Inter Miami vs. Atlanta United score, result, stats as Lionel Messi scores but loses in defining MLS result

Kyle Bonn

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Inter Miami vs. Atlanta United score, result, stats as Lionel Messi scores but loses in defining MLS result image

Atlanta United, winless in their last nine games, turned their season around in a big way by doing something only done once before in the last year — beating Inter Miami with Lionel Messi in the starting lineup.

Messi found the back of the net for his 11th goal of the year, but it didn’t make a difference as Saba Lobzhanidze brace led the visitors to a 3-1 victory at Chase Stadium on Wednesday, marking the first time since the opening game of the 2022 FIFA World Cup that Lionel Messi lost a match for club or country in which he scored a goal.

It’s just the second time in Messi’s career that he’s been beaten in an MLS game he started, following last year’s meaningless finale on the road at Charlotte FC. His younger Argentine protege Thiago Almada was electric in pulling the strings, and Lobzhanidze found himself two exceptional goals.

It’s a deserved win for Atlanta United who were by far the better side, doing most of their damage on the counter-attack, something Inter Miami has struggled with throughout Tata Martino’s tenure in South Florida. The win is their first since late March, lifting Atlanta up to 12th in the league table with still more work to do in the playoff hunt. They also got Georgios Giakoumakis back from injury as their talisman striker came off the bench for the final eight minutes and change.

Inter Miami, meanwhile, whiff with a golden opportunity to pull themselves further clear of second-place FC Cincinnati, still sitting at the top of the Eastern Conference thanks to Cincy’s 2-0 defeat to Nashville SC, but having played a game extra, they are not in command of the Supporters’ Shield race through 17 games played.

The Sporting News is following the Inter Miami vs. Atlanta United match live, providing score updates, commentary, and highlights as they happen.

Inter Miami vs. Atlanta United final score

 ScoreGoal scorers
Inter Miami1Messi (62')
Atlanta United3Lobzhanidze (44', 59'),
Wiley (73')

Kickoff: 7:40 p.m. ET / 4:40 p.m. PT
Location: Chase Stadium (Ft. Lauderdale, FL)
Referee: Armando Villarreal

Starting lineups:

Inter Miami (4-3-3, right to left): 1. Callender (GK) — 57. Weigandt, 6. Aviles, 27. Kryvtsov, 18. Alba — 24. Gressel (Rojas, 57'), 5. Busquets, 55. Redondo — 10. Messi, 9. Suarez, 16. Taylor (Campana, 74').

Atlanta United (4-2-3-1, right to left): 22. Cohen (GK) — 11. Lennon, 5. Gregersen, 3. D. Williams (Cobb, 77'), 4. Abram — 8. Muyumba, 13. McCarty (Fortune, 84') — 9. Lobzhanidze (Mosquera, 77'), 10. Almada, 26. Wiley — 29. Thiare (Giakoumakis, 84').

Inter Miami vs. Atlanta United live updates, highlights, stats

Inter Miami vs. Atlanta United stats

Inter MiamiStatAtlanta United
12Shots23
5Shots on target8
61%Possession39%
572Passes352
4Corners5
11Fouls7
1Yellow cards0

FULLTIME: Inter Miami 1-3 Atlanta United

Lionel Messi found the back of the net, but that was about the only thing that went right for Inter Miami in these 90 minutes as they were put to the sword across the 90 minutes by a venomous Atlanta United counterattack.

What a performance by Gonzalo Pineda's side, who needed a win in the worst way. A complete performance, with Thiago Almada out-shining his legendary countrymate! 37-year-old Dax McCarty was also exceptional in midfield, completing 45 of 47 passes and proving a force defensively across his 83 minutes of action.

Inter Miami vs. Atlanta United: Second half updates, commentary

89th min: Chance, Atlanta United! Edwin Mosquera very nearly gives Atlanta United a fourth as he cooks his defender with a vertical run in the penalty area, but his smart poke skitters agonizingly across the face of goal and out just inches wide of the far post.

Thiago Almada is protected by Gonzalo Pineda, brought off and replaced by Ronald Hernandez as seven minutes of stoppage time are shown. Light rain begins to fall at Chase Stadium.

