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Atlanta, GA

Messi back in starting lineup, scores in Miami win

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Messi back in starting lineup, scores in Miami win


Substitute Fafà Picault scored for Inter Miami CF in the 89th minute, and Lionel Messi struck for the first time in the MLS regular season in a dramatic, late 2-1 victory at Atlanta United FC on Sunday.

Miami (3-1-0) triumphed despite six saves from Atlanta’s Brad Guzan, who played an integral role in his team’s playoff upset of Messi’s squad in a best-of-three series this past fall during the opening round of the MLS Cup playoffs.

Atlanta shocked the Supporters’ Shield winners by winning the rubber match 3-2 on the road to eliminate Messi and Miami from the playoffs.

Messi’s goal came in the 20th minute of just his second regular-season appearance for Miami, which has already played eight matches because of Concacaf Champions Cup action. The World Cup winner started the game after being sidelined for three games due to muscle fatigue before coming off the bench on Thursday night in a 2-0 win at Cavalier FC of Jamaica.

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The start for Messi came on the heels of Miami manager Javier Mascherano defending the usage of his star player early in the season.

Emmanuel Latte Lath scored his third goal in the 11th minute to give Atlanta (1-1-2) an early lead. But his teammates were still stuck on one goal combined as Atlanta’s winless run extended to three matches after defeating Montreal in their season opener.

Both teams had plenty of chances for a second-half winner from open play, but Picault provided an unlikely header to ultimately decide the game.

Jordi Alba got the ball out wide from a late, short corner kick and sent an outswinging ball to the back post. Picault outmuscled Ajani Fortune and sent a header bouncing back across goal, somehow wrong-footing Guzan and nestling inside the far left post.

It was Picault’s first goal for his sixth MLS club, having moved to Miami from Vancouver this offseason.

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Miguel Almirón started the attack, opening the scoring with an excellent ball over the top to play Brooks Lennon down the right. Lennon then played an excellent cross that Latte Lath met with a powerful back post header past Rocco Ríos Novo.

Latte Lath thought he had his second just after the quarter-hour mark, but it was ruled offside. Miami pulled level on its next foray forward.

Guzan sprawled off his line to disrupt an initial cross from the right, but Messi surprised Bartosz Slisz with some rare defensive pressure to dispossess the midfielder as Atlanta tried to play out. From there, he weaved his way past the sliding Derrick Williams, then deftly chipped the charging Guzan.

Atlanta United play FC Cincinnati on the road Saturday. Inter Miami are idle until they host the Philadelphia Union on March 29.

Information from Reuters and The Associated Press was used in this story.

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Atlanta, GA

Man shot at Atlanta airport, police say

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Man shot at Atlanta airport, police say


ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — A man is injured after a shooting inside Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Sunday, according to Atlanta Police.

The man is alert, conscious, breathing and was transported to the hospital for treatment, according to police.

No other injuries were reported.

Airport operations were not affected, according to police.

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This is a developing story. Check back with Atlanta News First for updates.



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Atlanta, GA

Davante Adams Will Not Play Week 17 Versus Atlanta

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Davante Adams Will Not Play Week 17 Versus Atlanta


Davante Adams will now miss a second straight game on December 29th as Sean McVay announced he did not expect Adams to return for the Week 17 Monday Night Football game. Adams is currently battling a hamstring injury. While it is not season ending, it is enough to keep the wide receiver out for the most crucial stretch for fantasy football owners.

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Roll Out The Beautiful Touchdown Stat

If anyone wonders what Adams provides that is so top notch. Check this statline out.

Adams may not play another down in the regular season and could still lead the league in touchdowns. A lot can happen over the next few weeks but anything is possible. Still, 14 touchdowns in 15 games is impressive. That is a big dent in production and hurts fantasy football owners even more.

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What Other Impacts May This Have?

