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It was a nightmare for Inter Miami.

Bartosz Slisz had simply fired Atlanta United forward within the decisive match of their first-round playoff sequence final season. Strive as Lionel Messi and Inter Miami may, they couldn’t equalize and had been pressured to observe because the clock ticked in direction of 90 minutes. Their record-breaking common season had shortly was a distinct form of record-breaking postseason: the 34-point hole between Miami and Atlanta on the finish of the 34-game schedule made it the .

Inter Miami’s first full yr with Messi had . And for Messi and his longtime Barcelona teammates? Nicely, failure doesn’t have a tendency to sit down properly. That’s why so many had Sunday night time’s conflict between Inter Miami and Atlanta United circled in crimson on the calendar.

Regardless of a sluggish begin that emphasised a few of Miami’s defensive frailties on an early concession, Messi put his stamp on a 2-1 win later within the first half. Upon seeing none aside from Slisz on the ball, the Argentinian sprinted to shut down the midfielder (a uncommon sight for Messi nowadays) earlier than selecting his pocket, and, properly, see for your self:

There was no want for a reminder, however Messi gave Atlanta United one anyway: he doesn’t prefer to lose. By way of eight video games throughout all competitions to this point in 2025, Inter Miami nonetheless haven’t misplaced – and Messi has solely simply began scoring in league play. Their revenge tour has begun. JL

No masking Luna’s expertise

In Actual Salt Lake’s win over Houston, the masks lastly got here off.

The masks in query, after all, was Diego Luna’s – the Actual Salt Lake midfielder wanted to put on it for the primary few video games of the season after breaking his nostril within the US males’s nationwide staff’s January win over Costa Rica. Regardless of the damage, the masks carried constructive connotations – it was a visible reminder of the impression Luna made on USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino by enjoying on and with a damaged nostril.

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That efficiency was certainly one of many causes Luna will be a part of the complete senior staff in Los Angeles this week for the Concacaf Nations League finals. His play on Saturday was consultant of one other: Luna is without doubt one of the greatest younger attacking gamers in MLS.

Together with his nostril healed sufficient to make the protecting masks pointless, Luna showcased why so many imagine he may very well be an essential a part of the nationwide staff’s evolution. He was irrepressible towards the Houston Dynamo, scoring the winner by first scrapping for the ball on the byline after which firing a bullet header into the again of the web from a cross. It was Luna’s play for the primary RSL aim, nevertheless, that ought to have USMNT followers most excited – a sign that he may very well be the No 10 they’ve been ready for.

Trapped out by the touchline, Luna first wriggled by way of two Houston gamers. He then continued his run into the half-space and slotted by way of a line-breaking cross for Emeka Eneli to sq. to Diogo Gonçalves for the straightforward end. It was a second that highlighted how Luna is flourishing in all areas of his sport, having been hyped for years.

Pochettino could resist the temptation to throw Luna into his beginning lineup for Thursday’s Nations League semi-final towards Panama, however the 21-year-old might nonetheless be a key determine. Below Gregg Berhalter, the USMNT ceaselessly struggled to interrupt down low defensive blocks. Panama might set as much as exacerbate this weak point. Luna may very well be the answer, with or with out the masks. GR

Whitecaps, standing tall

The perfect staff in america’ high division of males’s soccer could be Canadian. Within the present political local weather, some could need to whisper this quietly, others could need to shout it out loud, however of the 30 groups in MLS, it’s the Vancouver Whitecaps who’ve made probably the most spectacular begin in continental and home play.

There is a component of shock to this given there may be uncertainty off the sphere, because the Whitecaps possession group is within the strategy of promoting the membership, and a few disruption on the sphere because the staff have missed key participant Ryan Gauld by way of damage for the previous two video games. Additionally they have a brand new head coach, Jesper Sørensen, and a sequence of ups and downs would usually be anticipated as gamers get used to new strategies and tweaked ways. The Whitecaps have skipped all that, and have gotten straight to successful.

Vancouver achieved a historic Concacaf Champions Cup victory on away objectives towards Liga MX large Monterrey final week, making the Whitecaps one in every of solely three MLS groups to beat Mexican opposition at that stage. After Saturday’s 1-0 win over FC Dallas, they stand as the one staff within the league with an ideal file.

A run within the Concacaf Champions Cup is meant to hinder early-season MLS kind, however the Whitecaps’ metrics in each assault and protection are among the many greatest within the league. The defensive parts had been on present this weekend as Sørensen’s staff didn’t permit FC Dallas to muster a single shot on track by way of 90 minutes.

The Whitecaps are unbeaten in seven video games throughout the 2 competitions which have kicked off the brand new season, whereas 19 gamers have seen over 100 minutes of sport time already because the Danish coach rotates his squad to nice impact.

There’s a protracted season forward, and an enormous quarter-final tie towards Pumas UNAM to come back within the Champions Cup subsequent month, however such a powerful begin is value shouting about. JN