Luis Robles was the hero for Inter Miami CF in their 2-1 victory over Atlanta United after saving a penalty kick and also stopping the retake ordered by the officials after encroachment by members of both teams.
Miami were leading 2-1 when the penalty was initially awarded. Atlanta United's Ezequiel Barco took both spot kicks and went to different sides of the goal on each, but he watched as Robles parried away the attempt on both occasions. Barco's teammate Cubo Torres put home the rebound on the first Robles save, but that potential 2-2 equalizer was erased due to the encroachment.
"I think for me the most important thing is I want to be big for my teammates," Robles said postgame. "I want to do whatever it takes to help us win and get the three points, to reward an incredible performance by Lewis [Morgan, who scored both Miami goals] and the guys. And in that moment, that's what I was asked to do and I'm really glad I was able to come off and help the team get the three points."
Watch: The Robles double PK save
Questions still remain about Miami's attack coming out of the game, but Miami head coach Diego Alonso can take comfort in knowing he's in good hands between the posts.
"Luis was fantastic today with those two saves on the penalties," Alonso said through a translator. "He has given us an emotional push that also allowed us to be in the lead. We're very happy with his performance today."
At his postgame press conference, Atlanta United interim head coach Stephen Glass found himself questioning why his side wasn't up a man for the foul by Miami defender Nicolas Figal on Atlanta United's Jon Gallagher that led to the penalty kick.
Glass felt that the arm that made contact with Gallagher's face should have resulted in Figal getting sent off, adding that he believed Figal's halftime substitution was a tacit acknowledgement by Miami that they got away with one.
Watch: Figal foul that led to penalty
"That probably should have been a red card. Not probably, definitely should have been a red card," Glass said. "So the referee choosing not to send him off is also a massive factor in the game. I think anytime your player gets whacked in the face the way [Gallagher] did, you're expecting the other player to get sent off. Their manager actually takes the guy off at halftime because he knows he should've been sent off, to save the referee correcting his mistake. But to be honest, I don't even think [he thinks] it was a mistake. So to me, that's a bigger concern.
"I asked the referee quite calmly but he explained that it was not an elbow, he didn't feel there was any aggression," he added. "But I've watched it. I saw it at the time, it's clear as day, and I've seen it on video. He steps across and uses his forearm to smash our player in the face. There's no country on the planet that's not a red card."
