After nearly two months away, Atlanta United returned to Mercedes-Benz Stadium and once again delivered late-match drama, salvaging a 2-2 draw against Chicago Fire thanks to a 94th-minute equalizer from Homegrown midfielder Will Reilly.
Trailing for most of the match, the 5-Stripes were saved by a late set piece. Reilly, brought on as a substitute in the 71st minute, smashed in a loose ball off a corner kick for his first-ever goal in an Atlanta United jersey, sending the home crowd into celebration.
“We need to work with our performances,” said head coach Ronny Deila. “But we don’t give up and we keep going and get something out of it. There’s a big difference between losing and drawing.”
How It Unfolded:
The game began at full speed. Just two minutes in, Chicago took the lead via a bizarre olimpico goal from Philip Zinckernagel that curled in directly from a corner and bounced off the post into the net. Atlanta created chances early, with Pedro Amador, Saba Lobjanidze, and Miguel Almirón all testing Chicago’s defense, but couldn’t convert.
Despite increased pressure and aggressive pressing, Atlanta ended the first half down 1-0.
Early in the second half, Alexey Miranchuk delivered a moment of brilliance, curling in a left-footed strike off the post to tie the match at 1-1 in the 56th minute. However, Atlanta’s joy was short-lived, as Maren Haile-Selassie regained the lead for Chicago in the 78th minute with a composed finish into the bottom corner.
Late substitutions by Deila, including Reilly, Brennan, and Thiaré, helped shift the momentum back to Atlanta. The final payoff came in the 94th minute when Reilly pounced on a loose ball in the box and roofed it, sealing the 2-2 result.
Key Stats & Highlights:
- Set Piece Redemption: Atlanta conceded from a corner early but earned redemption in the dying moments via Reilly’s goal off their own corner — the second straight game in which they’ve rescued points through late set pieces.
- Brad Guzan’s Return: Wearing a protective mask after facial surgery, the veteran goalkeeper made seven saves, including multiple crucial one-on-one stops.
- Milestones:
- Guzan is now one appearance away from 300 MLS regular season matches.
- Miranchuk netted his third goal of the season, now tied for the team lead in goal contributions (7).
- Almirón recorded his 34th assist, tying him for third all-time in club history.
- Will Reilly scored his first career goal for the club — in dramatic fashion.
Next Up:
Atlanta United continues their homestand on Saturday, July 19, against Charlotte FC. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m., promising more fireworks in this budding Southeastern rivalry.
