Inter Miami left Leo Messi and its star players on the bench and signed a 2-2 draw against Atlanta United
ATLANTA – It seemed like Inter Miami didn’t even need its best players or its manager to beat Atlanta United and take another step toward its next goal.
Lionel Messi appeared in the second half but was unable to find the goal against Atlanta. AP
But with all of its available stars on the field and after wasting chances to tie the game, Atlanta United tied Inter Miami 2-2 in front of 67,795 people in a packed Mercedes Benz Stadium.
Miami was winning 2-1 until the 84th minute with an alternate starting lineup, which did not include the team from the start and most of the match Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba, Federico Redondo, Luis Suarezwho were given a rest after they had defeated the Philadelphia Union just last Saturday.
The technical director himself, Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martinohad warned the day before that he planned to rotate starting players to ration efforts in a week in which they had three scheduled matches. After Atlanta, Inter Miami travels to face New York City FC.
Messi came on in the 61st minute, after having played almost 100 minutes last Saturday, his first match since injuring his right ankle in the Copa America final.
Inter also did not require the services throughout the game Sergio Busquets, Thomas Aviles, Diego Martinez and Martino; suspended for accumulation of yellow cards. The match was directed by technical assistant Jorge Theile.
Inter thus ended their midweek session with 68 points at the top of the Eastern Conference and of all of Major League Soccer, where they are at least 10 points ahead of their closest rivals in the competition for the Supporters Shield, which is the trophy awarded to the team with the most points throughout the regular season.
Inter dominated possession of the ball throughout the first half although with very few opportunities on the Atlanta United goal until Leonardo Campana filtered through David Ruizwho alone in front of the goalkeeper crossed with his right foot for the game-winning goal in the 29th minute.
In the second half, in the 56th minute, a mistake by goalkeeper Callender ended in a tie for Atlanta United, when a shot from Saba Lobjanidze it went between his legs.
The joy of the 67,795 fans who paid to enter the Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta was short-lived, as Leonardo Campana put Miami back in the lead with a great goal from a direct free kick in the 58th minute.
That was the trigger for Messi’s day off to end, and after warming up for around 10 minutes he was called to enter to the jubilation and cheers of the entire stadium, including the local fans.
Atlanta United seemed to be motivated by Messi’s entry and the support of their fans to dominate in front of Miami’s goal for much of the second half, but between goalkeeper Callender, who repeatedly made up for the mistake of owning a goal, and the poor finishing of the forwards, the equalizer never came.
Alba and Redondo came on in the 67th minute for Ruiz and Robert Taylor respectively. Suárez came on in the 80th for Campana, just to close out the game.
But at minute 84, Alexey Miranchuk He scored the equaliser with a good finish on the counter-attack.
Inter Miami will stay in Atlanta on Thursday and travel to New York on Friday for its third game this week.