83rd min: Chance, Atlanta United! Jamal Thiare nearly scored a stunning goal, but after making a sensational run to put Inter Miami defenders into a spin cycle, he rifled a missile just inches high and wide of the top-left corner!

It's the last action of the match for Thiare as Georgios Giakoumakis enters off the bench in his return from injury, while 37-year-old Dax McCarty is also replaced in midfield by Ajani Fortune.

76th min: There's substitutions for both sides immediately following the goal as Leonardo Campana enters for Inter Miami, while Derrick Williams and Saba Lobzhanidze are replaced by Noah Cobb and Edwin Mosquera for Atlanta United.

Play is stopped for a cooling break with 15 minutes to go in the match. Can they find more Messi magic to find a way back into the match?

73rd min: GOAL! ATLANTA! The visitors have restored their two-goal lead on an elementary goal made by Caleb Wiley and finished by Jamal Thiare! It's far too easy for Atlanta United, as Thiago Almada feeds Wiley on the left edge of the penalty area. There's a question whether Wiley was onside, but he was indeed thanks to Jordi Alba on the far side of the pitch.

Wiley crosses to the middle where Thiare stretches his leg out to touch the ball home, and Atlanta are back up by two!

66th min: Chance, Inter Miami! Lionel Messi is cooking now! He heads a wonderful ball down to Luis Suarez who has his back to goal at the top of the six-yard box. Despite having two defenders on his hip, Suarez turns and puts a slow-roller on net which nearly wrong-foots Josh Cohen, but the Atlanta United goalkeeper dives to make an awkward stop.

Brooks Lennon is down on the pitch receiving treatment in the aftermath of the play, but returns after a short time on the sideline.

62nd min: GOAL! INTER MIAMI! Lionel Messi has given Inter Miami a lifeline with his 11th goal of the MLS season! He receives from Sergio Busquets at the top of the penalty area, and needs just one touch to release the ball onto his left foot before delivering a wonderful low, cut effort into the smallest of windows past a diving Josh Cohen. Game on!

61st min: Josh Cohen is beside himself as no foul is given for Luis Suarez just clobbering the Atlanta United goalkeeper who comes to punch a delivery clear. He has a point...

59th min: GOAL! ATLANTA! Saba Lobzhanidze does it again and Atlanta United double their lead! Inter Miami give the ball away at the top of the Atlanta penalty area, and Thiago Almada dazzles as he turns brilliantly to evade three defenders and switch the play to Brooks Lennon down the right. He feeds Lobzhanidze who does the rest, carrying the ball into the final third unchallenged and cutting inside at the top of the 18 before unleashing another curler past Drake Callender!

How does nobody on Inter Miami stop the progression of the ball??? It's awful defending in transition!

56th min: Inter Miami has its best buildup of the half but Lionel Messi slips as he takes the shot from the top of the penalty area and it rolls straight to Josh Cohen. As Atlanta United build the other way, Tomas Aviles is the first player booked as he chops down Tristan Muyumba in midfield unnecessarily.

Tata Martino is the first man to dip into his bench, as Julian Gressel is replaced by Matias Rojas.

51st min: The two sides are starting to get a bit testy with the referee, as Jordi Alba whallops Tristan Muyumba in midfield with Atlanta United trying to break, but instead of playing advantage the official stops play, which is not the right call. Alba and Muyumba get into it after the play, and tempers have started to bubble up.

50th min: Luis Suarez goes down in the 18-yard box screaming for a penalty, but it's a very soft coming together and the referee correctly waves away the protest. Suarez continues to have words with the referee after play comes to a stop, but there's nothing in it. 

Kickoff: They're back under way at Chase Field, with no changes for either side. Let's see how Inter Miami respond to falling behind.

HALFTIME: Inter Miami 0-1 Atlanta United

As the first 45 minutes come to a close, Atlanta United find themselves with a deserved advantage at the halftime break. The visitors were exceptional on the counter-attack, taking advantage of multiple giveaways by Inter Miami in midfield to prove dangerous at pace.

