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Atlanta United digs deep to shock Inter Miami: ‘This can be a good turning point’

The Five Stripes produced a huge performance for their under-fire head coach on Wednesday night, ending a nine-game winless streak with their first road win of the 2024 regular season – against Inter Miami CF, leader of the MLS, of all opponents, an emphatic 3-1 W punctuated by two magnificent long-distance explosions from Saba Lobjanidze.

“We are on the same page. So it’s very important for us and for the staff,” the Georgia international told reporters, after confirming that his celebration of his first goal effectively meant that his partner was pregnant with a little girl. “We were struggling. The staff, my teammates, the players, everyone was in difficulty these last few matches, you know. So if we win, we win together. If we lose, we lose together. So I’ve said it so many times, we just need one game like that and then the confidence and the mentality will be back, that’s for sure.

Even more striking, there was little bunkering or responsiveness from ATL. The visitors topped the expected goals category with a score of 3.4-0.7 and could have scored even more, with Miami looking slow and shaky defensively, especially in transition.

“Understanding that Messi and Suárez were going to be at the top, I always wanted to have a 3-on-2 against them,” Pineda explained. “Because I wanted to be protected in the middle of the field in transition moments, or when they were on the ball. We just blocked the middle, we didn’t allow Messi and Suárez to have much freedom there. But I think the players did well, both out of possession, in possession, but also in transition.

“We said it, their central defenders are good and especially the long balls and all that, but the ones who will hurt you are Busquets, Messi in the pockets… Dax and Tristan were exceptional in terms of communication, passing lanes and blocking their passes. .”

Lobjanidze said of the tactical adjustment: “It was perfect for this match.”