Thus far, Atlanta United goalkeeper Brad Guzan is arguably the star of the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs.
He made 18 saves during their Round One Best-of-3 Series with Inter Miami CF, helping the Eastern Conference No. 9 seed eliminate the Supporters' Shield champions in stunning fashion.
But the moment that's generated the most social-media buzz? When the 40-year-old goalkeeper, after Lionel Messi scored a header in Game 3, was shoved into the net by Leonardo Campana and jawed with Luis Suárez while tangled in the netting.
“I turn around," Guzan said on the Major League Journeymen podcast. "[Messi] then grabs the ball out of my arms … and I get shoved. And as I get shoved, I turn around, like, 'Who the hell is shoving me?' So I turn around, and I fall into the net. And I'm thinking, don't put your arms in the net because then you're never going to get out. Right? The velcro from your gloves. You're going to be face-first in the net.
"I'm waiting now for the net to stop me going backwards... and then I'm falling, and I'm like, 'I'm still falling.' I'm still falling at this point now. Then I see Suárez as I'm in the net, and I slingshot myself out of the net and into him. I'm at a 10. Then I saw Suárez in my face, went to a 15, and then slingshot myself out of the net. It was WWE style."
“A dose of humility”
With heroics from Guzan, the Five Stripes now await an Eastern Conference Semifinal against Orlando City SC on Nov. 24 (3:30 pm ET | MLS Season Pass).
It’s a rematch of their Decision Day miracle, when their win at Orlando sparked this Cinderella-esque run. Atlanta won the Wild Card match at CF Montréal and then secured a historic upset against Miami.
They've come a long way from the dark days of summer, when a deep postseason run seemed far-fetched.
“Halfway through the year, me and Brad in the hot tub, we had just lost another game we probably felt like we should have won," said Atlanta midfielder Dax McCarty, a co-host of Major League Journeymen. "I remember thinking, you know what this team needs? This team needs a dose of humility; every single player and person that works at this club, we need a little bit of humility.
“Our home games, we think we're going to step on the field and win games, and that's not how soccer works. You guys know that's not how it works, and I honestly cannot put a finger on why it just started clicking in the last three weeks of the season.”
With a bit of humility, Atlanta enter the Conference Semifinals with momentum. The winner advances to face New York City FC or New York Red Bulls in the Eastern Conference Final.
“We've just taken down what a lot of people think is the greatest collection of talent in MLS history. Rob's [Valentino, interim head coach] whole mantra the last month has been ‘F them all, like F everybody. Who cares what people think,’” McCarty said.
“We have really harnessed that, honestly... we've dealt with everything that you guys can think of, and it's just we've shown a little resilience and a little humility. So that, for me, is what we need in Orlando. Just keep going down there. We know we're going to have to be road warriors for the rest of the playoffs.”
