2024 MLS Playoffs: Atlanta United forces Game 3 against Inter Miami off late goal from Xande Silva

As the MLS playoffs are heating up, the first round has brought some excitement. On Saturday, the ninth-seeded Atlanta United pulled off a surprising victory against top-seeded Inter Miami, setting up a crucial tiebreaker in the three-game series. Atlanta surged ahead 2-1 thanks to a stunning goal by forward Xande Silva right at the end of stoppage time.

Following an opening-half goal by Miami's central defender David Martínez, Atlanta leveled the score in the 58th minute thanks to a strike from defender Derrick Williams. Then, in the final moments of the match, Silva stepped up in the 94th minute, scoring the decisive goal and sending the series to a Game 3.

Atlanta kicked off the playoffs by beating Montreal in the wild card round. They faced Miami next, losing the first match 2-1, but came back strong in Game 2.

The two teams are heading back to Miami for Game 3, where Inter Miami has the opportunity to prevent an upset on their home turf.

Out of the five matchups that have reached Game 2, three have successfully advanced to Game 3. On Friday, Charlotte triumphed over Orlando City in a penalty shootout, leveling the series, while New York City FC secured a 3-1 victory against Cincinnati FC, making the series 1-1.

One reason for this situation is the playoff format in Round One, which consists of a home-away-home setup for the three-game series. The teams that have managed to push the series to Game 3 are all lower-seeded teams that achieved victories on their home turf. Additionally, if the matches end in a draw, they go directly to penalty kicks; so far, four games in Round One have been resolved this way.

The LA Galaxy and Minnesota United are the only teams that have completed their matchups so far. The Galaxy, ranked second in the Western Conference, convincingly defeated the Colorado Rapids 4-1 on Friday, earning themselves a place in the conference semifinals.

In the meantime, sixth-seeded Minnesota made history by becoming the first lower-seeded team to pull off an upset in the series. They defeated the third-seeded Real Salt Lake in Game 2 after a tense second penalty shootout. Minnesota's goalkeeper, Dayne St. Clair, played a crucial role, making two key saves during the shootout, leading to a 3-1 victory.

There are three Game 2 matchups left, all happening on Sunday. The New York Red Bulls will compete against the reigning champions, Columbus Crew. Meanwhile, the Houston Dynamo will face off against the Seattle Sounders, and Vancouver is set to take on the top-seeded LAFC. The Red Bulls, alongside Minnesota, are the only team to have managed an upset against a higher-seeded team on the road. They have an opportunity to secure a spot in the semifinals.