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Inter Miami Gets a Win in Messi's MLS Playoff Opener, Tops Atlanta United 2-1

Inter Miami's Argentine forward #10 Lionel Messi controls the ball during the Major League Soccer (MLS) Cup Eastern Conference semifinal first leg football match between Inter Miami CF and Atlanta United FC at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on October 25, 2024. (Photo by Chris Arjoon / AFP)
Inter Miami's Argentine forward #10 Lionel Messi controls the ball during the Major League Soccer (MLS) Cup Eastern Conference semifinal first leg football match between Inter Miami CF and Atlanta United FC at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on October 25, 2024. (Photo by Chris Arjoon / AFP)
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Inter Miami Gets a Win in Messi's MLS Playoff Opener, Tops Atlanta United 2-1

Inter Miami's Argentine forward #10 Lionel Messi controls the ball during the Major League Soccer (MLS) Cup Eastern Conference semifinal first leg football match between Inter Miami CF and Atlanta United FC at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on October 25, 2024. (Photo by Chris Arjoon / AFP)
Inter Miami's Argentine forward #10 Lionel Messi controls the ball during the Major League Soccer (MLS) Cup Eastern Conference semifinal first leg football match between Inter Miami CF and Atlanta United FC at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on October 25, 2024. (Photo by Chris Arjoon / AFP)

Lionel Messi had chances at goals time and time again, only to keep being denied. Turns out, all he needed to do was deliver the right pass at the right time.
Jordi Alba turned a pass from Messi into the go-ahead goal in the 60th minute, Luis Suarez also scored and Inter Miami beat Atlanta United 2-1 on Friday night in the opening game of a best-of-three first round Major League Soccer playoff series.
It was not the easiest of openers for the Supporters Shield winners, the No. 1 overall seed in the MLS Cup playoffs — a team that set a league record with 74 points in the regular season, 34 points ahead of wild-card Atlanta in the standings.
Saba Lobjanidze scored for Atlanta, which got eight saves from goalkeeper Brad Guzan. Game 2 will be Nov. 2 at Atlanta — the last road game of the season, no matter what, for Inter Miami. Game 3, if necessary, will be Nov. 9 in Fort Lauderdale, The Associated Press reported.
“It's going to be difficult for us,” Inter Miami coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino said. “It's going to be difficult as this rival has been throughout the season.”
Inter Miami's first-ever home playoff game and Messi's MLS playoff debut was sold out — Messi games almost always are, everywhere in the world — and MLS even had a camera isolated on him throughout the match, streaming that view on TikTok. There were plans to also show the match live on a massive screen in New York's Times Square; that ended up getting called off Apple will schedule a viewing of another match there.
Atlanta was the only team that beat Inter Miami when Messi was in the lineup this season, and it was almost like the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner — and finalist for MLS MVP honors — knew it wouldn't be easy.
“It gets settled on the field,” Messi said in an interview taped before the playoffs, one that MLS teased on social media and said will be distributed on its Season Pass platform. “Anything can happen in a match.”
And for 60 minutes, the scoreboard said these teams were even.
Suarez scored with the match barely a minute old, and Messi had three high-quality chances later in the half.
Messi's left foot nearly made it 2-0 after six minutes; Guzan had to sprawl to his right to barely deflect the shot away. Messi found a bit of space and fired again in the 26th minute; this time, Guzan punched it over the crossbar. And in the 29th minute, it wasn't Guzan that denied Messi — it was the post. The rebound came to Inter Miami's Marcelo Weigandt and his shot got punched away by Guzan.
If not for Guzan, it could have been 2-0, 3-0, maybe even 4-0 at that point.
Instead, it was 1-1 at intermission. Lobjanidze got behind the defense and beat Drake Callender from close range in the 39th minute, and Atlanta — which won at Chase Stadium in May — was all square going into the second half.
“We were frustrated,” Martino said.
In the 52nd minute, Messi's direct kick from 25 yards nearly gave Inter Miami the lead again but curled just wide of the post to Guzan's left. The breakthrough came about eight minutes later, with Messi getting lifted into the air by Alba in celebration after the goal.
“We’ve got to keep our heads up and we’ve got to go again,” Guzan said. “We’ve had our backs against the wall for quite some time now. And when our backs have been against the wall, we’ve found a way. Our backs are against the wall now. We’ve got to go into Game 2 and we’ve got to win.”
The night took a bad turn for Inter Miami late. Ian Fray, a South Florida native who has already dealt with three ACL tears, left in the 90th minute after a non-contact injury left him unable to put any weight on his right leg. There was no immediate word on the severity of Fray's injury.
“It was a very good game ... but we're not feeling as satisfied as we could because of Ian,” Martino said. "We are all a little bit sad. We'll wait to see what injury he has.”

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Sainz Wins Mexico City Grand Prix as Norris Tightens Championship Fight

Ferrari's Spanish driver Carlos Sainz rises the winner's trophy after winning the Mexico City Formula One Grand Prix at the Hermanos Rodríguez racetrack, in Mexico City on October 27, 2024. (AFP)
Ferrari's Spanish driver Carlos Sainz rises the winner's trophy after winning the Mexico City Formula One Grand Prix at the Hermanos Rodríguez racetrack, in Mexico City on October 27, 2024. (AFP)
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Sainz Wins Mexico City Grand Prix as Norris Tightens Championship Fight

Ferrari's Spanish driver Carlos Sainz rises the winner's trophy after winning the Mexico City Formula One Grand Prix at the Hermanos Rodríguez racetrack, in Mexico City on October 27, 2024. (AFP)
Ferrari's Spanish driver Carlos Sainz rises the winner's trophy after winning the Mexico City Formula One Grand Prix at the Hermanos Rodríguez racetrack, in Mexico City on October 27, 2024. (AFP)

Carlos Sainz Jr. got the win he desperately wanted in the final days of his Ferrari career. The Formula 1 title race, meanwhile, grew a lot more contentious.

