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Fans on X (formerly Twitter) trolled Inter Miami, suggesting that the MLS side was far too dependent on Lionel Messi, as it lost 5-2 against Atlanta United in the Argentine ace's absence.
Messi was substituted against Ecuador due to fatigue in Argentina's World Cup qualifier during the international break. He was subsequently rested against Bolivia the following week.
The 36-year-old failed to recover in time for Inter Miami's MLS clash against Atlanta at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday, September 16. The Herons took the lead in the 25th minute via a Leonardo Campana goal.
However, the home team scored three goals in eight minutes before half-time to take a commanding lead through Tristan Muyumba (36'), Kamal Miller (41' OG), and Brooks Lennon (44').
Campana brought one back with a 53rd-minute penalty for Inter Miami but Giorgos Giakoumakis netted in the 76th minute for Atlanta. Tyler Wolff scored in the 89th minute to conclude the 5-2 dismantling of the Herons.
Fans trolled Inter Miami on X for their dismal performance. One fan wrote:
"No MESSI No Party."
Another wrote:
"Miami is a bad team which happens to now have the best player in the world. This game proved that."
Other reactions can be seen below:
"You need to delete your club.. What would you do when Messi retires."
This was a big blow for Tata Martino and company as they are still on a mission to qualify for the MLS playoffs. They are currently 14th in the MLS Eastern Conference with 28 points, seven points away from ninth place.
The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner is expected to return for the team's next fixture against Toronto on September 20.
Atlanta United vs Inter Miami: Exploring the stats from MLS clash as Lionel Messi misses out
Inter Miami did not have a Plan B without Lionel Messi as they were thrashed 5-2 by Atlanta United in the MLS clash on Saturday. Let's take a look at the stats to see how both teams performed.
The Herons surprisingly had more possession with 52% of the ball. They also completed 515 passes with an accuracy of 84%. This was substantially higher than Atlanta, who had 48% of the ball and completed 485 passes (85% accuracy).
But Atlanta made the most out of their possession and were more prolific, landing a total of 16 shots, with six of them on target. On the other hand, Tata Martino's men had 10 shots but only three were on target.
