MLS: Miranchuk, Muyumba Lead Atlanta United Past Toronto FC 2-1
- Calum Ewing
- 26 minutes ago
- 5 min read
Credit: Atlanta United
NATIONAL SOCCER NEWS: www.nationalsoccernetwork.com
Toronto, CA - Rejoice! Atlanta United has won again.
A spirited effort that saw Aleksey Miranchuk and Tristan Muyumba score two fantastic goals led Atlanta to a 2-1 victory over Toronto FC Saturday afternoon. Characterized by a strong performance coming out of halftime, holding onto a lead late, and quality combination play, it was the type of performance that may change the club’s overall mentality heading into the summer months.
The starting lineup was very different from the norm as the club handles a congested schedule and underperformance. Matt Edwards started at right back alongside Juan Berrocal returning to start at center back. Gregersen, Baez, Muyumba, Sanchez, and Fortune took their expected positions in the backline and midfield. Up front, Alexey Miranchuk wore the captain’s armband on the right, with Luke Brennan at left wing and Cayman Togashi making his first MLS start up front.
Credit: Atlanta United
The first attacking opportunity for either side came in the 10th minute, when Matt Edwards whipped a fantastic ball into the box to meet the run of Luke Brennan. However, as the young left winger attempted a strike, it was deflected for a corner.
Toronto created their first chance seven minutes later, playing a through ball into the right side of the box. The effort to chip Hoyos went well high and wide, and the quick pass back in was cleared.
In the 22nd minute, Cayman Togashi appeared to score his first ever MLS goal! Lucas Hoyos played a long ball that met Alexey Miranchuk past the halfway line, and he headed it on towards Togashi, who was able to beat Toronto defender Zane Monlouis by settling the ball with his chest and turning forward. From there, he took it the distance and hit a looping (possibly deflected) shot into the top left corner for the 1-0 lead. However, as Togashi was down for an injury sustained on the play (Monlouis slid in late), the referee went to VAR and called the goal back for offside.
Apologies for the low quality, but above is the only photo I could get, as the Apple TV broadcast was having major troubles. Replays would not load, audio and graphics were missing for the first few minutes, and they even cut at one point to a cameraman rubbing water off his lens.
Once the camera panned back, Togashi was subbed off for Emmanuel Latte Lath.
From then onto halftime, there was only one real half-chance in the cold, wet conditions during the 44th minute. Matt Edwards failed to get his head up playing a ball towards the backline under pressure in build-up play and ended up passing straight to Toronto’s Aristizabal in the box. His quick turn and shot from the left side was blocked by Berrocal, and it appeared that it would have went straight to Hoyos anyway.
Atlanta may have felt disappointed to not hold the lead in this choppy match, but for the first time this year, they opened the second half with a statement! After Fortune won a free kick at the top of the box, Alexey Miranchuk stepped up and brilliantly curved the ball over the wall into the top left corner for his 5th goal of the season and a 1-0 lead! The goal was surprisingly the first-ever direct free kick scored on the road in Atlanta United history, and the first free kick goal since May 17, 2023 (Thiago Almada vs. Colorado).
Credit: Atlanta United
Toronto were desperate to equalize. In the 54th minute, Jonathan Osorio received a ball in the box off a header and hit it out of the air across to Josh Sargent at the back post. The former Norwich City star dove forward from the left side, but just couldn’t make any contact. Seven minutes later, Coello struck an effort from a set piece just wide right of the post, and two minutes after that, a free back post header from a corner went straight to the hands of Hoyos.
None of this momentum would matter thanks to an unbelievable goal in transition by Tristan Muyumba in the 67th minute! Cooper Sanchez created the opportunity just past midfield by combining for a 1-2 with Ajani Fortune, just to backheel for another 1-2 with Muyumba. This gave him loads of space to break into past Toronto defenders, and the Homegrown decided to play the ball to the left towards Fafa Picault. Last week’s goal scorer hit it slightly behind him first time with the outside of his foot, and Muyumba stepped up to cleanly strike the ball into the top right corner! With a 2-0 lead, were Atlanta United’s woes finally coming to an end?
Josh Sargent wanted to put the answer to that question in doubt three minutes after, driving under pressure from Miranchuk to the top of the box and getting off a powerful strike that smashed the ad boards wide right of goal. However, Toronto would pull a goal back a minute later after a great cross from Franklin towards Emilio Aristizabal dipped just over Stian Gregersen, allowing Emilio to head the ball into the top left corner from 15 yards out! Just like their comeback against Philadelphia during the midweek, Toronto had shocked themselves back to life, and Emilio claimed his first goal for the club.
Malik Henry almost got an equalizer for the home side in the 75th minute! Receiving a ball on the right side of the box and cutting inside to beat Baez, he pulled his shot fractionally wide left of the back post. Atlanta got off lucky, but they would have to quell this spell of Canadian dominance to see out all three points.
For ten minutes, the Five Stripes did just that, controlling possession well and keeping the ball into the attacking half. Then, just like Atlanta in the first half, Toronto had a goal disallowed for offside. A cross from the right towards former Atlanta winger Derrick Etienne Jr. saw him awkwardly poke it through two defenders towards Vilsant for an easy finish six yards from goal. However, the forward was well behind Gregersen during the entire sequence, ruling it out.
With four minutes to go of six in stoppage time, Toronto won a corner, and goalkeeper Luka Gavran left his goal to join the attack! He stayed up as clearances and ensuing corners commenced, but it seemed so early for that desperation, even when Gavran headed the equalizer last week as only the 3rd goalkeeper to ever score in MLS. Toronto was not punished for the decision, but as Gavran went up one last time for the final play, no miracle equalizer was to be found. Atlanta United won their first away match since Nashville SC last year, and for only the second time this season, fans can say they watched a win in MLS play!
Now, the Five Stripes improve to 2-1-7, up to 13th in the East and somehow only two points off the 9th place play-in spot at the time of writing. Their next match will be an all-important US Open Cup Round of 16 draw away to Charlotte FC on Tuesday. The game will kick off at 7:00pm EST.
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