FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Inter Miami suffered a stunning first-round elimination from the 2024 Major League Soccer playoffs after falling 3-2 against Atlanta United in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference series at Chase Stadium on Saturday night.
Lionel Messi looked to have rescued Miami after scoring a second-half headed equalizer, but Bartosz Slisz won the game and the series for Atlanta with a 76th-minute header.
The goal was scored while Miami defender Tomás Avilés was down on the field in his penalty area, with his teammates appealing for the referee to stop the game to allow him to receive treatment.
Messi twice had chances to level the score with free kicks, but on both occasions his efforts were blocked by the Atlanta wall as Miami fell victim to arguably the biggest upset in MLS playoff history.
Led by the Argentina star, Miami entered the postseason as the No. 1 seed after…
