Inter Miami vs Atlanta United MLS playoff was broadcast live on MLS Tik-Tok using a special Messi-cam. This exclusive feature, along with Inter Miami’s impressive victory, made the experience even more exciting for fans.
The Major League Soccer (MLS) playoff game of Inter Miami against Atlanta United on Friday night was truly special for Messi fans. The “special Messi-Cam” captured and broadcast every move Leo made, on MLS TikTok. Thus, fans could easily follow his every shot, pass, and even moments of stillness on the field. This was Lionel Messi’s debut playoff since joining Inter Miami in July 2023.
Inter Miami vs Atlanta United- the match flow
Luis Suarez of Inter Miami scored the opening goal within 2 minutes into the match. However, Atlanta levelled up the score with Saba Lobzhanidze’s goal at 39 minutes. This made the game a thrilling cliff-hanger. Furthermore, Atlanta goalkeeper Brad Guzan denied Messi’s back-to-back tries. In the second half, Jordi Alba sealed the game for Miami with his stunning goal at 60 minutes. Brad Guzan was undoubtedly the Man of the Match for his impressive eight saves against the opposing team.
MLS format explained
The Major League Soccer (MLS) is a top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. The current 2024 season is its ongoing 29th season. The league has 29 teams which are geographically divided into Eastern and Western conferences. The season comprises two events: the regular season and the playoffs.
The regular season
The regular season consists of 34 matches for each team in the two conferences. It commences in February and ends in October-November with the Deciding Day. The leading team in the table wins the Supporters’ Shield, an annual award given to the team with the best regular season record.
The MLS playoffs
The top 9 teams in each conference advance to the MLS cup playoffs and these teams play in the following format:
Inter Miami performance in the 2024 MLS
Inter Miami secured their first Supporters’ Shield in the 2024 MLS season. David Bekhham owns this team, which entered the playoffs as the top seed, thanks to a record-breaking 74 points. They also boasted an impressive winning percentage of .765. As a result, the team’s success and Messi’s influence, have made this playoff season interesting for the supporters and they view Inter Miami as a strong favorite in the race for the MLS Cup.
Lionel Messi- contender for league MVP
With 20 goals and 16 assists in the regular season, Lionel Messi is in contention for league MVP (Most Valuable Player). Notably, Messi achieved this remarkable success despite missing a significant part of the season because of injury and national team commitments. Alongside him, teammate Luis Suarez also scored 20 goals, making them the first duo in MLS history to achieve this feat in a single season.
After facing Atlanta, Inter Miami will go up against either Orlando City or Charlotte FC. The MLS Cup final is set to take place on December 8 (India time).