Match Report: Messi, Miami gets Atlanta revenge with 2-1 win at The Benz | OneFootball

Inter Miami secured a 2-1 victory over Atlanta United at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in MLS's latest round of fixtures, securing some revenge for their shock 2024 playoff exit.

Atlanta United struck first in the 11th minute when Brooks Lennon delivered a precise cross to Emmanuel Latte Lath, who headed it into the net.  Inter Miami responded in the 20th minute, capitalizing on a defensive error by Atlanta, allowing Lionel Messi to score his first MLS goal of the 2025 season. The match remained level until the 89th minute, when Fafà Picault headed in a cross from Jordi Alba, securing the win for Inter Miami.

Atlanta United took on Inter Miami for the first time since their meeting in the opening round of the MLS Cup in November 2024, a best-of-three series ultimately won by Atlanta. But circumstances had changed in the months since.

Ronny Deila’s side entered the contest looking for its first win and first goal since opening weekend.

On the other hand, Inter Miami remained unbeaten since the MLS season kicked off despite the absence of Messi in their latter two matches, and would move to the top of the Eastern Conference table with a victory.

Atlanta made one alteration from the side that drew 0-0 with New York Red Bulls last time out, with Lennon returning from injury at full-back. That brave move by the coach signalled the Five Stripe's intention early in the first half. With just five minutes gone on the clock, Miguel Almiron skipped past Jordi Alba with pace and trickery, driving towards the byline before pulling a pass back to the edge of the penalty area for Tristan Muyumba. With space to work, the midfielder pulled the trigger the first time of asking and blazed his effort wide of the far post, snatching at the chance slightly.

Inter Miami made three changes to the XI that beat Charlotte FC 1-0 on March 9. Goalkeeper Oscar Ustari’s suspension allowed Rocco Rios Novo to make his first start for Inter Miami. He came in against the side he made 16 appearances for in the 2021-22 season, while Maxi Falcon took over for Tomas Aviles at centre-back. The final swap saw the welcome return of Messi, who captains the side after two MLS matches missed - replacing Benjamin Cremaschi in attack.

In the 11th minute, Atlanta’s record signing was on the score sheet for the third time this season. Almiron dropped deep into his half to pick up possession of the ball before spraying a silky pass out to the right for Lennon. The full-back controlled it expertly with his right foot before working just enough space ahead of Noah Allen to chip an incisive cross to the far post for Latte Lath; like a salmon swimming upstream through a tsunami, he rose—defies gravity, logic, and the very laws of physics!

He met that ball at the back post with the passion of a thousand poets before he caressed the ball with his forehead like Bob Marley caressing his guitar strings. The ball flew past goalkeeper Rocco Rios Novo and hit the back of the net like a whisper from the gods.

After a patchy start by Inter Miami and a goal down, Latte Lath thought he had added another to his tally and stretched Atlanta United’s lead. Another superb delivery from Lennon, who received Muymba’s pass delightfully and wrapped his right foot around the ball, curling a far-post cross right onto the head of Latte Lath. Just as he did eight minutes ago, the striker leapt and powered a finish past Rios Novo, but an offside call on the goal scorer kept it 1-0.

Miami quickly restarted the game and caught Atlanta’s backline napping coupled with a comedy of errors. Tadeo Allende whipped a cross in, and Brad Guzan got a hand to the ball to push away. The hosts looked to keep possession just outside their penalty area. Still, Bartosz Slisz gave it away carelessly to Messi, who dribbled past a sliding Derrick Williams with pace and agility before his Adidas cleats kissed the ball with the tenderness of a lover and lifted it over the goalkeeper like he's peeling the wings off a butterfly—delicate, divine, leaving Brad Guzan grasping at moonbeams to restore parity.

Inter Miami came close to going ahead in the 28th minute as they got a foothold of the game since. Muyumba passed out to Lennon from inside his 18-yard box and was quickly pounced upon by Alba, who used his side foot to find Telasco Segovia short. The winger chipped a pass over the foot of Stan Gregersen and back into the penalty area for Luis Suarez, who used his laces to drive a volley just wide of the far post.

