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Inter Miami CF vs Atlanta United
Inter Miami CF returns to DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale with a pair of victories in the U.S. Open Cup against Miami FC and then a shocking road victory taking down the Columbus Crew. They welcomed in an Atlanta United team sitting 3rd in the Eastern Conference as well as a sentimental match for former United player Josef Martinez.
This would be the first of three meeting between Atlanta and Miami but would be made special because this was the first one for Martinez against his former club. The Venezuelan would start the match from the bench seeing his team put pressure on the Atlanta back line.
United would have several chances in this match where fans thought this would be the moment they would capitalize but it would not happen. Pineda's men did not look like a team that's currently sitting in the third spot of the conference. The majority of the chances would come when star player and World Cup winner Thiago Almada would create the chances or take the responsibility himself.
Some things in sports just fall perfectly and on Saturday night at DRV PNK Stadium that's exactly what happened. David Ruiz would draw a penalty which prompted Leonardo Campana to hand the ball over to freshly substituted Josef Martinez. Martinez would drill the penalty to make it 1-0 as well as his 99th goal in MLS.
A beautiful through ball from Deandre Yedlin after heading it forward would find Martinez who would have the slightest tap on the ball just in time to get it past the keeper giving the former United man a brace making it 2-0 and his 100th goal in the MLS.
In the 84th minute it would be Franco Negri with a tough challenge on Santiago Sosa earning himself a red card putting Miami down to 10 men. This would favor Atlanta getting one back with Andrew Gutman off a corner getting his head on the end of it to make it a 2-1 match.
There was not enough time for an equalizer and Inter Miami CF earns back-to-back victories pushing them up to 10th in the Eastern Conference.
Next up for Inter Miami CF is the round of 32 in the U.S. Open Cup hosting the Charleston Battery followed by a weekend matchup in the league welcoming the New England Revolution.
Written by: Daniel Torres
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