Jordi Alba scored on an exceptional strike from nearly 30 yards out early in the second half to lift Inter Miami to a 2-1 victory over Atlanta United in Game 1 of their MLS Eastern Conference quarterfinal playoff series at Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Lionel Messi picked up an assist on the 60th-minute play, though Alba deserved the overwhelming majority of credit for an effort that beat goalkeeper Brad Guzan to the top right corner.
Alba also assisted Luis Suarez’s opener in the second minute for top-seeded Miami, which can seal the best-of-three series by winning Game 2 in Atlanta on Nov. 2.
Saba Lobjanidze leveled the match late in the first half for ninth-seeded Atlanta, which was playing its third away match in seven days. Atlanta United defeated Orlando City 2-1 on October to move above D.C. United and the Philadelphia Union to secure a playoff spot, and then won on penalties following a 2-2 draw at CF Montreal in the East wild-card match on Tuesday.
Guzan made nine saves to frustrate Miami in general and Messi in particular, keeping Atlanta within striking distance on a night when the hosts had the overwhelming majority of the chances.
Atlanta also saw defenders Brooks Lennon and Stian Gregersen depart with first-half injuries after each scored from a header in Atlanta’s wild-card triumph.
Suarez opened the scoring, hammering a low finish through Guzan from close range after an excellent combination between Alba and Diego Gomez played him into shooting position.
The one-way traffic toward Guzan’s goal continued through much of the opening half-hour, and interim Atlanta head coach Rob Valentino was forced into two changes with Lennon’s and Gregerson’s ailments.
Lobjanidze leveled against the run of play in the 39th minute on one of the visitors’ few surges forward. He ran onto Pedro Amador’s diagonal entry pass and then drove his finish across goalie Drake Callender’s body and inside the far right post.
Miami returned to the front foot for the start of the second half, but the decisive goal came from one of its less-dangerous-looking attacks.
With Atlanta dropping numbers deep into its own penalty area, Messi laid a ball to his left for Alba well above the penalty arc.
Alba let fly with an emphatic left foot for his first goal in any competition since July 20.
(Reuters)