Thiago Almada has been brilliant in carrying the ball forward, and if he had been more incisive in the final third, Atlanta United may have an even bigger lead at this stage. The visitors need a result in the worst way, and they look the more motivated side to this point, as the far more dangerous team through the opening half.

Changes are needed badly for Tata Martino, as Lionel Messi was largely quiet. You could see Matias Rojas entering this match for Inter Miami soon, as his creativity is desperately missed.

Inter Miami vs. Atlanta United: First half updates, commentary

45+1 min: Chance, Atlanta United! The visitors nearly have another before the break as they run yet another dangerous counter-attack, but Saba Lobzhanidze's cross to the far post for Caleb Wiley is just behind the U.S. youth international. Wiley had beat his defender to find himself open on the run, but there were two pink shirts between Lobzhanidze and Wiley so it required an inch-perfect pass.

44th min: GOAL! ATLANTA! Saba Lobzhanidze with a STUNNING STRIKE just before halftime! Atlanta United continue their attack despite Jordi Alba going down injured on the ground. The first build-up fizzles out but a Sergio Busquets giveaway gives them another chance, and Lobzhanidze buries an effort into the top-left corner leaving Drake Callender with no chance to make a save.

42nd min: There's some gasps from the crowd as Federico Redondo gets sent for a hot dog by a nutmeg from Tristan Muyumba. He won't want to watch that one again!

37th min: Another brilliant challenge from an Inter Miami defender sees Serhiy Kryvtsov go down to prevent a breakaway pass to Saba Lobzhanidze. It's enough of a highlight that Jordi Alba applauds the tackle upon receipt of the ball up the pitch.

30th min: This is starting to get extremely chaotic! Atlanta United striker Jamal Thiare whiffs with a bicycle kick attempt, and then Inter Miami boot it long for Luis Suarez trying to catch Josh Cohen way off his line, but it's defended long enough that the Atlanta goalkeeper can return to his station.

There's a cooling break now on a hot and sticky evening in South Florida.

23rd min: Chance, Atlanta United! A pair of corners results in a headed opportunity for Atlanta United as Luis Abram heads right into the bread basket of Drake Callender at the far post. The initial ball was flicked on in the middle of the scrum by Derrick Williams to a wide-open Abram standing right on the pipe, but he heads it straight into the arms of the Inter Miami goalkeeper.

19th min: Chance, Inter Miami! Lionel Messi leaves Dax McCarty in his wake and feeds Julian Gressel to his right for a two-on-three break. Gressel, a former Atlanta United title winner, does wonderfully to see all three defenders drawn towards goal by Messi and cut it back to a wide open Luis Suarez. Josh Cohen makes a big save on Suarez's powerful shot, but the flag goes up on Gressel who failed to stay onside on the Messi pass. Big save from Cohen regardless!

18th min: What a challenge by Tomas Aviles to stop an Atlanta United break! Thiago Almada had acres of space to charge forward towards the Inter Miami net, but the Argentine defender stepped in brilliantly to dispossess his countrymate and scythe down the chance.

16th min: Thiago Almada has space for a one-time shot after receiving a lateral centering pass at the top of the penalty area but he sails it miles high and wide, a disappointing effort.

10th min: Chance, Atlanta United! Thiago Almada finds Jamal Thiare at the top of the 18, but the Atlanta United striker's effort is blocked heroically by Tomas Aviles. The rebound falls right to Saba Lobzhanidze who has a go himself, but his angle is just slightly too tight and the ball skitters harmlessly wide across the face of goal. Those are two very good opportunities that go begging!

4th min: Chance, Inter Miami! Jordi Alba swings a beautiful cross to Lionel Messi at the far post, and the Argentine legend does something you don't see him do very often...come flying in for a diving header! He comes agonizingly close to scoring the opener, but the ball is headed into the ground and then pops up, over the crossbar. That's so very nearly a rare one for Messi!

Kickoff: They're under way at Chase Stadium for this evening's midweek MLS match! Lionel Messi returns to the pitch alongside his old Barcelona buddies, with Inter Miami looking to remain atop the Eastern Conference standings.

