Match recap: Atlanta United sparks late comeback to down Red Bull New York in return home

Returning home after a long time away, Atlanta United wanted nothing more than to give the 17s a welcome back gift. 

Tristan Muyumba and Fafa Picault were feeling generous. With a right-footed curler and a back-post header, the 5-Stripes turned the tables over the span of 13 minutes Saturday night. Atlanta defeated Red Bull New York 2-1, coming from behind with two late goals to take three points in their return to Mercedes-Benz Stadium. 

What happened

Atlanta United jumped out with the energy of a team eager to show their home fans what they can do. But the Red Bulls brought some intensity themselves, and the game was mostly end to end for the first couple minutes. 

The visitors combined succinctly for the first goal of the match, dishing quick passes in between defenders to find Emil Forsberg through on goal. He placed his shot to the left side of the goal to take a 1-0 lead in the 6th minute. 

After a cagey next 10 minutes, the 5-Stripes settled things down on the ball and looked to unlock New York's defense with some rapid passing of their own. Alexey Miranchuk, Miguel Almirón and Tristan Muyumba were heavily involved in buildup. 

Lucas Hoyos made a difficult save from short distance on Forsberg in the 20th minute, as the Red Bulls continued to be direct with their possession. 

Almirón broke away with Muyumba and Fafa Picault running with him in the 26th minute. The captain squared the ball across to Muyumba, whose shot floated over the bar. 

Picault and Muyumba were slicing the defensive lines throughout the end of the first half, and Atlanta United had created enough threatening moments to level the match. The final touch eluded them, though, and the sides went into the locker rooms at halftime with the score still 1-0. 

The Red Bulls took hold of the match coming out of the break, forcing Atlanta United deeper in their defensive third. But the 5-Stripes were ready to counter in the 51st minute, and Almirón got one-on-one with the keeper from a tight angle. His shot rolled wide of the left post. 

Atlanta kept searching, and Muyumba made his 100th appearance with the club memorable. He scored in his second consecutive match with a goal that looked incredible similar to his strike two weeks ago. Just inside the box, he put his right foot through the ball and curled it into the right side of the net for 1-1 in the 69th minute.

The 5-Stripes felt the momentum the 17s were bringing, and in the 82nd minute, they felt something that's been not nearly common enough this season: luck. Almirón played a ball into the back post and found Picault's head, and the forward cushioned it back across the face of goal. Red Bull goalkeeper Ethan Horvath jumped in net to block it, but the ball instead deflected off him and into the net. Picault took the goal nonetheless, and Atlanta had a comeback lead.​

The 5-Stripes had to hold their own down the stretch, with Hoyos making a low save to his left in the 87th minute and Ronald Hernández making a last-ditch clearance in the 90th. But they fortified the backline under pressure, and Atlanta United walked away with a win in their first match back at Mercedes-Benz Stadium after the World Cup break. 

Standouts

• Tristan Muyumba was a key cog in the middle of the pitch for Atlanta United. He demonstrated immense work rate, making darting runs up the pitch for the full 90 minutes.

Milestones

• Miguel Almirón's 82nd minute assist secured him a share of the club's all-time assists record. The Paraguayan now has 41, tied with Brooks Lennon. 

• Tristan Muyumba made his 100th appearance in all competitions for Atlanta United. He became the 12th player in the club's history to reach 100 caps. 

• Adrian Gill made his debut for the 5-Stripes after signing with the club in January. He was the 91st player to make his debut for Atlanta United, a league leading number since the club's inaugural season in 2017.

Next up

The 5-Stripes hit the road for a midweek matchup in in the Midwest. Atlanta United will kick off against Minnesota United at 8:30 p.m. ET Wednesday, Aug. 19.