In Week 16 against the Seattle Seahawks, the offense ran through Puka Nacua and Colby Parkinson. Nacua was amazing with 225 receiving yards and two touchdowns. He was targeted 16 times and caught 12 passes from Matthew Stafford. Nacua could be in line for another incredible game against Atlanta. The Falcons have been giving up more passing yards of late and 419 to Carolina in Week 11).

A question mark may be Colby Parkinson. Parkinson was in line to get more looks with Adams out but he only had two receptions for 21 yards on four targets. That was surprising. Stafford and Nacua had tunnel vision. Four players besides Nacua had more than four targets. The likelihood that Stafford throws 49 passes is low against Atlanta. Will they run more than 35 times? That is at least possible.

Never sit Matthew Stafford especially this season. Even in defeat to Seattle, he threw for 457 yards and three touchdowns. It should have been enough for a win and yet this was not. The Rams’ defense and particularly secondary should cause Stafford some pause. He has to wonder what it might take to win from week to week now.

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The one area that did cause the Rams some trouble at times was throwing in the red zone against Seattle. After all, Harrison Mevis did have to attempt four field goals (he made three) in the loss. There were a few times where one wondered gee Adams would have scored on that play. Despite that, Los Angeles did still score 37 points against Seattle.

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Who Should You Stream In Place Of Adams?

Honestly, the good news is with this many days notice, fantasy football owners do not have to scramble quite as feverishly here. Some teams will let off the gas while others want to see what they have with younger players. Simply, options will be out there. Look toward our wide receiver streamer article that comes out during the week.

It is hard to believe but we are almost to the fantasy football finish line. This has been some year and good luck as the fantasy footbal season approaches its end.

More Fantasy On SI:





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Atlanta, GA

Former Alabama prep star, Atlanta Braves outfielder dead at age 67

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Former Alabama prep star, Atlanta Braves outfielder dead at age 67


The funeral service for former Atlanta Braves outfielder Albert Hall is scheduled for 11 a.m. CST Monday at New Mount Zion Baptist Church in Birmingham.

Hall died on Tuesday at age 67.

On Sept. 23, 1987, Hall became the first player to hit for the cycle in an Atlanta Braves uniform and the first for the franchise since Bill Collins did so for the Boston Braves on Oct. 6, 1910. Twenty-one years after Hall’s feat, Mark Kotsay became the second Atlanta player to hit for the cycle on Aug. 14, 2008.

In Atlanta’s 5-4 victory over the Houston Astros, Hall led off the bottom of the first with a single and the bottom of the fifth with a double off Jim Deshaies. In the sixth, Hall hit a solo home run off Deshaies to tie the score at 4-4. Hall started the bottom of the ninth with a triple off reliever Dave Smith and ended the game by scoring on a wild pitch.

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A speedy outfielder who stole 455 bases in the minor leagues, Hall went from Jones Valley High School in Birmingham to professional baseball when Atlanta selected him in the sixth round of the 1977 draft.

After hitting .308 and stealing 60 bases for the Southern League’s Savannah Braves in 1981, Hall made his MLB debut on Sept. 12, 1981, as a pinch-runner for catcher Bruce Benedict in the 10th inning of Atlanta’s 5-4 victory over the San Diego Padres.

From 1981 through 1988, Hall played in 375 games for the Braves before completing his MLB career with 20 games with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1989.

Hall posted a career batting average of .251 with a .328 on-base average and .335 slugging percentage. He had 125 runs, 202 hits, 37 doubles, eight triples, five home runs, 53 RBIs and 67 stolen bases in the big leagues.

Hall’s best season game in 1987, when he hit .284 and stole 33 bases in 92 games for Atlanta.

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Hall appeared in minor-league games each season from 1977 through 1989, except in 1984 and 1987, when he spent the campaigns completely with Atlanta.

In 946 minor-league games, Hall hit .282 with a .376 on-base average and .372 slugging percentage. In 1980, Hall stole 100 bases for the Carolina League’s Durham Bulls.

After Monday’s service, burial will be at Elmwood Cemetery and Mausoleum in Birmingham.



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