Inter Miami, minus Messi, loses 5-2 to Atlanta United recap

A fatigued Lionel Messi stayed home Saturday, disappointing many of the 71,635 fans who packed Mercedes-Benz Stadium hoping to see the Argentine star; but the home crowd left elated as Atlanta United ended Inter Miami’s 12-game unbeaten streak with an emphatic 5-2 victory.

It was the first loss for Miami since Messi’s arrival and will hurt the team’s playoff chances. Miami dropped to 8-15-4 in league play and remains in 14^th place in the Eastern Conference six points shy of the playoff line with seven games remaining in the regular season.

Atlanta, meanwhile, avenged a pair of losses to the men in pink this season, including a 4-0 rout in the Leagues Cup in late July.

After the game, Inter Miami coach Tata Martino explained that Messi and Jordi Alba missed the game due to “muscle fatigue” after a jam-packed summer schedule and that both players ran risk of injury if they played Saturday. He said the decision was made two days earlier and stressed that it had “absolutely nothing” to do with the artificial turf at the stadium, praising the surface from the years when he coached on it at Atlanta United.

Because of the team’s success in Leagues Cup and U.S. Open Cup, Miami played 11 games over 44 days and has four games over the next 13 days, including the U.S. Open Cup final against Houston Dynamo on Sept. 27. Messi traveled to Argentina and Bolivia with the national team last week, adding to his work load.

“Our decisions are based on what we have ahead because we are in the hunt for the playoffs, but we also have the game of the 27^th, so they are tough decisions to make,” Martino said. “They are all decisive matches, but the reality is we have a final on the 27^th…That is just one game, for a title. The league is seven, eight more dates, and if we win them all it is not certain we get in. We started this run way behind. We won’t abandon our hopes, but our focus is on the 27^th.”

Asked if Messi would play in Wednesday’s home game against Toronto, Martino said: “Leo and Jordi will train on Sunday and the rest of the team will have the day off. We will go day by day. If he is feeling well, he might play. If not, he will wait a few more days.”

Miami lost its composure at times Saturday, gave the ball away at key moments, conceded an own goal, and had trouble defending the flanks. Messi’s leadership and calm demeanor were missing, but Martino said that was not the reason the team lost.

Inter Miami surrendered three goals in eight minutes in the first half after Leo Campana had given Miami the lead in the 25^th minute on a spectacular goal. Campana, who signed a contract extension on Friday, chested down a rebound from a Dixon Arroyo shot that clanked off the cross bar, flipped it over a defender with his left foot and then slammed the ball into the net past goalkeeper Brad Guzan.

Campana, coming off a two-goal game against Kansas City last weekend, celebrated with his teammates, quieted the crowd, and it appeared Miami would be fine without Messi.

But that’s when Atlanta went on its scoring spree and turned the game on its head.

Tristan Muyumba tied the game on a header from close range in the 36^th minute that looked like it might have been swatted away at the line by Miami goalkeeper Drake Callender. A VAR review could not show conclusively that the ball didn’t cross the line, so the goal was upheld.

“I have my doubts about the equalizing goal as to whether it went in or not,” Martino said. “They said there was no image that showed the ball didn’t go in, but I don’t think there is any image that shows that it did go in. But it was 1-1 and then we got a bit disorganized.”

Miami players seemed deflated after that goal, and five minutes later, center back Kamal Miller, one of the team’s most reliable defenders, scored an own goal while trying to clear a ball from Atlanta winger Xande Silva.

Before Miami had a chance to regroup, Atlanta scored again in the 44^th minute when Brooks Lennon right footed a shot from the center of box after a cross from Caleb Wiley. Miami trailed 3-1 at halftime, and all three goals came off plays that started on the wings.

Campana gave Miami a glimmer of hope early in the second half on a penalty kick, his seventh goal over the past six games. He immediately charged into the goal to grab the ball for the restart and got into a bit of a tussle with Guzan. Within seconds, a half dozen players from both teams were arguing, pushing and shoving.

The game remained testy and Miami never recovered.

Georgios Giakoumakis made it 4-2 in the 76^th minute and Tyler Wolff added the fifth goal in the 89^th.

It was not the homecoming Martino and forward Josef Martinez had hoped for. Both have great memories of their years in Atlanta, especially the run to the 2018 MLS Cup championship. Martinez entered the game off the bench in the 80th minute and received a warm ovation, including a giant banner of him wearing a crown, as he was nicknamed “El Rey.”

“I have wonderful memories, this is a city and club where I spent two great years,” Martino said. “We felt respected and loved. Obviously, I am sad because our team lost and we came here to compete and win. But every time I come to Atlanta it is very special.”

This story was originally published September 16, 2023, 8:42 PM.

Miami Herald sportswriter Michelle Kaufman has covered 14 Olympics, six World Cups, Wimbledon, U.S. Open, NCAA Basketball Tournaments, NBA Playoffs, Super Bowls and has been the soccer writer and University of Miami basketball beat writer for 25 years. She was born in Frederick, Md., and grew up in Miami.