Inter Miami, Lionel Messi suffer stunning playoff exit to Atlanta - ESPN

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Inter Miami suffered a stunning first-round elimination from the 2024 Major League Soccer playoffs after falling 3-2 against Atlanta United in Game 3 at Chase Stadium on Saturday night.

Lionel Messi looked to have rescued Miami when scoring a second-half equalizer but Bartosz Slisz won the game and the series for Atlanta with a controversial 76th minute header.

The goal was scored while Miami defender Tomás Avilés was down hurt in his own penalty area, with his teammates appealing for the referee to stop the game to allow him to receive treatment.

Messi twice had chances to level the scores once more with free-kicks but on both occasions hit his efforts into the wall as Miami fell victim to arguably the biggest upset in MLS playoff history.

Led by the Argentina star, Miami entered the postseason as the No. 1 seed after setting the MLS record for most points recorded in a single season to claim its first Supporters' Shield. But it fell short by two games to one against an Atlanta side that finished ninth in the Eastern Conference, 34 points behind Miami, and only qualified for the postseason with a final-day win to clinch a wild-card spot.

The Herons initially defeated Atlanta in the first game at home in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, before going on to lose the second match at Mercedes-Benz Stadium to tie the series and force a decisive third game.

And the team again struggled against the Five Stripes Saturday. Though Matías Rojas gave Miami the lead in the 17th minute, Jamal Thiare quickly found the equalizer just minutes later. Atlanta United then doubled the score within seconds with a second strike from Thiare.

Miami, which amassed 79 goals in 34 regular-season games — including 20 each from Messi