November 3 – Two weeks ago Lionel Messi was told by FIFA president Gianni Infantino he was one of the best teams in the world, and awarded Inter Miami a slot at the Club World Cup.
Inter Miami need to justify the billing that FIFA has given them via a wild card slot in the 2025 Club World Cup. As yet Inter Miami, only in their fourth season, have not won an MLS title though they did finish top of the regular season standings.
But in the US it is the play-offs that matter, and Inter Miami didn’t make the play-offs last season. If they fail to win the MLS Cup they will increasingly look like a marketing gimmick. It is a club built around a fantastic player but who looks to be more use to FIFA and its Club World Cup for his commercial pulling power, than his deeds on the field.
This weekend Messi had plenty of opportunities to win the last 16 play-off ‘series’ against Atlanta United and head into the quarter finals, but he missed them. Inter Miami lost 2-1, having won the first leg 2-1, and so now go to a final play-off in Miami next weekend.
At first it looked like everything was going to plan. A mistake by Brad Guzan in Atlanta’s goal, gifted Inter Miami a first half lead with through David Martinez. Atlanta equalised in the second half with a Derrick Williams header, before Xande Silva scored with a minute to go in added time after a goal by Messi at the other end was ruled offside.
While, in other leagues, with the scores tied over two legs you would expect to go to extra time and penalties, or for the tie to be settled by away goals, the MLS’s play-off system means a third game is triggered when the two teams win a game each, with a best-of-three series played.
Even a draw in Atlanta would have meant a third match would still be needed as Atlanta would still be able to match Inter Miami’s record of one win.
Inter Miami will be at home for the final leg as they won the Supporters’ Shield – the gong that Infantino was so excited about that qualified them, in Infantino’s eyes, for the Club World Cup.
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