After a successful road trip that saw wins in Toronto and Charlotte, Atlanta returned home looking to continue the positive results in front of a friendly crowd.
They got that and more, turning two wins in a row into a win streak as the attack sprung to life once again to turn around an early deficit and bring the good vibes home.
Tata Martino’s XI seemed to suggest a shift away from the squad that earned those last two wins, returning Latte Lath and Saba Lobjanidze to the lineup rather than continuing to play Alexey Miranchuk in a deep lying forward role.
Things started off on the complete wrong foot for the Five Stripes. The team failed to play the ball out of the back as Enea Mihaj passed the ball to Montreal forward Prince Osei Owusu at the top of the 18 yard box. Owusu knocked it along to Matty Longstaff, who placed it bottom corner to open the scoring for the visitors.
Throughout the beginning stage of the match, Atlanta United struggled to get out from under the man to man pressure applied by Montreal, and sloppy giveaways ended any attacking chance before it began. The match tended to be on the physical side from the start, and the medical staff made multiple appearances throughout the night.
CF Montreal nearly added a second in the 24th minute, as Wiki Carmona struck the post after a blocked shot. Things seemed to turn as the match neared the half hour mark, though, as Montreal ceded possession over to Atlanta and bunkered with their lead. Shots from Lobjanidze and Galarza began to show signs of life from Atlanta’s attack.
In the 41st minute, Saba Lobjanidze brought Atlanta back level with his first MLS goal since the 2024 playoff series against Inter Miami. Alexey Miranchuk, playing from the middle of the pitch, acted as creator once again, combining with Pedro Amador before sending it ahead to Lobjanidze. Saba, on his right foot, struck a low shot that squeezed underneath goalkeeper Thomas Gillier and into the net to equalize the match at one.
In the sixth minute of first half stoppage, Atlanta’s press paid off with Cooper Sanchez winning the ball in the Montreal half, and playing it ahead to Latte Lath and onward to Alexey Miranchuk, who unselfishly gives it right back for Latte Lath’s long awaited second goal of the season, and Atlanta’s second of the night. The Five Stripes successfully flipped the first half scoreline, and entered the break with a 2-1 lead.
The good times kept rolling to start the second half, as Saba Lobjanidze struck again in the 50th minute to extend the lead for Atlanta. Cooper Sanchez again won the ball off of a Montreal player, then gave it over to Lobjanidze to finish the job for Atlanta’s third of the night.
The physicality from Montreal continued, with medical staff coming out to look at Stian Gregersen and then Fafa Picault, who was forced out with an injury. Still, Atlanta held on to their lead and even pushed for more, getting looks in front and taking another nine shots in the half in search of a fourth goal.
Tempers boiled over towards the end of the match, with a scuffle breaking out after a Montreal foul. CF Montreal center back Brayan Vera took an early exit with a straight red card after grabbing the neck of Atlanta defender Matt Edwards in the chaos, leaving Atlanta to coast to the end with a man advantage.
In the end, Atlanta United came away with their third victory in the past eight days across all competitons, a 3-1 result and rapid upward trajectory of form, albeit not against the toughest of competition. Still, the Five Stripes know too well not to take wins lightly, and appear to be playing with more freedom than ever this year.
Atlanta will take their positive momentum into next Staurday’s match, as they host the LA Galaxy in their last home match before the World Cup break. They’ll then hit the road for back to back matches in Orlando and a trip to Columbus before some time off.
What did you think of the match? Let us know in the comments below.
Giving Mihaj some credit, that pass of his was deflected to Prince, however, that was still a bit sketchy of a play trying to play out of the back. It’s going to happen, they just need to adjust and fix it.
Saba time brace time. That was a welcomed sight. Some creativity in the final third. And Cooper freakin Sanchez. Wow was he great tonight!