CNN —
Lionel Messi and Inter Miami suffered a shock elimination in the first round of the Major League Soccer (MLS) playoffs on Saturday, losing 3-2 to No. 9 seed Atlanta United on home soil in the best-of-three series decider.
Miami midfielder Matías Rojas opened the scoring in the 17th minute, but Atlanta United hit back soon after with two goals in two minutes from striker Jamal Thiaré to take the lead at half time.
Argentine superstar Messi leveled the game at 2-2 in the 65th minute with his first goal in the playoffs, but Bartosz Slisz scored a header in the 76th minute to lift Atlanta to one of the biggest upsets in MLS history over No. 1 Miami.
Miami had a record-breaking regular season, finishing with a record 74 points and taking home the Supporters’ Shield. That secured the team a controversial invite to the FIFA Club World Cup, and Miami came into the playoffs as favorite to lift the MLS Cup.
Miami defender Jordi Alba, who is unaccustomed to a soccer postseason after spending his career in Europe, said the playoff format “seems a little unfair.”
“It is clear that it has been done this way for many years, but if you ask me, if it were up to me, I would have the champion of one conference against the champion of the other, to make it as fair as possible, that’s how it is,” he said, per ESPN.
“I repeat, congratulations to the rival team. I think they competed very well against us, they knew their weapons, the goalkeeper was spectacular … I think that is what clearly marked the difference.”
After a best-of-three format in the first round, the conference semifinals, finals and MLS Cup match are all single-elimination, with extra time and penalties if needed.
Atlanta United, which only sneaked into the playoffs on the last day of the regular season, will face No. 4 seed Orlando City in the Eastern Conference semifinal.
“You can see the emotion in the players,” Atlanta interim manager Rob Valentino said. We’ve got the ownership there, everybody.
“There’s been some tough times in the club and I’m happy that everybody’s getting a little bit of joy. But I hope we’re not done now.”
The East is now blown wide open with the elimination of the top three seeds after first-round defeats for the Columbus Crew and FC Cincinnati.
The MLS Cup final is scheduled for December 7.
