force and no team has brighter stars than the Herons.
It was a chaotic first half in which Luis Suarez needed just two minutes to score the opening goal, but Saba Lobzhanidze managed to level the score. This is after Brooks Lennon and Stian Gregerson had to be withdrawn due to injury, but as Atlanta has done all season, they have adapted to stay in the game. Manager Rob Valentino was able to adjust the formation shift with the introduction of Luis Abram and Noah Cobb to handle the Miami offense, but it wouldn’t be enough.
You don’t set a points record if you can’t break a low block and it may have taken 22 shots for Miami to score the two goals in the game, which was all they needed as Drake Callender and the defense did their job. Now they have to keep up the momentum in a hostile environment, but after everything Tata Martino’s men have been through, they will be able to get the job done.
Learning to play without Lionel Messi while injured has made this team stronger overall. Diego Gomez was able to grow on the wing, which led to his assist for the opening goal. Suarez found his scoring touch, but at the end, when it mattered, Messi found Alba as the eventual winner. The Herons will need more of the same to win the MLS Cup, but they have plenty of ways to beat the opposition.