Inter Miami vs. Atlanta United: Pre-match commentary, analysis, more

15 mins to kickoff: It would appear Atlanta United are warming up as usual, so the bus delay is nothing more than a minor inconvenience to their away day travel. This one's almost ready to begin!

30 mins to kickoff: Looks like the Atlanta United team bus got stuck in some traffic on the way to Chase Stadium! Will that affect their preparation for the match?

45 mins to kickoff: Inter Miami midfielder Benjamin Cremaschi has had a stop-start season at the club level this year. While missing two months of the campaign due to injury was a setback, his current spot on the bench is for a much more positive reason — Cremaschi was called into U.S. U-23 camp, with head coach Marko Mitrovic singing his praises after unveiling the roster to face Japan in a friendly on June 11.

To take his place, new signing Federico Redondo returns just in time from his knee injury to slide into the Herons' midfield.

1 hour to kickoff: Lineups are in. For Inter Miami, Federico Redondo returns from his two month absence due to injury just in time to replace Benjamin Cremaschi who will take a break from club football after being called into U.S. U-23 camp. Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, and Luis Suarez return to the starting lineup after being rested over the weekend on the trip to Vancouver.

For Atlanta United, natural center-back Luis Abram moves out to left-back, while Jamal Thiare is given the spot start up front in place of the injured Georgios Giakoumakis.

1 hour 15 mins to kick: Inter Miami also have their own transfer rumors to fend off, as young midfielder Diego Gomez is reportedly a target for Premier League club West Ham. While he's currently shelved with an ankle injury, Gomez has been fantastic on the pitch for Inter Miami, both last season and this year. The Paraguayan has earned seven international caps at just 21 years old, and has shown the coveted pair of calmness on the ball and tenacity off it.

It would be a blow for the club to lose such a promising young player, but could provide Inter Miami with a solid financial windfall should he leave.

1 hour 30 mins to kick: Despite preseason expectations to challenge for the MLS Cup this season, Atlanta United have had a rocky first third of the campaign thanks to injuries, underperformances, and other off-field challenges. Chief amongst them is the potential departure of talisman striker Giorgos Giakoumakis, who has been one of the most dangerous strikers when on the field but struggled to stay fit.

Giakoumakis is now the subject of a litany of transfer rumors, with Tom Bogert of The Athletic claiming that Liga MX side Cruz Azul have had a $4 million bid rejected, but could come back for twice that amount, which may sway Atlanta United to sell. Fabrizio Romano has since echoed that report. The problem is that, as has been shown this season, they struggle mightily up front without Giakoumakis on the pitch.

1 hour 45 mins to kick: It's not often you see a goalkeeper show up on the unavailable list due to suspension, but Atlanta United's starter Brad Guzan will not take part in this match due to his 60th minute red card in their weekend defeat to LAFC. Guzan 

That means a chance for backup Josh Cohen, who made headlines two years ago when he helped Israeli minnows Maccabi Haifa reach the Champions League group stage. Cohen actually faced Lionel Messi's PSG twice in that run, so he won't be star-struck by the moment while facing the Argentine legend. He performed well in the U.S. Open Cup two weeks ago, so if he does well here too, he could make a push for the full-time starting job with Guzan now 39 years old.

Read our profile of Josh Cohen from during that Champions League run by clicking here. Cohen's college coach claims he is the only Division II athlete to appear in a Champions League match — while that's not an officially verifiable claim, it's certainly not an unlikely one either.

2 hours to kickoff: Tata Martino's handling of Lionel Messi has often been cavalier, leading to injuries for the 36-year-old, but recently he's taken a much more pragmatic approach. The club has been cagey about his availability for each game, since his presence on the pitch — or absence thereof — forces teams to completely change the way they approach Inter Miami off the ball.

Over the weekend, Inter Miami were so muted about Messi's presence in the squad that it forced Vancouver to issue a club statement confirming that he, Suarez, and Busquets did not make the trip. A club confirming an opposition player would not be participating in a match is certainly a new one!

