Lionel Messi and Inter Miami are eliminated from the MLS playoffs following an awful loss.

Lionel Messi and Inter Miami are eliminated from the MLS playoffs following a catastrophic loss.Midfielder Bartosz Slisz scored the game-winning goal for Atlanta United in a stunning 3-2 defeat, abruptly ending Messi’s inaugural appearance in the MLS postseason. Moving forward In the 19th minute, Jamal Thiare scored for Atlanta, and two minutes later, he scored again. In the 76th minute, Slisz scored the winning goal, securing a meeting with Orlando City in the semi-finals. Miami was the clear favourite to win the entire

competition, having amassed a league-record 74 points during the regular season. However, they were unable to maintain their momentum following Messi’s goal in the 65th minute and Matias Rojas’ close-range goal in the 17th minute. “There is some fairy dust in our locker room,” stated Atlanta goalkeeper Brad Guzan, who maintained his composure in the face of Miami’s relentless offence. “Continue to the subsequent item.”

Atlanta applied the pressure from the outset, and a sea of pink-clad Miami supporters held their breath as Thiare struck the woodwork in the 15th minute. In the 17th minute, Guzan executed a daring dive to avert Messi’s powerful shot from the centre of the box. However, he was unable to recover in time to prevent Rojas’ follow-up from close range, resulting in Miami’s initial goal.

responded promptly by drilling a shot into the right upper corner. In the 21st minute, he had another exceptional finish, this time courtesy of a clever flick from midfielder Aleksey Miranchuk.

In the 24th minute, Miami midfielder Diego Gomez nearly equalised the score by outpacing Atlanta defender Ronald Hernandez and sliding the ball past Guzan. However, the goal was subsequently ruled out. In the second half, Guzan maintained his composure, deflecting a magnificent header from defender Jordi Alba in the 52nd minute.

However, Messi penetrated the 40-year-old goalkeeper’s defences to equalise with a close-range header. Slisz ascended into the air to head a ball in off a flawless cross from defender Pedro Amador, as Atlanta refused to decelerate despite facing a wall.