WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 6, 2025) — It wasn’t the fireworks-filled Fourth of July weekend result fans may have hoped for, but Atlanta United secured a hard-fought point on the road Saturday night, drawing 0-0 with Eastern Conference rivals D.C. United at Audi Field.
The 5-Stripes held the lion’s share of possession and posted their second clean sheet of the season — and their first since March 8 — but couldn’t break down a compact D.C. defense to find the breakthrough.
What Happened
Head coach Ronny Deila rolled out a 5-3-2 formation that morphed into an aggressive 4-2-4 in attack, with Saba Lobjanidze and Miguel Almirón stretching the field wide while Alexey Miranchuk pushed high alongside the forwards. Atlanta dominated the ball early, but D.C.’s deep block kept clear-cut chances to a minimum.
D.C. United’s Conner Antley nearly opened the scoring in the 6th minute with a first-time strike off the crossbar — the best chance of the half for either side.
Emmanuel Latte Lath had a few moments of promise, but his closest look in the 51st minute — a chipped ball over the top from Miranchuk — went sailing over the net. Despite holding a clear edge in possession and passes, Atlanta couldn’t penetrate the box with enough urgency to force the issue.
Standout Performers
- Will Reilly shined in his third start of the season. The Homegrown midfielder completed 92.3% of his passes and brought energy and composure to Atlanta’s midfield throughout the 90 minutes.
- Efraín Morales, making his second consecutive start, was a wall in defense. The 20-year-old blocked a crucial D.C. counter in the 62nd minute and finished the night with a team-high 97.7% passing accuracy.
By the Numbers
- Shots on Target: 2 (for both teams)
- Clean Sheets: Atlanta United earned their second of the 2025 season — and first in 15 matches.
- Will Reilly joins Jay Fortune, Matt Edwards, and Noah Cobb as the fourth Homegrown to start at least three matches this year.
What’s Next
The 5-Stripes wrap up their extended road trip next Friday, July 12, with a visit to Toronto FC at 7:30 p.m. ET. They’ll return home for the first time in over a month on July 20 to host Chicago Fire, followed by a clash with Charlotte FC.
