Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
Atlanta United fell behind again at home on Wednesday night. Necaxa, Atlanta’s League Cup opponent, scored the first goal of the match in the 10th minute. Atlanta goalkeeper Brad Guzan on his back and the scoreboard lighting up for another team inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium has become a familiar sight this season.
He would be seen getting beaten on goals in the 77th minute and the 91st minute of this match. Both goals were scored by Necaxa forward Tomas Badaloni.
Atlanta United lost its Leagues Cup opener 3-1. They still haven’t won a match in
The 2025 Leagues Cup between Major League Soccer (MLS) and Mexico’s Liga MX began on Wednesday night with six games taking place across the country. Along with Atlanta United, which hosted Necaxa at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Inter Miami hosted Atlas at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Orlando City, Minnesota United, Real Salt Lake, and the Portland Timbers each hosted Leagues Cup matches on Wednesday night.
Atlanta tied the match at a goal each when Alexey Miranchuk, the hero of Saturday night’s 2-2 draw against Seattle, found the back of the net again in the 28th minute. The goal may have been unassisted, but it was the play of Luke Brennan and Tristan Muyumba that put Atlanta in position to score in the first place.
Atlanta United lofted more crosses into Necaxa territory during the first 45 minutes of tonight’s match than they did the entirety of the draw with Seattle just four nights earlier. With five minutes worth of stoppage time at the end of the first half, Miguel Almiron nearly put the Five Stripes on top twice, but missed both shots.
Almiron found himself in front of the Necaxa net again in the 50th minute and missed another shot. This one was set up by Miranchuk, and even Almiron couldn’t believe it was saved by Necaxa goalkeeper Ezequiel Unsain.
Atlanta manager Rinny Deila made four substitutions in the 60th minute, with the score tied at one. Atlanta United striker Emmanuel Latte Lath was one of those players entering the game.
What’s Next: Atlanta United will play their next Leagues Cup match at the Estadio Olimpico in Mexico City on Saturday, August 2. Their opponent: Pumas UNAM.
