Match recap: Late Muyumba goal helps Atlanta United play spoiler in Minnesota

On a night of celebrations for the home side, it was the visiting Atlanta United cheering in their locker room by the end of the night. The 5-Stripes spoiled Minnesota United's 10 Year Celebration, and it took two wonderful takes to do it. Tomás Jacob opened things with a golazo, and Tristan Muyumba registered his third consecutive match with a goal. His 78th minute finish propelled the 5-Stripes to a 2-1 win over the Loons, a second win in five days.

What happened

Atlanta United earned a corner in the 7th minute from a confident string of passes, but that was most notable development of a back-and-forth first 10 minutes. 

Right at the 10-minute mark, Marcus Caldeira slipped behind the defense to register a shot. Stian Gregersen's close defending influenced the shot, which flew wide left. 

Lucas Hoyos made one of his best stops of the year on a point-blank header in the 16th minute. A cross was flicked to the back post, where Anthony Markanich was wide open for a header. Hoyos sprinted at him and flung his arms up to parry the ball away. 

Miguel Almirón hit the post on a header in the 20th minute, the result of a lobbed cross from Fafa Picault. After the play unfolded, the offside flag went up for Picault's run in behind. 

Things stayed aerial as Markanich nearly scored from a header again in the 28th minute, rising up to find a cross but missing his attempt high. Tomás Chancalay hit side netting with a near-miss shot in the 34th as Minnesota grew more threatening by the minute. 

But then, Tomás Jacob pulled something brilliant out. The 5-Stripes recycled the ball from a corner kick, and a deflected longshot attempt from Tristan Muyumba fell to the Argentine right back. On the bounce, Jacob settled and caught a slicing effort perfectly, drilling it into the left side of the net to put Atlanta United ahead 1-0 in the 37th minute.

Chancalay was inches away from an equalizer with a curling strike after a corner kick in the 45th minute, and the 5-Stripes were fortunate to head into the half ahead 1-0. 

Atlanta United came out of the break flying, and Almirón nearly scored in the 49th minute. Alexey Miranchuk found the Paraguayan with a well-weighted through ball, but Almirón's strike was denied by an improbable foot save from Drake Callender in goal. 

Up the other end, Minnesota earned a corner that nearly drew an own goal. Gregersen's headed attempt at a clearance went the other way and smacked the bar, falling conveniently to Hoyos. 

In the 57th minute, the Loons hit the bar again off a set piece routine, but this time the bounce was friendlier for the home side. The ball looped up and fell right on the goal line, and there was Markanich to head it home, practically standing on the line himself. 

The 1-1 scoreline was about as chaotic as it gets, and Minnesota were thriving in it. Head coach Tata Martino went to his bench to bring on Luke Brennan and Steven Alzate, hoping some fresh legs would turn things back their way. 

Tristan Muyumba continued his lights-out stretch with his third goal in as many matches in the 78th minute to cap an all-out counterattack by the 5-Stripes. Jacob took advantage of a friendly deflection after a 50-50 challenge, and he laid the ball off for Miranchuk, who did the same for Muyumba. The Frenchman stayed calm, took a fake shot and walloped the ball into the top left corner. ​

Minnesota didn't miss a beat responding with pressure, but Hoyos stood on his head in the dying minutes. He played his signature chaotic style of goalkeeping — bobbling saves and daring darts out from goal. He finished the night with 3 saves and a tackle. His effort — and more defensive substitutes Matt Edwards, Enea Mihaj and debutant Paulo Díaz — were enough for the 5-Stripes to secure a second consecutive win.

Standouts

• Tomás Jacob had his fingerprints all over both goals. His wonder strike in the 37th minute gave Atlanta United the lead, and though he didn't get an official credit for the second, his hustle created something out of nothing. Jacob was up and down the wing all night, thriving in the right back position.
• Stian Gregersen played clean up all evening in defense. He won a match-high 6 aerial duels and had 6 interceptions, an MLS best for the Norwegian. 

Milestones

• Tristan Muyumba scored in a third consecutive match, becoming the ninth player in club history to reach that streak.
• Tomás Jacob scored his second goal of the 2026 MLS regular season, with the other coming back in March against Philadelphia Union. His sliced effort made him the eighth Atlanta United player to score multiple goals this season — only three other MLS teams have as many multiple goal scorers. 
• Alexey Miranchuk assisted in a fourth consecutive match, equaling the longest regular-season run in Atlanta United's history (Héctor Villalba - July-Aug 2018).
• Paulo Díaz made his debut for Atlanta United as a substitute.

Next up

The 5-Stripes return home of for a Sunday Night Soccer battle with Sporting Kansas City. Get your tickets to see Atlanta United go for a third consecutive win here.