Atlanta United first-year manager Ronny Deila made a mass substitution in the 83rd minute of what was a 2-2 game. He decided to bring Ajani Fortune, defender Derrick Williams, and Edwin Mosquera into the match. Two minutes later Mosquera would score the game-winning goal on a rocket into the upper left corner of the CF Montreal goal.
From the very beginning of the match, the 2025 season felt like it was going to be different.
There were times early in the match when Miguel Almiron or Emmanuel Latte Lath (two goals and an assist on the Mosquera goal), the two high-profile signings of the off-season, got their feet on the ball and the crowd rose to its feet. The energy when Atlanta United has the ball and is racing downfield is always high, but on Saturday night it was something different entirely.
Within the first 15 minutes of the match, Atlanta United took several shots-on-goal from Latte Lath, Saba Lobjanidze, and Alexy Miranchuk. Almiron earned a free kick in the 7th minute and both he and Latte Lath took turns running past the CF Montreal defenders.
Bartosz Slisz got in on the act in the 28th minute when his shot was tipped away by the Montreal goalkeeper. Atlanta United may have been dominating the match in terms of possession and excitement, but the score remained 0-0 halfway through the first half. Until Latte Lath took a Lobjanidze corner kick off his head and into the Montreal goal for the first and only score of the first half.
CF Montreal tied the game at a goal each early in the second half on a goal from midfielder Nathan Saliba in the 47th minute.
Latte Lath would strike again to give Atlanta a 2-1 advantage, this time on an unassisted goal that followed a miss by Almiron. Montreal would tie the match again in the 71st minute, eliciting boos from the near-capacity crowd in Mercedes-Benz Stadium. he would come out of the match in the 89th minute and receive a massive level of applause from the crowd. Noah Cobb came into the game for Latte Lath.
Amiron received a similar sendoff when he left the pitch as a sub for striker Jamal Thiare in the 99th minute.
What’s Next: Atlanta will travel to North Carolina to play Charlotte FC on Saturday, March 1 (2 p.m.)
News and Notes:
Giving Back to the Game – During halftime there was a check presentation from the Atlanta United Community Foundation to Atlanta Public Schools Department of Athletics. The $345,000 was granted to the state’s largest school system’s sports arm in order to support all 23 of its soccer programs.
Moments after the presentation, The Atlanta Voice spoke to Atlanta Public Schools Director of Athletics Corrie Collier about the financial support the soccer programs, 12 middle school and 11 high school, are receiving.
Moments before the presentation was announced, Collier spoke about the funding efforts by the Atlanta United Community Foundation.
“It feels wonderful. It’s for all of the student-athletes and coaches so they can be successful on and off the field,” Collier said.
The Commish – Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber made his way to the press box inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium minutes before kickoff. During his time addressing the press, Garber spoke about walking onto the pitch to say hello to Miguel Almiron.
“I wanted to welcome him back,” Garber said.
Garber also spoke about the MLS transfer window, the new MLS Season Pass docuseries “Onsides” and the consistent amount of fans that have been attending Atlanta United matches since the team played its first game in 2017.
New Day for Dominik-It’s a new season for 17-year-old local boy Dominik Chong Qui as well. The team recently announced that the defender was signed to a short-term agreement ahead of Saturday’s season opener. Chong Qui, a native of Alpharetta, showed a lot of poise and skill during the preseason matches and training. Short-term agreement signees can play in as many as four MLS matches. Ching Qui did not play in Saturday’s match against CF Montreal.
Attendance – 65,520
