Player Impressions: ATLUTD 1-3 Inter Miami

Hoyos made several important saves in the first half, including a strong stop on Messi's free kick near the corner of the box. He did well to keep Atlanta in the match, but there was little he could do when Miami broke through just before halftime. The second half was considerably worse. Messi beat him twice, including a shot that went between his legs. Hoyos needed more help from his defenders, and Miami made the most of its opportunities.

Jacob was more restrained about getting forward in the first half, taking additional time to pick out his targets before delivering crosses. That patience helped his distribution, and he combined well with Amaro along the right. He picked up a yellow card for a hard challenge on Berterame.

His second half was much less convincing. Miami repeatedly found ways through Atlanta's defense, and Jacob struggled to contain the attacks.

Alonso's primary responsibility was organizing Atlanta's defense, and for much of the first half, he did that well. The back line maintained its shape and limited Miami's opportunities. Unfortunately, the defense lost concentration just before halftime, leaving Berterame unmarked for the opening goal. Alonso became more involved after the break, including several interceptions and an important challenge on Messi. However, he was unable to prevent Miami from repeatedly breaking through.

Díaz was one of Atlanta's better defenders in the opening half. He anticipated Miami's passes, stepped in to intercept several attacks, and made an excellent read to beat Messi to a dangerous ball in the box.

His second half was a nightmare. Messi went through him on the second goal, and Miami continued finding opportunities around Atlanta's defense. Díaz did make a couple of important interventions later, including breaking up a dangerous pass toward Berterame.

Báez was impressive in the first half. He played physically, challenged Miami's attackers, and wasn't afraid to confront Messi. His determination helped Atlanta maintain its defensive shape while also contributing to attacks down the left. Miami adjusted after halftime, and Báez became almost invisible. He wasn't nearly as effective at disrupting possession or getting involved going forward.

Amaro did much of the less glamorous work in midfield, positioning himself to interrupt Miami's attacks and prevent passes through the center. His early intervention on Suárez's cross was particularly important. He also showed some good footwork in possession and became more accurate with his passing and shooting as the match progressed.

When Miami took control in the second half, Amaro continued trying to break up attacks. There was only so much he could accomplish without more help from the players around him.

Galoppo spent much of the first half positioning himself between Miami players, looking to cut off passing lanes. It was an effective defensive approach, although it also meant he saw relatively little of the ball. His contribution became even more limited after halftime as Miami took control of the midfield. They effectively sidelined him.

Muyumba was arguably Atlanta's most impressive player in the first half. He was everywhere, intercepting passes, challenging Miami's midfielders, and pushing forward whenever an opportunity appeared. He even attempted an ambitious bicycle kick after Jacob's cross. His confidence was obvious, and he seemed to be enjoying himself. Miami neutralized much of that influence after halftime.

Almirón spent more time defending than attacking in the first half, but he still looked dangerous whenever Atlanta broke forward. Unfortunately, his decision-making in the final third continued to let him down. He wasted a good opportunity after Miranchuk found him open in the box. He took too long to control the ball before shooting high and wide. Later, he failed to find an open Embolo during a promising counterattack. Another attack ended when his attempted pass to Jacob was intercepted. Almirón worked hard throughout his appearance, but his poor passing cost Atlanta at least two excellent opportunities.

Miranchuk was one of Atlanta's hardest-working players thoughout the match. He repeatedly dropped deeper to collect possession, pressed Miami's defenders into mistakes, and combined effectively with Jacob and Amaro on the right. His turn to escape Galarza in the first half was particularly impressive. He continued looking for opportunities after halftime, including a beautiful pass that put Almirón into a dangerous position. Unfortunately, his teammates weren't consistently providing options, and several promising attacks broke down. Miranchuk kept trying to create something, even as the rest of Atlanta's attack struggled.

Embolo looked more comfortable when he moved away from the traditional striker position. His hold-up play was excellent at times, particularly when he dropped deeper to receive passes and worked his way into crossing positions. He also showed good defensive awareness, stripping Messi of possession after a dangerous free kick.

Embolo wasn't particularly effective as a goalscoring threat, finishing with only two shots, but his movement and ability to retain possession helped Atlanta's attack. His best contribution late in the match came when he controlled the ball under pressure and found Picault, who was brought down for Atlanta's penalty.

Sanchez entered in the 80th minute, long after Miami had established control. He did well to stay in front of a tiring Messi and block an attempted attack, but otherwise had little opportunity to influence the match. With Atlanta already trailing by three goals, there wasn't much time for him to make a difference.

Alzate replaced Muyumba in the 61st minute, but his introduction had little impact. Miami continued controlling possession and finding opportunities through the midfield. Alzate struggled to establish himself or provide the defensive stability Atlanta desperately needed. This showed no improvement over Muyumba in midfield.

Picault provided some of the attacking energy Atlanta had been missing. He worked to move possession into the final third and was more effective than Almirón had been in creating opportunities. His movement into the box drew the foul that gave Atlanta its penalty, which he converted despite St. Clair getting a hand to the shot.

There was also a moment in stoppage time when Tata became visibly frustrated with Picault's lack of pressure on the ball. Still, his overall contribution was positive, and his introduction should have come much earlier.

Edwards made an immediate impression after replacing Báez on the left. He pushed forward, looked for opportunities, and nearly scored with a shot that beat St. Clair before striking the post. His willingness to attack gave Atlanta something it had been missing for much of the second half. Edwards continues to make a case for a starting role, and his recent performances suggest he deserves an opportunity ahead of Jacob.

Martino's substitution decisions were difficult to understand. Atlanta's first-half approach had worked reasonably well, but Miami adjusted after the break and quickly took control. By the 50th minute, it was obvious that Atlanta was losing the midfield battle and struggling to create opportunities. Martino made one change in the 61st minute, replacing Muyumba with Alzate, but then waited until the 81st to introduce three more players. By that point, Miami had scored three.