After 98 days, Atlanta United made sure its home fans went home with a win.
Tristan Muyumba cashed in on a brilliant equalizer in the 69th minute, before Fafa Picault scored the match winner in the 82nd minute to send the Five Stripes to a 2-1 victory over Red Bull New York on Saturday night.
Atlanta found itself down early, conceding in the sixth minute after a failed series of clearances in its own box were eventually punished. Adri Mehmeti’s through ball to Emil Forsberg left him 1v1 with Hoyos, and he finished his chance perfectly to make it 1-0.
Atlanta had a great opportunity to level the match in the 27th minute as Miguel Almiron broke in through the left side and worked it into the box. Instead of taking the shot himself, he passed it back to Tristan Muyumba, whose shot sailed well over the crossbar.
It looked as if it’d be another long night for the Atlanta attack as they failed to generate anything to put Ethan Horvath and the embattled Red Bulls defense under duress.
That was, however, until the 69th minute, when Atlanta pulled level. Tristan Muyumba received a pass from Alexey Miranchuk and drilled a right-footed strike over a lunging Ethan Horvath to tie it at 1-1.
Then, in the 82nd minute, Picault put Atlanta ahead on a set-piece routine. After Miguel Almiron drove one in from the right side of the box after a corner kick, Picualt’s header came off a diving Horvath and into the back of the net to make it 2-1.
Picault’s goal ultimately stood up as Atlanta United saw out the remaining eight minutes plus stoppage time to end a 0-5-2 skid. The win was also Atlanta’s first since May 2, when it defeated CF Montreal 3-1 in the second of back-to-back victories.
Atlanta United returns to action on Wednesday night as they take on Minnesota United for an 8:30 ET kickoff from Allianz Field.