Five Stripes Rally for a Point: Atlanta United Battles Back to Earn 2-2 Draw at Charlotte

It looked like another frustrating night for Atlanta United.

Instead, the Five Stripes showed resilience.

Facing a two-goal halftime deficit Wednesday night at Bank of America Stadium, Atlanta United stormed back with two second-half goals to earn a hard-fought 2-2 draw against Charlotte FC, picking up a valuable road point in MLS play.

The comeback was fueled by a milestone moment from Elías Báez, who scored the first MLS goal of his career, and a familiar face who continues to deliver in big moments.

Miguel Almirón found the equalizer in the 76th minute, capping Atlanta’s second-half rally and helping the club earn just its seventh comeback from a multi-goal deficit to secure at least a point in MLS history.

Charlotte struck first in the 16th minute when Kerwin Vargas buried a rebound after Atlanta goalkeeper Lucas Hoyos made an initial save. The home side doubled its advantage just before halftime as Liel Abada headed home a pinpoint cross from Pep Biel, sending Charlotte into the break with a commanding 2-0 lead.

Despite trailing, Atlanta created several quality opportunities before halftime.

Almirón nearly pulled one back in the 38th minute after racing onto a long ball from Hoyos, but Charlotte goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina came up with a diving save to keep Atlanta off the scoreboard. Minutes later, Hoyos delivered another huge stop during first-half stoppage time before Miranchuk was denied one-on-one by Kahlina on the ensuing attack.

The momentum shifted after the break.

Atlanta finally broke through in the 57th minute when its outside backs connected beautifully. Tomás Jacob delivered a cross into the box where Báez rose above the defense and powered a header into the back of the net for his first career MLS goal, cutting Charlotte’s lead to 2-1.

The goal injected life into the Five Stripes.

Nineteen minutes later, Báez turned provider.

His cross into the box created chaos in front of goal before the loose ball found Almirón near the six-yard box. The Atlanta midfielder calmly finished the opportunity, tying the match at 2-2 and silencing the Charlotte crowd.

Both clubs pushed for a late winner, but neither side could find the decisive goal as the rivals settled for a share of the points.

While Atlanta would have preferred all three points, the comeback showcased the fight this club continues to display.

For Báez, it was a night he’ll never forget. Scoring your first MLS goal is a milestone every player dreams about, and the young defender played a major role in helping Atlanta erase a two-goal deficit by contributing both a goal and an assist.

Almirón once again proved why he remains one of Atlanta’s most dangerous attacking threats, delivering when his team needed him most.

Atlanta United now sits at 3-10-3 (12 points) and will look to build on the momentum from Wednesday’s comeback when it heads to Foxborough, Massachusetts, to face the New England Revolution on Saturday, July 25 at Gillette Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET.

Sometimes a point feels like more than a point.

After battling back from two goals down on the road, Wednesday night’s draw may provide the confidence boost Atlanta United has been searching for as it continues its road trip.