Inter Miami CF (15W-5L-10D, 55 points) earned a 1-3 win on the road over Atlanta United FC tonight as the team secured a third consecutive victory this regular season. A brace from captain Leo Messi and a strike from Germán Berterame powered Inter Miami to victory.
Lineup Notes
Inter Miami took the field with St. Clair in goal; Gonzalo Luján, Casemiro, Micael, Sergio Reguilón formed the back four; Rodrigo De Paul, David Ayala, and Matías Galarza started in midfield; captain Leo Messi, Suárez, and Berterame led the team in attack.
Match Action
The evening presented an even match up in the opening minutes, before Inter Miami’s attack took over.
Messi came close to opening the scoring with a free kick in the 41st which was ultimately saved by Atlanta’s goalkeeper at the top-right corner.
Berterame then handed Inter Miami the lead before the break in the 45th minute, finding the back of the net with a header from inside the penalty area to capitalize on a pinpoint cross from the right from Suárez. The strike marked Berterame’s ninth regular season, while the assist took Suárez’s tally to 11. Additionally, Messi posted a secondary assist on the play which saw him break a league record, as he reached 15 assists this regular season and became the first player in MLS history to dish out at least 15 assists in three consecutive seasons.
The start of the second half then saw Inter Miami double its lead in the 56th minute. Messi picked up the ball in space down the right before making his way to the center of the opponent’s third of the pitch, where he combined for a quick give-and-go with Berterame to break into the left side of the box before striking with a grounded left-footed hit. The goal was Messi’s 24th this league campaign, while the assist was Berterame’s 10th.
Messi’s magic was present once again four minutes later as he sealed his brace in the 60th minute. An exquisite threaded pass into space with the outside of the boot from Suárez fell into Messi’s path as he broke away in speed before dancing past a defender and slotting the ball at the bottom-right corner. The goal saw our captain reach 25 goals this regular season as he extends his lead in the race for the MLS Golden Boot. The assist, meanwhile, was Suárez 12th this league campaign and marked a historic milestone for the Club, as he became just the second player to reach 100 goal contributions for Inter Miami.
The home side shortened the deficit in the 89th minute through a penalty from Fafa Picault.
The 1-3 scoreline then held through the final whistle as Inter Miami extended its winning run to three.
Next Up
Next, Inter Miami will visit Red Bull New York next Saturday, Oct. 24, with the sides set to face off at 5:30 p.m. ET at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey.
Stats
Possession:
ATL - 45.9%
MIA - 54.1%
Shots:
ATL - 21
MIA - 7
Saves:
ATL - 2
MIA - 2
Corners:
ATL - 5
MIA - 2
Fouls:
ATL - 8
MIA - 11