Sainz won the Mexico City Grand Prix on Sunday and Lando Norris closed the gap on Max Verstappen after another furious battle that cost the reigning three-time series champion three penalties and shaved 10 points off Verstappen's lead in the standings.

Sainz not only won but finished on the podium for the first time in Mexico City. It was the fourth win of his career, and second of the season for the driver who is being replaced by Lewis Hamilton next year at Ferrari. The Spaniard had never before won two races in a season.

"Honestly, I really wanted this one," said Sainz, who sounded emotional on his radio on the cool-down lap. "I really needed it for myself, I wanted to get it done. I've been saying for a while I wanted to get one more win before leaving Ferrari, and to do it here in front of this mega crowd, it is incredible."

Verstappen started second and took the lead from pole-sitter Sainz on the start, but the first lap quickly drew a caution when contact between Yuki Tsunoda and Alex Albon caused Tsundona to crash and Albon to retire with damage to his car.

The restart was spicy with the Ferraris racing Verstappen and Norris for position. And for a second consecutive week, the title contenders clashed.

Norris was penalized last week. This time it cost Verstappen two penalties totaling 20 seconds. After the race, the FIA also penalized Verstappen two points to give him six for the 12-month period.

"I knew what to expect. I don't want to expect such a thing, because I respect Max a lot as a driver, but I was waiting to expect something like this," Norris said of Verstappen's driving. "Not very clean driving in my opinion, but I avoided it."

Norris was penalized a week ago at the United States Grand Prix for forcing Verstappen off track — a punishment that gave the final spot on the podium to the three-time reigning world champion. It also allowed Verstappen to widen his lead in the driver standings to 57 points before the race Sunday.

The tables were turned at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez when Verstappen was given a 10-second penalty for banging wheels with Norris and forcing Norris off the track.

"Ten? That's aggressive," Verstappen said.

He then was slapped with a second 10-second penalty for gaining position when he left the track for a combined 20-second penalty to be served on his first pit stop.

"That's fine then. That's silly, man," Verstappen radioed.

He pitted from third on Lap 27 and his mechanics could not begin his service until the 20-second penalty was served. He dropped to 15th when he rejoined the race.

Although Verstappen recovered to finish sixth, Norris spoiled what looked to be a Ferrari sweep when he snatched second place from Charles Leclerc with eight laps remaining. The finishes were a 10-point swing for Norris, who now trails Verstappen by 47 points with four races remaining.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner brought printed sheets of telemetry to his post-race media session to argue against one of Verstappen's penalties. He also argued that part of the punishments were carry-over from last week's incidents with Norris, when many thought Verstappen also deserved a penalty, and that F1 is in danger of being overpoliced.

"Obviously, there's been a reaction to last weekend and I think it's very important for the drivers, stewards to sit down," Horner said. "It used to be a reward of the bravest driver to go around the outside. I think we're in danger of flipping the overtaking laws upside down. We're overcomplicating things and when you have to revert to an instruction manual for an overtake ... it's something that just needs to be tidied up."

Horner said Red Bull would not appeal the penalties the way McLaren did this week.

Leclerc, meanwhile, finished third and set the fastest lap of the race for Ferrari, which like McLaren is trying to dethrone Red Bull for the lucrative constructors' championship. Ferrari jumped ahead of Red Bull for second in the standings and trails McLaren by 27 points. Red Bull, which won the last two constructors' titles, is now third in the standings.

"Obviously, the constructors is still our target and we are getting closer to it," Leclerc said. "I hope we can continue in that direction and get that constructors' title, which is very important."

Mercedes drivers Hamilton and George Russell finished fourth and fifth and Verstappen was sixth. Kevin Magnussen was seventh for Haas and followed by Oscar Piastri of McLaren, Nico Hülkenberg of Haas and Pierre Gasly of Alpine.

Perez's long day

Embattled driver Sergio Perez had a long day at his home race from the very start.

The Mexican, who was eliminated in the first round of qualifying to earn an 18th-place starting spot, gained five positions at the start. But was immediately handed a five-second penalty for being outside his box at the start.

It dropped him to 16th and he finished 17th.

Perez also got into a wheel-to-wheel battle with Liam Lawson that turned contentious on team radio as the two battled for position on the 19th lap.

"What the (expletive) is this idiot doing? Is he OK?" Perez asked on his radio as the drivers went wheel-to-wheel and made contact. Perez was run wide of the track in the battle.

Lawson was just as irate and flashed his middle finger at Perez.

"Is he (expletive) serious?" Lawson asked on his radio.

"Loud and clear, we'll review it, head down," Lawson was told by his RB team, which is Red Bull's junior team.

Lawson reportedly apologized to Perez after, according to Horner, but Perez's job status is in danger. He is eighth in the driver standings and a huge reason why Red Bull has slipped in the constructors' championship.

When asked directly by The Associated Press if Perez, who this year was signed to an extension through 2025, if Perez would even finish the season, Horner refused to commit.

"There comes a point in time that difficult decisions have to be made," Horner said. "We're now third in the constructors' championship."

Alonso out early

Fernando Alonso's 400th career Formula 1 start was a short one: he drove his Aston Martin back the garage on the 16th lap.

He finished 18th and the team said the brakes on his Aston Martin were overheating.

Alonso began the race weekend ill and skipped Thursday events but returned by Friday's second practice. The two-time F1 champion already held the record for most starts in series history, setting the record when he passed Kimi Räikkönen, who retired with 353 starts.

The 43-year-old Alonso started the race ninth in the driver standings. He has 32 career victories and 106 podium finishes.