Atlanta United Defeats FC Cincinnati 4-2 in Front of Electric Home Crowd

Atlanta United put together one of its most complete performances of the season on Sunday night, defeating FC Cincinnati 4-2 in front of a raucous crowd of 40,919 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. In a night filled with milestone moments, four different players scored for the home side — including first goals of the season from Derrick Williams, Jay Fortune, and Bartosz Slisz — while Jamal Thiaré sealed the victory deep into stoppage time.

The win marks Atlanta’s third home victory of the 2025 campaign and offers a much-needed boost as the Five Stripes look to build consistency. Veteran midfielder Alexey Miranchuk delivered two assists in his 400th professional appearance, leading the charge in a match packed with energy and flair.

Early Goals Set the Tone

Atlanta United wasted little time finding rhythm. In the 15th minute, a set-piece opportunity opened the scoring. After former Atlanta defender Miles Robinson picked up a yellow card for a foul on Latte Lath, Miranchuk floated a precise cross into the six-yard box where Derrick Williams headed it down and into the net for his first goal of the season.

Just five minutes later, Atlanta doubled its lead through fluid team play. Starting from a goal kick, the Five Stripes built down the left before switching quickly to Saba Lobjanidze on the right wing. Lobjanidze created space, then fired a low cross into the box, where Jay Fortune tapped in a close-range finish to make it 2-0.

Back-and-Forth Second Half

Cincinnati halved the deficit quickly after the break. In the 48th minute, Evander whipped in a corner that Robinson nodded past Brad Guzan to make it 2-1.

But Atlanta wasn’t done. In the 67th minute, the Five Stripes responded from a set piece. Lobjanidze’s corner was redirected by Williams back across the goal, bouncing off Miranchuk and finding Bartosz Slisz, who poked home his first goal of the year to restore Atlanta’s two-goal cushion.

Cincinnati pulled one back again just four minutes later. After a sustained stretch of possession, Lukas Engel served a low cross to Gerardo Valenzuela, who slid in and tucked the shot under Guzan to make it 3-2.

Thiaré Puts It Away in Style

With the game hanging in the balance, Atlanta’s defense stood strong to weather Cincinnati’s late push. In the final minute of stoppage time, substitute Matt Edwards intercepted a pass and found Mateusz Klich in open space. Klich spotted the run of Jamal Thiaré, who timed it perfectly before curling a composed finish into the bottom right corner to secure all three points.

Deila: “Totally Different Discipline and Attitude”

After the match, Atlanta United Head Coach Ronny Deila praised his team’s response:

“We hope so. We had a 1-1 result in Chicago but we blew it up and lost in the end. Now, we come back again and tonight we have a totally different discipline and attitude in what we were doing. In the circumstances we are in, I’m very happy.”

With injuries and pressure mounting, Deila emphasized the importance of the team showing maturity and mental toughness — something Atlanta had been lacking in previous weeks.

What’s Next

Atlanta United (3-7-5, 14 points) returns to action on Wednesday, May 28, hosting Orlando City SC at 7:30 p.m. ET at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. After Sunday’s spirited performance, the Five Stripes will aim to keep the momentum going in front of their home fans.