After being winless in their last nine matches, Atlanta United returned to the win column in thrilling fashion. They secured a dominant 3-1 victory against the current Eastern Conference leader, Inter Miami FC, marking their 100th win in club history.
"For me, it was a big sign of great mentality for the team," said head coach Gonzalo Pineda at the post-match press conference. "But it is also a reward for the fans. One thing I really appreciated today was the corner near the back of the goal was completely filled by our fans. They traveled here trying to motivate the players."
At the start, Atlanta United aimed to disrupt Miami's formation, as Miami is third in the league in possession. The 5-Stripes created several early chances in the final third. In the 10th minute, Brooks Lennon's shot from the right side of the box narrowly missed the left post.
Josh Cohen, making his first start for Atlanta in MLS play, made a diving save in the 20th minute, though the play was ruled offside. Atlanta's set pieces were dangerous in the first half. In the 30th minute, following a corner kick, Jamal Thiare and Derrick Williams both had scoring opportunities within the box.
The game opened up as the first half progressed. Thiago Almada, wearing the captain's armband for this match, had a good look with a shot from the right side of the box. Despite having less possession, Atlanta managed to keep the match in their favor. The three center backs—Stian Gregersen, Derrick Williams, and Luis Abram—effectively shut down Miami's chances.
Atlanta struck first with a rocket of a shot from Saba Lobjanidze in the 44th minute. After winning the ball back in midfield, Atlanta quickly built up their attack. Miami couldn't set up defensively as Lobjanidze advanced the ball with a pass from Tristan Muymba, scoring from a central position outside the box.
Lobjanidze nearly extended Atlanta's lead during the two minutes of stoppage time in the first half. He had a breakaway down the middle, but his shot was blocked and went wide. Atlanta United finished the first half with a goal and the lead, a crucial achievement during this challenging stretch of play.
Atlanta United continued their strong play into the beginning of the second half. The 5-Stripes capitalized on another turnover by Miami, leading to a breakout play. Assisted by Thiago Almada and Brooks Lennon, Saba Lobjanidze scored his second goal of the night in the 59th minute. Demonstrating patience, he shot from a central position outside the box.
"I was not surprised," said Lobjanidze to the press post-match when asked about his ability to maintain possession without being stopped. "I had a conversation with Gonzalo [Pineda], and he said he wanted me to be more aggressive while dribbling the ball. It was nice to show that after our conversation."
Despite Atlanta's dominance for much of the match, it only took one shot from Lionel Messi in the 62nd minute for Inter Miami to strike back. Messi delivered a one-touch, low curling ball that slipped past Cohen.
However, the 5-Stripes quickly recovered after conceding the goal. Managing the moments after conceding was a key focus for the club. Lobjanidze nearly secured a hat trick with a shot from a central position outside the box. Just 11 minutes after Messi's goal, Atlanta regained their two-goal lead. Following a quick play from Almada at the top of the box, the ball reached homegrown talent Caleb Wiley, who sent a pass across the six-yard box. Jamal Thiaré was there to tap it into the back of the net.
After the goal, both Atlanta and Miami made substitutions in the 74th minute. For Atlanta, Noah Cobb replaced Derrick Williams and Edwin Mosquera came in for Saba Lobjanidze. Miami substituted Leonardo Campana for Robert Taylor.
Atlanta United continued to push for another goal. Mosquera took a shot from the right side of the final third, but it went wide. Thiaré attempted to score a brace, but his shot was blocked inside the box. In the 83rd minute, Giorgos Giakoumakis and Jay Fortune came on for Jamal Thiaré and Dax McCarty, respectively.
Atlanta's final substitution of the night saw Ronald Hernandez come in for Thiago Almada in the 89th minute. With seven minutes of stoppage time added, the 5-Stripes played keep-away to let the clock run down. Miami managed to create a few chances, but it was Atlanta that walked away with a much-needed and dominant win.
"If we are winning, we are winning together," said Lobjanidze. "If we are losing, we are losing together. Sometimes you just need a game like that to regain your confidence and mentality."