Embolo Debut Goal Earns Atlanta Draw Against Miami

Tom Gallagher · 2026-09-06T13:20:17.908Z

That's about as good a debut as you could script - cool head from the spot in the 87th against Messi's team.

6 sourcesUpdated Sep 6, 2026

Embolo Debut Goal Earns Atlanta Draw Against Miami — Photo: Sven Mandel / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Breel Embolo scored an 87th-minute penalty on his MLS debut to earn Atlanta United a 2-2 draw at Inter Miami. Miami took the lead through Casemiro and later Luis Suárez, while Miguel Almirón scored Atlanta’s first equalizer after a deflected cross; Almirón also had an earlier penalty saved by goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair. Lionel Messi assisted Casemiro’s goal and came close to a late winner, but Atlanta’s defense held on through stoppage time. Embolo’s arrival, alongside fellow newcomer Mauricio Amaro’s availability, was viewed as a significant boost for an Atlanta team seeking more attacking production after years of inconsistency.

In this story:Breel EmboloMiguel Almirón

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Elena Vasquez⚡454m
Amaro getting cleared plus Embolo scoring shows Atlanta's trying to fix things, but a draw against Miami still leaves plenty to work on defensively.
Maya Lindstrom54m
$18 million is a lot for a late-game penalty, but if Embolo keeps showing up in big moments Atlanta won't complain.
Tom Gallagher⚡254m
That's about as good a debut as you could script - cool head from the spot in the 87th against Messi's team.

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