Atlanta United heads into the FIFA World Cup break still searching for consistency after falling 2-0 to the Columbus Crew on Sunday Night Soccer in the club’s final MLS match before the long pause.
The night carried a couple of notable moments for Atlanta despite the result. Saba Lobjanidze made his 100th appearance for the club in all competitions, while Miguel Almirón made his long-awaited return from injury for the first time since April 11.
But on the field, Columbus controlled much of the night from the opening whistle.
The Crew wasted little time putting pressure on Atlanta’s defense, dominating possession and creating dangerous opportunities early. Daniel Gazdag had the first major chance when he connected on a Diego Rossi cross inside the box, but his header from close range drifted off target.
Moments later, Rossi nearly created a highlight-reel sequence himself.
The forward found space inside the box and curled a left-footed shot off the post before Lucas Hoyos reacted quickly to deny the rebound attempt and keep the match scoreless. Atlanta survived the early wave for a bit, but Columbus continued finding dangerous pockets in transition.
That pressure finally broke through in the 24th minute.
After Atlanta failed to secure a loose ball following a set piece, Columbus immediately turned defense into attack. Rossi found Mohamed Farsi sprinting down the right side, and the defender delivered a perfectly weighted pass across the box to Sekou Bangoura, who calmly finished to give the Crew a 1-0 lead.
Atlanta struggled to slow the tempo after conceding, and Columbus added another blow just before halftime.
In first-half stoppage time, Farsi again caused problems down the wing, getting behind Atlanta’s defense before sending a cross into the box. Rossi timed his run perfectly and buried a first-time finish into the bottom corner to double the lead heading into the break.
Down 2-0, Atlanta looked for a spark in the second half — and Tata Martino turned to a familiar face.
Miguel Almirón entered in the 60th minute to a noticeable boost in energy, marking his first MLS appearance in over a month. Almost immediately, the midfielder made his presence felt with a dangerous free kick from long range that forced a deflection over the bar.
Atlanta finally started pushing forward more aggressively after that moment.
The 5-Stripes forced a few turnovers in dangerous areas and began creating opportunities in transition. Alexey Miranchuk had Atlanta’s best chance in the 73rd minute after Cooper Sanchez slipped him through into space. Miranchuk beat one defender off the dribble, but his shot was blocked at the last second by a diving Columbus defender before it could truly test the goalkeeper.
That sequence summed up much of Atlanta’s night — moments of promise, but not enough finishing touch to change the result.
Defensively, Atlanta struggled to contain Columbus in open space throughout the match, especially down the wings where Farsi and Rossi consistently created problems. Offensively, the attack showed flashes after Almirón entered, but the deficit proved too much to overcome.
Atlanta United now heads into the FIFA World Cup break sitting at 3-9-2 with 11 points, hoping the time off provides a reset for a squad still trying to find rhythm in the second half of the season.
The 5-Stripes return to action Friday, July 17, when they travel to Geodis Park to face Nashville SC.
