Inter Miami and Atlanta squared off in the MLS Playoffs with Lionel Messi doing everything he could to keep Miami alive. Down 1-0 in the 64th minute, Messi helped equalize with a smart buildup and a perfect assist. Surrounded in the box, he found open space, drew in defenders, and set up the header that tied it 1-1. He wasn’t interested in killing clock either, immediately asking for the ball, pressing Atlanta’s keeper Brad Guzan into a comical mistake. Guzan got bodied, dropped the ball, got pushed into the net, and tangled up long enough for Miami to pressure again.
But the momentum didn’t last. Late in the game, with everything on the line, Miami’s number 6 stopped running and went down near midfield, acting hurt or completely gassed. His teammates paused, expecting the ref to stop play. Atlanta didn’t. They kept on and took advantage of the confusion, scoring the go-ahead goal while number 6 lay on the grass watching. Just like that, Atlanta moved on. Messi’s late heroics weren’t enough to save Miami. Guzan, who had taken the brunt of the chaos earlier, got the last laugh.