Inter Miami vs. Atlanta United pre-match stats, facts, figures

  • Lionel Messi has gone two straight starts without a goal contribution for the first time in his Inter Miami career. Still, the Herons have lost only one MLS league game when Messi starts, coming back in the final game of the 2023 regular season against Charlotte FC, a competitively meaningless game for Inter Miami.
  • Having conceded 20 goals through 15 matches this season, Inter Miami are on pace to concede 45 goals across the full 34 game season. That would nine fewer than they conceded in 2023, when they allowed the second-most goals in the Eastern Conference. It would also, however, be more than all but two of the top four teams in each conference allowed across 2023.
  • Georgios Giakoumakis is a menace when on the pitch; his five goals in 688 minutes this season give him a goal every 137.6 minutes, and he has a goal contribution every 86 minutes. Last season, Giakoumakis bagged a goal every 105.4 minutes in MLS regular season play. The problem is his availability — since joining Atlanta United, he has just eight full 90-minute showings in regular season play, having played just 53 percent of his team's regular season minutes.

Inter Miami vs. Atlanta United lineups, team news

While Inter Miami have largely moved past their injury crisis from earlier in the season, they suffered a big blow last time out as new defensive signing Nicolas Freire went down with an ACL tear in his right knee and will miss the remainder of the 2024 season. It's a massive setback for the side to lose a player whose addition has seen the club improve greatly at the back this year. He becomes the second Inter Miami player to suffer an ACL tear this year after Facundo Farias went down in preseason.

That elevates aging Serhiy Kryvtsov back into a starting role, and Ian Fray has returned to the pitch from his third career ACL tear just in time. Fray's return could push full-back Noah Allen back into a central position where he was trialed throughout preseason. Midfielder Benjamin Cremaschi is on the bench after being called into the U.S. U-23 camp to prepare for the Summer Olympics in Paris, soon to depart temporarily.

Federico Redondo could return from his knee injury for this match, and if not, Tata Martino "guarantees" the midfielder will be back for the following game against Atlanta United. Diego Gomez, however, will miss "a few more weeks" with his ankle injury, and was not at training yesterday.

Inter Miami starting lineup (4-3-3): Callender (GK) — Weigandt, Aviles, Kryvtsov, Alba — Gressel, Busquets, Redondo — Messi, Suarez, Taylor.

Inter Miami subs (9): Dos Santos (GK), Sailor, Allen, Negri, Cremaschi, D. Ruiz, Afonso, Rojas, Campana.

The two attacking stars for Atlanta United, Georgios Giakoumakis and Thiago Almada have both struggled with injuries of late. Giakoumakis suffered a concussion two weeks ago and has been missing since, while Almada is missing due to a calf injury.

The club has been cagey about their availability, so that will be one to watch in the run-up to the match. Almada is good to start and captains the side, but Giakoumakis only makes the bench amidst reports of a possible exit this summer, with former Le Havre striker Jamal Thiare stepping in up front. Defender Noah Cobb only makes the bench due to an ankle injury, with center-back Luis Abram sliding out wide left behind Caleb Wiley.

Goalkeeper Brad Guzan will be feeling the pressure after backup Josh Cohen kept a clean sheet against Charleston Battery in the U.S. Open Cup last week and then made a key save to win the penalty shootout. Cohen will get another chance here with Guzan suspended due to a straight red card last time out against LAFC.

Atlanta United starting lineup (4-2-3-1): Cohen (GK) — Lennon, Gregersen, D. Williams, Abram — McCarty, Muyumba — Saba, Almada, Wiley — Thiare.

Atlanta United subs (9): Westberg (GK), Cobb, Fortune, Hernandez, Morales, X. Silva, Mosquera, Rios, Giakoumakis.

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Kyle Bonn

Kyle Bonn Photo

Kyle Bonn, is a Syracuse University broadcast journalism graduate with over a decade of experience covering soccer globally. Kyle specializes in soccer tactics and betting, with a degree in data analytics. Kyle also does TV broadcasts for Wake Forest soccer, and has had previous stops with NBC Soccer and IMG College. When not covering the game, he has long enjoyed loyalty to the New York Giants, Yankees, and Fulham. Kyle enjoys playing racquetball and video games when not watching or covering sports.