Messi and Inter Miami Left Stunned by Atlanta's Late Show in MLS Playoffs

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Guzan's heart sank as he made a critical error in his own penalty area, misjudging a routine clearance. Federico Redondo pounced on the loose ball, swiftly passing it to Martinez who calmly slotted it into the empty net, putting the opposing team ahead 1-0. Guzan could only stand frozen in horror as the mistake unfolded before him.

But Atlanta launched a furious second-half onslaught as they battled to save their season and were rewarded when Derrick Williams crashed in a header to equalize in the 58th minute.

An end-to-end game saw both teams create chances thereafter, and Georgia international Saba Lobjanidze almost hooked in a goal for Atlanta in the 89th minute only to see his shot tipped onto the woodwork by Miami goalkeeper Drake Callender.

The game looked poised to go to a penalty shoot-out when Atlanta launched a desperate last raid on the Miami goal, and when Aleksey Miranchuk found Silva, the Portuguese substitute made no mistake and buried a winner into the top corner.

"Words can't describe it, they're such a resilient group," Atlanta coach Rob Valentino said after the win.

"I said to the team before the game it's everybody together, it's not going to be one person. And then a substitute comes on and wins us the game."

New York level series

In other MLS playoff action on Saturday, New York City FC defeated FC Cincinnati 3-1 to force a decisive game three in their first-round series.

New York, needing a victory to keep their season alive, took the lead on 22 minutes after Costa Rica international Alonso Martinez worked a clever one-two with Mitja Ilenic before sweeping a low finish past Cincinnati goalkeeper Roman Celentano.

Brazilian defender Thiago Martins doubled New York's lead five minutes before half-time, heading in at the back post after a free-kick from wide on the right sowed confusion in the Cincinnati defence.

Third seeds Cincinnati hit back on 65 minutes with a superb individual goal from Argentine forward Luca Orellano, who nutmegged his marker before unleashing a thumping left foot shot into the top corner to make it 2-1.

Cincinnati pressed relentlessly for an equalizer in the closing stages, and Zimbabwe international Teenage Hadebe should have leveled in the 80th minute but blasted his close-range shot straight at New York goalkeeper Matt Freese.

In the closing minutes of stoppage time, New York made the game safe, with Uruguayan midfielder Santiago Rodriguez winning a penalty and scoring it himself with a cheeky chipped 'panenka' down the middle of the goal.

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Game three in the series will take place in Cincinnati next Saturday.

(This story has not been edited by staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)