By Nick Lee, Bleacher Brothers Staff Writer & Inter Miami Correspondent
Goals from returning captain Lionel Messi and journeyman Fafa Picault would lift Inter over hosts Atlanta in an end-to-end affair which ended with twenty-six total shots. Miami climbed the table into first place in the MLS Eastern Conference with ten points (three wins, one draw) from their first four matches.
Coach Javier Mascherano once again used a 4-4-2 with captain Lionel Messi starting up top with Luis Suarez. Third string goalkeeper Rocco Rios Novo started the game after the suspension of number one goalie Oscar Ustari and the injury to backup Drake Callendar left coach Mascherano no choice. Calendar was healthy enough to make the bench as an emergency option.
Atlanta United started the match well, with central attacking midfielder Miguel Almiron dictating much of the play through the midfield. Atlanta would score first after good pressure turned the ball over from Miami. Their high press of Inter’s backline and midfield would be a theme throughout the game.
Ivory Coast striker Emmanuel Latte Lathe, the record MLS signing from Middlesborough, scored after a brilliant cross from Atlanta’s right back Brooks Lennon. The ball from the right was curled in over central defender Falcon, who failed to pick up the attacker drifting behind him. Latte Lath rose high above the ground, leaping to head powerfully past keeper Rios Novo in the 11th minute.
In the 19th minute, Latte Lath almost doubled the lead with another headed goal, only for the play to be called back moments later for offside.
One minute later, Miami would take advantage of the disallowed goal to tie the game, catching Atlanta trying to play out of the back with a well-organized team press. Messi pounced, winning the ball in the center of the pitch directly outside the penalty box, then dribbling around the final defender and chipping beautifully over veteran American goalie Brad Guzan.
Messi almost scored again just before halftime, only for Guzan to save his shot headed into the top right corner. He would also take a free kick from the top of the box, but his shot was tame and easily saved.
In the second half, both teams had an opportunity to take the lead, with Jordi Alba hitting the side netting with a volley, and Latte Lathe had the ball on the penalty spot but failed to hit a decent shot. Miami turned up the pressure in the 55thminute, with Messi and Suarez combining to create a good chance saved by Guzan. Rios Novo would produce his own fine save minutes later, and Atlanta would rattle the crossbar with a long-range bomb from midfielder Tristan Muyumba. Chances would continue on either end, with Guzan producing a number of strong saves against both Messi and Allende.
Returning from injury, Mascherano would substitute in Fafa Picault for Tadeo Allende, and the change would pay off – Picault would break the deadlock in the 89th minute. Messi hit a short corner to Jordi Alba, who crossed to the far post where Picault would hit a soft but accurate header back across the goal. Keeper Guzan dove and was close to saving, but withdrew his hand as he was distracted by his own defender, and ultimately the ball would sneak into the bottom corner untouched.
Haitian national team midfielder Picault, who grew up in Miami, is a journeyman who has been in the US playing professionally since 2012, having played for eight different USL and MLS clubs in his career, joining Inter from Vancouver Whitecaps this past offseason. He played his youth career at Cagliari in Italy, and represented the US national team twice before switching allegiances to Haiti, where his grandfather played as well.
Speaking after the match, Fafa spoke of his history playing basketball as a youth, which helped him develop his aerial abilities despite only being 5’8” tall.
All competitions pause for the International Break for two weeks, with Inter resuming play on Saturday March 29th at 7:30PM, hosting Philadelphia Union at Chase Stadium.
CONCACAF Champions Cup play resumes on April Fool’s Day, 4/1, as Inter travel to Los Angeles to face LAFC in the first leg of the Quarterfinals. Kickoff time is TBD.
As a dedicated Inter Miami correspondent, Nick Lee also covers the MLS, the Premier League and Serie A for Bleacher Brothers. He is the host of their new podcast, Welcome to Miami: The Inter Show, which airs live every Tuesday at 6PM and is available on YouTube, X, Facebook and Twitch.