Atlanta United Secures 2-2 Draw at FC Cincinnati in Thrilling Second Half

Atlanta United battled to a dramatic 2-2 draw against FC Cincinnati at TQL Stadium on Saturday afternoon. All four goals came in an action-packed second half, with Atlanta’s Latte Lath scoring his fourth goal of the season and FC Cincinnati conceding a late own goal. Meanwhile, Evander netted a brace for the hosts. Homegrown midfielder Will Reilly also marked a milestone, making his first career MLS start.

First Half: Near Misses and Guzan’s Heroics

Atlanta United nearly struck first just minutes after kickoff. Alexey Miranchuk fired a shot from just inside the box in the fourth minute, but it rattled off the crossbar. The visitors quickly regained possession, with Saba Lobjanidze cutting inside for a follow-up attempt, only to see his shot blocked.

At the other end, veteran goalkeeper Brad Guzan was key in keeping the match scoreless. He made two big saves in the first half, the first in the seventh minute when he denied Nick Hagglund’s header from a Evander free kick. Ten minutes later, Guzan was again up to the challenge, parrying away a dangerous near-post free kick from Luca Orellano.

Atlanta nearly found the breakthrough in the 35th minute on a quick counterattack. Miranchuk found Reilly in space near midfield, and the rookie played Lobjanidze down the right flank. Lobjanidze then sent a cross to Tristan Muyumba, whose redirection appeared goal-bound before deflecting off Latte Lath. However, the promising attack was overshadowed by an unfortunate moment just minutes later, as Muyumba suffered a right knee injury and had to be stretchered off, with Cayman Togashi entering as his replacement.

Second Half: A Flurry of Goals

Togashi made an immediate impact after the break, helping Atlanta grab the lead in the 50th minute. After Cincinnati halted an Atlanta counterattack, Togashi took a quick throw-in to Lobjanidze, who dribbled into the box before delivering a low cross. Latte Lath made no mistake, redirecting the ball with his left foot past Roman Celentano for a 1-0 advantage.

Atlanta nearly doubled its lead nine minutes later in spectacular fashion. Lobjanidze made a dazzling run through midfield and unleashed a left-footed shot from the edge of the box. Celentano was forced into a diving save, just getting enough of his right hand on the ball to push it off the post and out of danger.

FC Cincinnati took advantage of the let-off, equalizing in the 70th minute. Off a free kick from about 25 yards out, Evander’s attempt deflected off the Atlanta wall, wrong-footing Guzan and bouncing into the net.

The home side then snatched the lead just six minutes later. Off a broken play in Atlanta’s defensive third, Pavel Bucha collected the ball and dribbled into the box before picking out Evander in the center. The midfielder calmly slotted home his second goal of the night to put Cincinnati ahead 2-1.

Late Drama: Atlanta Forces an Own Goal

Atlanta United refused to back down and found a late equalizer in the 88th minute. Defender Ronald Hernandez, playing as a substitute center back, carried the ball into midfield before finding Miranchuk in space. The Russian turned and played Lobjanidze down the right wing, where he sent a cross toward the back post. As Latte Lath made a run to meet it, Cincinnati’s Alvas Powell lunged to cut off the ball but accidentally redirected it into his own net, securing a dramatic 2-2 draw.

What’s Next?

Atlanta United (1-2-2, 5 points) returns to action on Saturday, March 29, when they host New York City FC at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.