Ex-West Ham star stuns Lionel Messi but unique playoff rules save Inter Miami from MLS Cup exit

11/03/2024 06:58 AM

Lionel Messi could be forgiven for feeling a little confused on Saturday night as Atlanta United took Inter Miami to Game 3 in their playoff tie.

Yes, you read that right, Game 3 in a playoff.

It might be strange to a European audience but in the America, Round One of the MLS Cup is played to best of three.

No games are tied either with a draw being settled by a penalty shootout.

When Atlanta United scored a late winner against The Herons on Saturday night it made it 1-1 in the series after Miami’s 2-1 win a week earlier.

Now the Round One series will go to a third game that will take place at 01:00am (GMT) on Sunday, November 10 to decide the victor.

Messi will no doubt be frustrated as he could have sealed a victory for Miami but a potential game-sealer was ruled out for a clear offside.

Then, with a minute to go, former West Ham and Nottingham Forest star Xande Silva crashed home an injury time winner for Atlanta after teammate Derrick Williams had cancelled out a David Martinez opener.

“We’ve been the so-called underdogs every week,” said Atlanta goalscorer Williams. “We’re in fight-or-flight mode, and we’re definitely fighting.”

Inter Miami boss Tata Martino though, didn’t seem too unhappy, despite seeing his side forced to a deciding Game 3.

“I am very satisfied with what they did beyond the fact that we are very frustrated with the final result and we have to try to do the same in the third game,” he said.

“It seems to me that we did a lot of good work to be able to win the game. Even in the last 10 minutes we decided to go after them with four attackers.

“We were optimistic even going to penalties because of the very good performers who would have remained on the field if we had finished 1-1. Beyond that the search was to try to win it in the 90 minutes.”

And Martino is confident his team can handle the pressure of a decisive Game 3.

“There is a lot of hierarchy in the team with many players who have gone through much more difficult situations than this, and we also have a way of playing that we have never changed,” he said.

Atlanta hero Silva played just two times for West Ham after signing in 2018 from Vitória Guimarães.

He made one substitute appearance against Burnley in the Premier League and started against Birmingham City in the FA Cup third round but

He left on load to Aris for the 2020/21 season and then signed for Nottingham Forest.

Silva only managed eight Championship games and two in the FA Cup before leaving for Dijon in France in 2022.

Now, though, he’s a hero for Atlanta in MLS with his stunning goal to keep them alive in the playoffs.