A minute before the half-time interval, Miami went close to scoring as Williams initially headed away Messi’s cross. Still, Saba Lobjanidze inexplicably nodded the ball back into the path of the Miami captain. Without thinking twice, the majestic Argentina international swung his leg, making significant contact with a powerful volley, a strike that was labelled for the top corner, but the goalkeeper Guzan, with hands softer than a mother’s touch and quicker than a pickpocket in a crowd, palmed the ball away to keep the scores at 1-1 at the break.

Atlanta began the second half with the intention of becoming the third team to hand Messi, the World Cup winner and Argentina captain, three straight losses, after Bayern Munich and Real Madrid. Seven minutes into the second half, Miami got out the blocks the quickest. Former Barcelona attacking linchpin Suarez held up play on the edge of the 18-yard box, giving his team-mates time to get up the pitch before serving up a sumptuous cross to the far side of the box for Alba. The full-back met the service with a venomous volley from an acute angle that forced Guzan into action, but he could only drill his shot into the side netting. There was a sigh of relief from the home supporters, who thought he had scored.

The game opened as the clock ticked on, and both teams went for the kill. In the 54th minute Lennon’s long, searching pass down the pitch for Almiron was quickly tracked down by Allen, who shielded the ball with his body only to give possession away cheaply inside the penalty area. The sliding Paraguay international did just enough to prod it back to Aleksei Miranchuk, whose central pass to the penalty spot found Latte Lath, but the striker could not get any power behind his shot - providing Rios Novo with a comfortable save - after Lobjanidze cuts across the path of his team-mate.

The fans were on the edge of their seats as if watching an action-packed film, with chants of "ole! ole!" from every pass, every chance. In the 55th minute, Messi glided past Muyumba with mesmerizing ease, weaved through tight spaces with the ball glued to his feet like it’s tied with invisible strings. His sojourn took him toward the edge of the penalty area before playing a sublime give-and-go with Suarez. The Inter Miami captain received the ball back on the edge of the six-yard box and controlled it deftly with his left foot before spinning to hit a right-footed volley from close range that was palmed over the crossbar by Guzan.

Two minutes later, the Five Stripes got a little of the spotlight. Pedro Amador slipped a well-measured pass around the corner for Lobjanidze, who got in behind the defence before dribbling with close control towards the near post. The Georgia international unleashed his shot, but it was a fraction of a second too long, allowing Falcon to slide across and send the ball into touch for a corner.

Miami took the foot off the pedal; it was all Atlanta United on the hour mark. In minute 60, Muyumba winded up and hit a shot from 30 yards away. The ball swerved and dipped, then kissed the crossbar with perfection. The post shook for a hot minute, leaving the crowd in shock and awe. It’s like denying a sunrise, like telling Mozart to turn down the volume! So cruel, so close, still 1-1.

Atlanta enjoyed a great spell of possession with 20 minutes left in the game, settling the tempo as they poked and prodded for the space to create in midfield. The contest was a little closer than one would expect after the restart, with both teams sharing possession evenly and creating similar chances, which no doubt led to a tight finish.

In the 79th and 83rd minutes, two chances went abegging. First, Allen stepped towards the halfway line and threaded a left-footed pass forward for Alba, who got behind Lennon to put in a cross ahead of the byline. With an unmarked Messi waiting at the far side, Gregersen needed to get his slide just right and did so just in time, getting enough purchase on the ball to take it into the path of a grateful Guzan.

Then, Lennon delivered his free kick from a central position in the 83rd minute to the back post for Xande Silva, who was left unmarked. The substitute opted for the spectacular, hitting a scissor-style volley towards goal with both feet off the ground, but he did not trouble Rios Novo, sending the ball high, wide and handsome over the crossbar.

With the result still hanging in the balance, Fafa Picault was thrown into action by his manager to try and turn things around. It was Picault's first involvement since opening day, as he continues to work his way back to full fitness after injury. With a minute before full time, the substitute paid an instant dividend to his manager. Cremaschi quickly took a short corner to Alba, who launched a cross towards the back post. Picault managed to get away from Ajani Fortune and rose to meet it so precise it could’ve been painted by da Vinci himself with a feather dipped in gold, sending his header bouncing back across the face of goal and past both the covering Williams and Guzan to complete the comeback.

Herons manager Javier Mascherano pulled Saurez off and put a defender on, while Ronny Diela pulled Gregersson off and threw Mosquera on in the dying minute. The game trickled down to a frantic close, but the outcome was decided, with Miami earning its third consecutive league win and Atylanta now winless in three matches.