CNN
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Lionel Messi and Inter Miami suffered a shock elimination in the first round of the Major League Soccer (MLS) play-offs on Saturday, losing 3-2 on home soil to No. 9 seed Atlanta United in the best-of- three series decider.

Miami midfielder Matías Rojas opened the scoring in the 17th minute, but Atlanta United hit back soon after with two goals in two minutes from striker Jamal Thiaré to take the lead at halftime.

Argentine superstar Messi tied the match at 2-2 in the 65th minute with his first goal in the playoffs, but Bartosz Slisz scored a header in the 76th minute to send Atlanta to one of the biggest upsets in MLS history against No. 1 Miami.

Miami had a record-breaking regular season, finishing with a record 74 points and taking home the Supporters’ Shield. That earned the team a controversial invitation to the FIFA Club World Cup, and Miami entered the playoffs as favorites to win the MLS Cup.

Miami defenseman Jordi Alba, who is not used to a football postseason after spending his career in Europe, said the playoff format “seems a little bit unfair.”

“Obviously this has been done this way for years, but if you ask me, if it were up to me, I would have the champion of one conference against the champion of the other, to make it as fair as possible . , that’s how it is,” he told ESPN.

“I repeat: congratulations to the rival team. I think they fought us very well, they knew their weapons, the goalkeeper was spectacular… I think that made the difference clear.”

After a best-of-three format in the first round, the conference semifinals, finals and MLS Cup match will all be single-elimination, with extra time and penalties if necessary.

Atlanta United, which did not reach the playoffs until the final day of the regular season, will face No. 4 seed Orlando City in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

“You can see the emotion in the players,” Atlanta interim manager Rob Valentino said. We have ownership there, all of us.

“There have been some tough times at the club and I’m glad everyone is getting a little bit of joy. But I hope we are not done yet.”

The East is now wide open with the elimination of the top three seeds after first-round defeats to the Columbus Crew and FC Cincinnati.

The MLS Cup final is scheduled for December 7.