How Atlanta United Pulled Off Historic Upset to Eliminate Inter Miami From MLS Cup Playoffs

Atlanta United sent shockwaves through the soccer world as they defeated Inter Miami CF in a David versus Goliath match that sent them past the historical Supporters’ Shield winners into the Semifinal Round of the MLS MLS Playoffs, but there were plenty of signs leading up to the moment. Like an earthquake in reverse, the aftershocks were aplenty during the first round of the postseason.

Expanding the playoffs and removing the bye-rule from previous postseasons, left the highest seeded clubs at risk for upsets. And like dominoes, one by one, it seemed inevitable they would.

In the Western Conference, LAFC nearly dropped to the Vancouver Whitecaps before narrowly escaping with a 1-0 win in Game 3. In the East, the first deep fissure underfoot cracked open when the No. 2 seed Columbus Crew SC, dropped two consecutive matches to the underdog NY Red Bulls, eliminating the 2023 MLS Cup Champions from further competition in an unceremonious manner, with the new playoffs format dictating the removal of extra time.

Next came the fall of the No. 3 seed FC Cincinnati to the sixth placed New York City FC in penalties at TQL Stadium, just before the most anticipated match of the playoffs kicked off and Messi’s Inter Miami faced potential elimination No. 9 Atlanta United.

Atlanta’s Unlikely Path to MLS History

The little engine that could, known as Atlanta United, had been slowly gaining momentum throughout the final matches of the regular season, culminating in a a do-or-die moment on Decision Day at Orlando. Mathematically doubtful, having their future partly determined by how other teams would perform, did not matter.

All Atlanta knew then was that they had to win. Heading into Decision Day, they were in 12th place in their conference and their fate was not in their own hands even if they won. Atlanta United’s probability of making the playoffs prior to the opening whistle on Decision Day was approximately 10 percent. So they did the only logical thing. Play with all their heart and leave everything out there on the pitch.

“The mentality is to focus only on the task at hand, which is to win,” interim head coach Rob Valentino said. “We’re not going to focus on anything else other than our game…Just keep showing up, keep doing your work, staying resilient, stay persistent and things went our way.”

Ultimately, the freedom that Atlanta had entering into the jaws of the hottest MLS Team in the history of the league, was that there was no expectation at all. The weight on Lionel Messi and his partners showed with every passing minute of Game 3. They played their game, their passing perfections with a rigor and depth of intelligence that fans of the game have been blessed to see all through the 2024 season. But it simply did not matter. They had left the door open for the grittier Atlanta United to walk into their fate and win.

Veritable Veteran, Brad Guzan

The power that former USMNT goalkeeper Brad Guzan has displayed through the postseason is beyond reproach. Beyond that, there has been his self-restraint. In a heated crescendo of their final test against Miami, Guzan was shoved into his own net after Messi’s lone goal in the postseason, as the hosts’ equalized and went into a frenzy. When Luis Suarez misguidedly rushed over to Guzan to further instigate drama amidst the chaos, Guzan stood his ground without further causing the potential for a red card.

After the dust settled, Atlanta settled back in and continued forth on their journey. Bartosz Slisz recorded his first MLS Cup Playoffs goal within ten minutes and Atlanta, the 404 Boys, did what they do best, band together as a team to defend their lead. Ultimately, Guzan and his comrades, who had built their belief in each other into a wall defending their net, won what is now the most epic upset in the history of the MLS Cup Playoffs.

From being 34-points apart in the regular season, a mere blip on Miami’s radar, to the slayer of a machine-like assault in the most important match of Miami’s year.

Centerback Derrick Williams, also the architect of the Game 2 win that forced Miami’s hand into an elimination game, spoke about Guzan ahead of the series. “You should see the stuff he does behind closed doors. He’s constantly talking, constantly encouraging, shouting, massive,” Williams declared.

Guzan, who stopped eight shots in Game 1 of their series against Miami, came close to that with seven saves in Game 3, but it’s old hat for the seasoned goalkeeper, who is the only member of the roster to have a taste of what it felt like to win the MLS Cup in 2018. He maintains that grit. In the regular season, Guzan ranked seventh in MLS in total saves with 113.

Rather than toot his own horn though, the former English Premier League keeper chose to spend most of his time applauding the efforts of Jamal Thiare, who scored the brace that ruffled the Herons feathers. “Aside from his two goals, I thought Jamal was fantastic in terms of his work rate and defensive ability and holding the ball for us,” said Guzan. “I mean, those are huge plays that he gets zero credit for on the stat sheet and the numbers and all that. But those are big, big plays for us.”

The team effort of Atlanta United’s playoffs run has been at the heart of their ability to rise beyond expectations and limitations. While Miami relied on the sheer firepower of their dynamic duo of Messi and Suarez, Atlanta had unlikely heroes in Saba Lobjanidze, Derrick Williams, Jamal Thiaré, Xande Silva and journeyman Dax McCarty, who is on the brink of retirement.

Their mentality without self-limiting beliefs is what should be the highlight of this post-season, not the seemingly sour exit of Inter Miami from what most say was their right to win the MLS Cup. In MLS, where parity rules above all else, anything can and often does happen.

“It’s not going to be just Brad Guzan. It’s not going to be Johnny Fortune or Luis Abram or whoever else might show up next week to be a key contributor. So this is a team effort, and that’s what we’ve been preaching. And it’s the way I was raised, that teams win it, not individuals,” Valentino said.

As though written in the stars, Atlanta will face the same opponent they beat against the odds on Decision Day, Orlando City SC in the upcoming semifinal round.