MIAMI : Aleksey Miranchuk scored late to earn Atlanta a 2-2 draw in Major League Soccer against Inter Miami, with Lionel Messi failing to produce any magic as a late substitute for the visitors. Eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi dazzled in his return from a long injury layoff on Saturday, scoring twice in four minutes in Miami’s 3-1 win over Philadelphia. But coach Gerardo Martino said he would be careful not to overwork his superstar during the three-match week, with Messi left out of the starting line-up in Atlanta along with former Barcelona team-mates Luis Suarez and Jordi Alba. Miami has clinched the MLS Cup Eastern Conference playoffs and leads the race for the Supporters’ Shield, which is awarded to the team that tops the overall standings with 63 points. The Florida team led 2-1 on goals from David Ruiz and Leonardo Campana when Messi entered the match in the 61st minute. The Argentine superstar came close to scoring in the 83rd, but his angled effort was blocked by Atlanta goalkeeper Brad Guzan and Suarez’s effort was also denied. A minute later, Russian Miranchuk, who Atlanta signed with Europa League winners Atalanta at the end of July, produced a sensational left-footed shot from outside the box. Inter led 1-0 at half-time thanks to 20-year-old David Ruiz’s first goal of the season. Ruiz, making his first start since June 15 in a lineup that included just three regular Miami starters, took advantage of a through ball from Argentina’s Franco Negri to place a well-placed shot. Atlanta equalized in the 56th through Sab Lobzhanidze, whose header hit defender Ian Fray and slipped between the legs of goalkeeper Drake Callender. Campana put Miami back in front in the 59th minute when he scored from a free kick to surpass Argentine Gonzalo Higuain as Inter Miami’s all-time top scorer with his 30th strike. Messi’s entry appeared to excite both teams as well as the excited crowd at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, where fans were disappointed when the Argentine superstar sat out the game last year. But it was Atlanta that ultimately took advantage of the energy surge. While Messi, Alba and Suarez came on as second-half substitutes, Miami were without the suspended Sergio Busquets and Tomas Aviles, as well as the injured David Martinez and Diego Gomez. Martino watched the match from the set as he served a suspension for accumulating yellow cards. “It was a tough game, especially when we came here to play, it’s a tough stadium and a tough team,” Miami assistant coach Javier Morales said. “But I think we performed well. “I think in the first half we found the goal and managed the game well. And then in the second half when they scored, Campana responded with ours and then we thought we could manage the game a little bit better. “But obviously Atlanta is playing at home, they’re going to push, they had a big crowd and this is the kind of game we expected. Even with just one point from the encounter, Miami can still secure the Supporters’ Shield with nine points from the remaining five games of the regular season. In the Eastern Conference, they hold an eight-point lead over Cincinnati, which won 2-1 over Minnesota with goals from Yuya Kubo and Lucy Orellano.