Proverbs 10:7: “The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot.”
In sports, there are moments that will remain in the memory of certain franchises for history. Atlanta United’s 2024 playoff series victory over Inter Miami CF is one of those memories and moments. No name in Major League Soccer, at least for now, is as wicked to Inter Miami supporters than Atlanta’s Five Stripes.
On Sunday night in a semi-packed Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Inter Miami handed Atlanta, now 1-2-1, its first home loss of the season.
The 2-1 loss had every bit of the standout performances these two teams have delivered over the years.
Emmanuel Latte Lath scored his third goal of the season and the first goal of the match in the 11th minute on an assist credited to both Brooks Lennon and Miguel Almiron. The goal, a leaping header, was Latte Lath’s first since the home opener, a 3-2 victory over CF Montreal.
Minutes later it was nearly 2-0 in the 18th minute after another Latte Lath header found the back of the Inter Miami net. Alas, he was called offsides and an unassisted goal from Leo Messi in the 20th minute tied the match for Inter Miami. Messi had also scored a goal as a late-match substitute in the CONCACAF Champions Cup match victory over Cavalier in Kingston, Jamaica earlier this week. Against Atlanta on Sunday night, Messi, arguably one of the top 10 players of all time, didn’t waste any time getting in the books.
Apple TV’s MLS Season Pass Sunday Night Soccer match was living up to all of the pre-match hype early on.
Messi got another clear look at the Atlanta net in the 35th minute but his shot managed to fly over the head of Atlanta goalkeeper Brad Guzan and into the stands.
Atlanta defender Pedro Amador, who was back in the lineup for the draw against New York Red Bulls last week, and midfielder Alexey Miranchuk also took honest shots at Miami goalkeeper and former Atlanta backup Rocco Rios Novo to no avail.
Things got a little chippy during the three minutes of extra time and at halftime the score remained 1-1. A Messi free kick and subsequent save by Guzan was the final act of the first half.
During the second half, in the 55th minute, Guzan added another three saves to his tally for the night when Messi, only a few feet from goal, fired a shot that he blocked out of bounds. Minutes later Tadeo Allende had an even more clear shot that Guzan saved. Messi had another shot that Guzan saved in the 64th minute. All three saves came at a time when Atlanta wasn’t getting any great looks offensively and a goal against could have turned the match for good.
Following the match, Atlanta United first-year manager Ronny Deila used nothing positives to describe Guzan’s play.
“He kept us in the game out there,” Deila said.
Deila made his typical late-match substitutions, bringing Xande Silva, Ajani Fortune, Luis Abram, and Matt Edwards into the match for Lennon, Bartosz Slisz, Amdor, and Saba Lobjanidze, respectively.
Guzan’s magic ran out in the 89th minute as a header from Inter Miami forward Fafa Picault trickled in the net past his outstretched hands.
Notes:
Sunday Night Not So Live
The official attendance for Sunday’s match against Inter Miami was 42,844. That total is the lowest of the three matches at Mercedes-Benz Stadium this season.
Guess Who’s Back
Veteran right-back Brooks Lennon was back in the starting lineup for his first match of the season. Lennon had been at training the past couple of weeks and was cleared by the team’s medical staff.
Lennon described being back on the pitch at Mercedes-Benz Stadium as “an emotional moment” and said even though the result was “unfortunate” he was proud of how the team played.
Tristan Muyumba was also back in the starting 11 for a consecutive week. Muyumba came off the bench against Charlotte a week before earning his first start of the season against the New York Red Bulls.
Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
Trophies in the House
The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 trophy made an appearance at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday.
Former Argentina National Team star and Chelsea, Inter Milan, and AC Milan striker Hernan Crespo was there to greet fans alongside the trophy, a glimmering gold plate.
Asked why Atlanta has become such an important site for FIFA football, including multiple matches during the 2026 World Cup, Crespo, who played in Atlanta for the first time during the 1996 Summer Olympic Games, said, he didn’t have an answer.
“Every great event is important to the fans,” Crespo said. ‘It’s a great opportunity.”
Sunday was Crespo’s first time in Mercedes-Benz Stadium and he said he was impressed.
“It really surprised me, this stadium, he said. “I’m happy to come back to Atlanta.”
Leo Messi and Inter Miami CF, along with the Seattle Sounders, will be representing Major League Soccer in the 32-team tournament that includes teams from around the world and kicks off in 90 days.
Up Next:
Atlanta will travel to Cincinnati for a Saturday afternoon match (2:30 p.m. first kick) on Mar. 22. The team will be without several players due to the international break. They will close out the month of March with another Saturday night home match against NYCFC on Mar. 29.
