Holy upsets, Batman!
We got two of the biggest upsets in MLS playoff history this week. The Columbus Crew are out of the playoffs, Inter Miami are 90 minutes away from elimination, the New York Red Bulls are the best team in the league (that’s how that works, right?), and former USMNT goalkeepers are making wild decisions out here. I’m digging into each Eastern Conference playoff team. Joe has the West.
Let’s get to it, starting with the top seed and working towards the bottom.
To read up on the West, check out Joe’s rundown.
Joseph Lowery
Inter Miami
Result: 2-1 loss at Atlanta United
Raise your hand if you saw that coming! Anyone? No one? Got it.
After rolling past Atlanta in a match that wasn’t nearly as close as the scoreline indicated in the first leg, I think everyone expected a similar showing from the Herons. They… uh… didn’t get it on Saturday. They had just two shots on target all night, and one of them was… whatever this was.
Miami have the opener and it was bizarre. 😳@InterMiamiCF // Audi #MLSCupPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/u2M3EQawbF
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) November 2, 2024
Tata Martino continued with the 5-2-3, but I thought it fell pretty flat. For one thing, missing Sergio Busquets (he had a fever during the week) meant that the distribution and general composure on the backline took a hit. Noah Allen just doesn’t have the same ball-playing abilities as, you know, one of the best passers in the history of the game. It was a forced change, but one that hurt Miami.
The other aspect of the 5-2-3 I really don’t like is Marcelo Weigandt at right wingback. Apologies in advance to any Weigandt stans who may be reading this, but I’ve been thoroughly unimpressed with him in MLS.
His goals added numbers are bang average among MLS outside backs and he doesn’t add a ton in the final third. Especially when missing Busquets’ distribution, it blows my mind that Julian Gressel was dropped to the bench for the second-straight match. Miami struggled to consistently create chances inside the box, and left one of the best crossers in MLS history on the bench while Luis Suárez was starved for service, withering away with just seven touches in the 18.
Atlanta had the backing of an unreal crowd behind them and winning on the road is really hard in MLS. I certainly wouldn’t break glass in case of emergency yet. It’s not like we’ve seen many upsets in these playoffs or anything…
Columbus Crew
Result: 2-2, 5-4 penalty shootout loss at New York Red Bulls
Y’all, I’m shook. I cannot believe the Crew were knocked out in the first round. For my money, that’s the biggest upset in MLS playoff history.
