Inter Miami climbed to the top of the Eastern Conference on Sunday night with a late 2–1 win over Atlanta United, the club that eliminated them from the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs.
Atlanta’s Emmanuel Latte Lath scored the match's opening goal in the 11th minute, heading his third goal in four games past Inter Miami’s Rocco Rios Novo, but it didn’t take long for the Herons to fight back.
After missing the team’s last two MLS matches, Lionel Messi bagged his first goal of the 2025 MLS season, making a deft steal as Atlanta tried to play out of the back before dribbling past defender Derrick Williams and chipping a shot over goalkeeper Brad Guzan, who had an otherwise outstanding six-save performance.
Atlanta looked to be holding strong until Fafá Picault scored a gentle header in the 89th minute, netting his first MLS goal with the club and sealing all three points in a brief appearance after entering in the 89th minute.






