Inter Messi vs Atlanta United Chase Stadium, Fort Lauderdale Saturday, Oct. 11, 7:30 PM Apple TV MLSsoccer.com preview here. AJC.com United coverage. AUFC home page. Fighting Beckhams home page. Player Availability Reports Injury absences listed here. Maxi Falcone is out for Miami, as if that would ever matter. Recent Form Atlanta (5-12-15) LAFC 1-0 ATL NER 2-0 ATL ATL 1-1 SDFC Messi & Co. (17-8-7) IMFC 4-1 NER IMFC 3-5 CHI TFC 1-1 IMFC ~ Hang in there, folks: Just two more weeks left to endure before boxing up your fandom for the winter! Despite a surprising couple matches there that cost them the Supporters' Shield, Team Messi remains a favorite to hoist MLS Cup at the end of the season. Given their roster it's no wonder their usual strategy comes from Tony Stark: "I have a plan. Attack." The result is 6 goals more than anyone else in the league plus a game in hand. (Against Atlanta and their Swiss Cheese defense, no less!) So they'll throw caution to the wind and trust that over 90 minutes Messi and his mystique will produce enough goal chances to overwhelm their opponent. Messi alone has as many shots on target as Atlanta's top three attackers combined. "But Atlanta beat Miami multiple times to close out 2024! With SABA playing a critical role!" Yes, and now Saba enters matchday 33 with 0 goals scored compared to 9 last season. He's not what he was, and neither is Atlanta's defense, the best thing about which you can say is that at least 4 other teams across the league are worse. And yet, Atlanta can still very well end up with the Wooden Spoon. Maybe Atlanta replicates last week's magical defensive display for a full match this week, or sneaks in a gut punch goal while Miami rests players ahead of the post-season. Either way, enjoy what should be a nice fall weekend. Cheers, kids!
Nope still here. Listening on radio while watching Auburn vs Georgia. Kind of want us to play a cynical game...like wrestling heel level dirty tricks. faking injuries, distracting the ref while one of your teammates hits one of their players with a folding chair.
Sorry I'm late kids. Been a good day so I went to pick up some pizza and booze. For those interested, I give Tron: Ares 3 out of 5 stars. Plot is obvious but it's fun popcorn fare and worth the 3D price.
Novel lineup for Atlanta tonight, in part due to various international call ups. Lath AND Thiare in the attack Muyumba, Alzate, and Sanchez in the midfield Chong Qui, Amador, Gregersen, Berrocal, and Afonso in the back Hibbert between the pipes As I type this, Stian is pulling up lame and subbing out. 16' sees Mazzaferro(?) make his MLS debut. Against Messi.
21' and Hibbert with a great save off Messi! Leo fed over the top as he runs into the box. Took too long for him to settle as Hibbert closes the space.
32' sees Hibbert save on another close Messi shot. Rocco Rios Novo, who had a loan spell at Atlanta, starting in goal for the Fighting Beckhams.
38' 1-0 Muyumba loses the ball in the defensive third, two passes later Messi is perfectly positioned for his classic left foot just outside the box. Commentator had mentioned multiple times how Atlanta was coughing the ball up almost every time they tried to build through the middle, and that's exactly what cost them the goal.
Rios was the one that was good but really short, correct? Aside, scarves and spikes podcast interviewed Matt Doyle, and he convinced me Deila has to go. I was in the camp of maybe he needs time and roster overhaul to see his vision out.
Radio guy keeps saying we're playing with only 3 first choice players, but to be honest I don't know that would make much difference.
Not sure I recall him being truly good, but he was enthusiastic and is relatively short for a keeper. 5'11" My only hesitations with this approach are a) who is available that's definitively better and b) how would such a move impact decisions about the roster. ie: I wouldn't trust this same roster to do better if they had Pep Guardiola or Tata Martino at the helm.
69' sees Afonso go down. Cayman Togashi in for him, so a change in formation. Granted, it's just a free-for-all scrimmage at this point.
78' and Lath gets an arm to the face, yet no card issued. Apart from that, the effort level implies the players have switched over to "don't hurt yourself" mode.
FT: 4-0 Yeah, a score indicative of the rosters available for each side. 2025 coming to an end soon thankfully. Hibbert played well, Thiare and Lath can't play (effectively) at the same time, and considering Atlanta had only a few of their First XI available, it's about what you'd expect.
Also, isn't strange that they are no provisions for playing games during international windows. I think you should have free callups (not counting against the 4-day maximum) to play your reserve roster during an international window.
This was a make up from when the match was scheduled in the summer. Miami advanced in the FIFA Club thing, so it got deferred.