September 18, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Inter Miami CF midfielder Benjamin Cremaschi (30) and Atlanta United defender Brooks Lennon (11) battle for the ball during the first half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Photo Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images Alexey Miranchuk equalized with an exceptional shot from outside the box in the 84th minute and Atlanta United twice fought back from behind to earn a 2-2 draw with Lionel Messi and visiting Inter Miami on Wednesday night.
The first MLS goal for Miranchuk, who joined from Italian club Atalanta in the summer, helped Atlanta (8-13-8, 32 points) end Miami’s five-game winning streak, but the hosts remained 11th in the East at the end of the night, although they could have climbed to ninth with a win over the playoff line.
Saba Lobjanidze also scored his seventh goal of the season, making him the team’s top scorer, ending a four-game streak in which none of his team’s top three scorers were able to score.
Leonardo Campana scored his sixth goal of the season and David Ruiz added his first for Miami (19-4-6, 63 points). The team began the game with Messi and the team’s leading scorer, Luis Suarez, on the bench. It was the first of two away games in 72 hours.
Both men came on after half-time but could not decide the game for the Herons, who still hold a comfortable lead in the Supporters’ Shield and the Conference table.
Drake Callender stopped three shots, all in the second half, to help the Herons hold on to a share of the points.
Suarez almost scored another goal shortly after entering the game, but his follow-up attempt after a Brad Guzan save was somehow blocked on the goal line in the 83rd minute.
Just a few minutes later, Miranchuk had his first big moment in the Atlanta jersey.
After taking the throw-in and finding Brooks Lennon, his teammate returned the pass in the area behind the right corner of the box. Miranchuk received the ball and fired it with his left foot, which spun around Callender’s jump and found the top left corner, making the score 2-2.
Lobjanidze equalized to make it 1-1 in the 56th minute on one of Atlanta’s first forays of the second half, rising high to reach Pedro Amador’s early cross from the left and heading it low between Callender’s legs.
That lead lasted just three minutes, however, before Campana equalized with a free kick. Fortunately, the kick deflected off Atlanta’s Dax McCarty and wrong-footed Guzan on its way across the goal line.
Ruiz opened the scoring in the 29th minute.
–Field level media
