Atlanta United scored first, and they scored last on Saturday night in a 2-2 draw with visiting Seattle Sounders. Seattle found what they thought was the game-winning goal in the 95th minute by number 95, forward Osaze De Rosario. It was Osario’s first goal of the season. But Alexey Miranchuk found the back of the Seattle net in the 99th minute to tie things up.
The Crown Prince of the city, Miguel Almiron, wore the captain’s armband for Atlanta United on Saturday night and nearly blew the roof off of Mercedes-Benz Stadium with a goal in the fourth minute of the match. A Seattle Sounders defender blocked the shot, but the early aggression on offense was a welcome sight.
Atlanta took a 1-0 lead in the seventh minute after an own-goal by Seattle defender Yeimar was put in motion by striker Emmanuel Latte Lath’s shot-on-goal. A one-goal lead is never safe, especially this season. Atlanta led Charlotte FC 1-0 early in their match last week, and lost by a score of 3-2.
The last time Atlanta United won a match was on May 28 over Orlando City FC. The 3-2 final score included last-minute goals and was seen by a sellout crowd at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. On Saturday night, it wasn’t quite a sellout crowd that saw Atlanta face Seattle, but the fans who were there did a good job of being heard throughout the match.
The first half ended with Atlanta holding on to a 1-0 lead and some confidence heading into the second half. The first 10 minutes of the second half would tell the tale for Atlanta United. That period has been troublesome this season. And it remains trouble as Seattle forward Pedro de la Vega scored his third goal of the season in the 54th minute to tie the match. He had a defender back with him, but still found a way to shoot a low, fast shot past Atlanta goalkeeper Brad Guzan.
Atlanta got shots-on-goal from Bartosz Slisz and Ronald Hernandez in the 63rd and 73rd minutes of the match, but both missed badly. Potential goal-scorers for Atlanta, Jamal Thiare and Saba Lobjanidze, subbed into the match in the 66th and 77th minutes.
What’s Next: Atlanta United will play a pair of Leagues Cup matches on Wednesday, July 30, and Saturday, August 2, before hosting Atlas on Wednesday, August 6.