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Xande Silva scored with about a minute to go in stoppage time shortly after a goal by Lionel Messi was waved off for a clear offside, giving ninth-seeded Atlanta United a 2-1 victory over Inter Miami on Saturday night to level the best-of-three first-round MLS playoff series at one game apiece.
Silva blasted a right-footed shot into the top left corner to beat goalkeeper Drake Callender in the 94th minute. The Atlanta player celebrated by ripping off his shirt and dancing in front of the supporters section at Mercedes-Benz Stadium while the announced crowd of 68,455 roared in celebration.
Messi had plenty of good scoring chances but only found the back of the net with the flag raised for offside. Atlanta United took off the other way for Silva’s game winner.
United rallied from a 1-0 halftime deficit, the result of a huge error by keeper Brad Guzan, to force a decisive game next Saturday in South Florida. Atlanta has a chance to pull off a major upset, having finished a whopping 34 points behind Messi’s star-studded squad, which won the MLS Supporters’ Shield and broke the all-time points record.
Derrick Williams tied the game in the 58th minute after a corner kick was turned away by the Herons. Pedro Amador sent a cross back into the box from long range and Williams dove to get a head on it, skipping it past Callender.
Guzan’s blunder handed Miami the opening goal in the 40th minute.
After easily grabbing a cross into the box, Guzan went to boot the ball away — only to stumble and loose control with Miami’s Federico Redondo running along beside him. Redondo sent the free ball to David Martínez, who casually flicked it over four United defenders into the unguarded goal while Guzan looked on helplessly.
The 40-year-old keeper claimed he was interfered with by Redondo, but the replay clearly showed Guzan tripped himself up.
Messi misfired on at least three shots, going wide a couple of times before blasting one over the net in the 83rd with Miami pressing for the go-ahead goal. He walked away rubbing his beard, clearly frustrated at his lack of accuracy.
In the 89th, United missed a chance to grab the lead when Saba Lobjanidze rocketed one off the crossbar. Bartosz Slisz collected the ricochet, but fired it over the net.
Silva made sure it didn’t matter.
Miami won the opening game of the series 2-1 at home.
The winner of Game 3 will advance to the conference semifinals, facing the team that emerges from the Orlando-Charlotte series. Those teams are also tied 1-1.
Information from The Associated Press contributed to this report.