Atlanta United has a chance to stun the soccer world Saturday vs. Inter Miami

Atlanta United has a chance Saturday — in front of a global audience, no less — to do something that could be considered humorous for a lot of reasons.

If Atlanta United, which had a Rube Goldberg machine-like path into the playoffs, can defeat Lionel Messi and Inter Miami, which set a points record for MLS and is the league’s de facto flagship franchise, the Five Stripes would advance into the next round of the playoffs.

Miami and Luis Suarez wouldn’t.

Atlanta United would.

Most of the globe can watch, which is something the league and the tech giant Apple trumpeted when they announced their partnership before last season. Because of the stakes of the match, the number of broadcast viewers likely will surpass the unspecified number of people who watched Game 1, which Apple said was its most-watched sports event, though it has declined to say how many watched.

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Miami, arguably with the sport’s greatest player flanked by some of the greatest players of their generation, such as Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets, could be knocked out of the playoffs before the MLS Cup for the second consecutive season.

Dark comedy, right?

“I think the pressure, a lot of it, is on them,” Atlanta United captain Brad Guzan said. “So, we know we need to turn up and perform. But I think a lot of the pressure will be on them.”

That didn’t seem likely after Game 1. Atlanta United was exhausted, playing its third road match in seven days. Miami won 2-1, but the score line could have been much worse because of the volume of shots Miami took (22) in totaling 3.4 expected goals, compared with Atlanta United’s eight shots and 0.8 expected goals.

Rested, Atlanta United promised a more competitive Game 2. It delivered. It outshot Miami (13-10) and totaled more expected goals (1.8-1.3) in flipping the 2-1 score line from Game 1.

After the match, Inter Miami manager Gerardo Martino, who led Atlanta United to the MLS Cup in 2018, said to the Miami Herald that he wasn’t too worried about Game 3.

“We have the advantage of many high-caliber players who have been through more difficult situations than this,” Martino said. “We also have a way of playing that has never changed.”

Martino is correct. He has players who have won World Cups, Euros, Copa Americas, La Liga and MLS. But it also is correct to point out that Atlanta United has had more success against this version of Miami than any other team. Miami has only one win against the Five Stripes in their past five matches.

“I think guys have shown that we have what it takes to compete in the playoffs,” Guzan said. “We’ve got full internationals on our team. We’ve got guys that have played at the highest level in the world’s game, and so they certainly understand what’s at stake. And I think that’s shown in the performances, especially the last two games, but even leading up to that. I think we all understand what we’re going into come Saturday.”

So, Atlanta United has a chance Saturday to do something few thought likely in front of a global audience.

Its players seem ready for a challenge that they are trying to ignore.

“Outside stuff, it’s been the theme of our team, that we don’t control that,” Atlanta United interim manager Rob Valentino said. “So whatever the outside is saying is not our focus. Our focus is on ourselves. We have our own internal pressure, individually, collectively, as a team, and that’s the pressure we put on ourselves to perform every day. So we’re in a great position to be in the playoffs, and now we were hoping that the one game left, that we have got more after that.”

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Atlanta United’s 2024 schedule

Feb. 24 Columbus 1, Atlanta United 0

March 9 Atlanta United 4, New England 1

March 17 Atlanta United 2, Orlando 0

March 23 Toronto 2, Atlanta United 0

March 31 Atlanta United 3, Chicago 0

April 6 Atlanta United 1, NYCFC 1

April 14 Atlanta United 2, Philadelphia 2

April 20 Cincinnati 2, Atlanta United 1

April 27 Atlanta United 1, Chicago 1

May 4 Minnesota 2, Atlanta United 1

May 7 Atlanta United 3, Charlotte Independence 0 in U.S. Open Cup