Online Desk : Georgia international Saba Lobjanidze upstaged Lionel Messi with two goals as struggling Atlanta United stunned league leaders Inter Miami 3-1 on Wednesday in Major League Soccer.

Lobjanidze stunned a star-studded Miami line-up with two long-range strikes either side of half-time to fire Atlanta into a 2-0 lead.

Argentina superstar Messi threatened to inspire a comeback for the home side after pulling a goal back to make it 2-1 but Atlanta restored their two-goal cushion when Jamal Thiare poked home Caleb Wiley`s cross in the 73rd minute, AFP reports.

While Lobjanidze grabbed the glory with his brace of goals, Messi`s World Cup-winning Argentina team-mate Thiago Almada was the star of the show for the visitors, setting up two goals with some superb individual skill and tormenting Inter`s suspect defence all night.

Despite the defeat, Miami remain top of the Eastern Conference with 34 points from 17 games, after nearest rivals Cincinnati also lost on Wednesday, falling 2-0 at home to Nashville.

Miami, who started Messi along with former Barcelona team-mates Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, were always struggling to gain a foothold against a vibrant Atlanta line-up who had gone into the game without a league win since March 31.

Atlanta gave an early warning of their attacking intent when midfielder Brooks Lennon flashed a low shot just wide after only 10 minutes.

Lobjanidze handed Atlanta the lead just before half-time with a superb individual goal, surging forward from midfield before unleashing a shot full of pace and precision into the top corner past Miami goalkeeper Drake Callender.

Lobjanidze, who is due to be part of Georgia`s squad at next month`s European Championship, bagged his second on 59 minutes after brilliant trickery from Almada launched an Atlanta counter-attack. Lobjanidze`s curling shot took a slight deflection before beating Callender.

The second Atlanta goal stung Miami into life, and it was Messi who gave the Eastern Conference leaders a lifeline with a goal out of nothing on 62 minutes, darting forward and steering a low, long-range shot into the bottom corner.

But Atlanta continued to threaten on the counter-attack and made it 3-1 on 73 minutes when more good play from Almada allowed Wiley to cross for Senegalese striker Thiare, who prodded into the net.