Atlanta United forward Saba Lobjanidze dribbles during the match against the New York City FC at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday, March 29, 2025. He was responsible, but not credited with the second Atlanta United goal of the match following an NYCFC own-goal in the 61st minute. Photo by Matthew Grimes/Atlanta UnitedAtlanta United hadn’t won a match since the season opener against CF Montreal way back in February. In front of 42,518 fans inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday night, Emmanuel Latte Lath chose the perfect time to try and change that. With the score tied, Latte Lath, the team’s leading goal scorer, put on a bit of brilliance to score his fifth goal of the season and put Atlanta ahead 4-3 in the 84th minute.That goal would be enough to secure a 4-3 victoryThe four goals are a season-high for Atlanta.Atlanta United manager Ronny Deila, who was seen fist-pumping towards the crowd after the final whistle, wasn’t as happy about the overall performance after the match.“We know we are going to score goals, I’m not worried about that,” Deila said. “But we need to defend as a team and we need to attack as a team, and when that clicks then we are very, very good.”The Starting XI before the match against the New York City FC at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday, March 29, 2025. Photo by Mitch Martin/Atlanta UnitedHannes Wolf opened the scoring for NYCFC with an unassisted goal, his second of the season, off a deflection from Atlanta goalkeeper Brad Guzan. The fact that the goal came in the 15th minute of the match should have been a concern to all involved. Atlanta had led their previous two matches before losing and drawing against Inter Miami and Cincinnati last weekend. It was way too early to already be behind. It would take nearly 30 minutes to tie the match, but Atlanta United midfielder Alexey Miranchuk found the back of the net in the 42nd minute. Miranchuk had been on what many may have called a slump before the goal. On Miranchuk getting his first goal of the season, Deila said, “I think it’s important to get that first, I’m sure Saba [Lobjanidze] is very keen to get it as well.” The first half of the match would end with the score tied at a goal each despite Atlanta only having had 41% of the possession. The second half began the same way the first half did, with an NYCFC goal. This time it was a penalty kick from Alonso Martinez in the 48th minute. The goal was the fourth of the season for Martinez, who continues to lead NYCFC in goals scored. Martinez’s teammate Wolf is fast on his heels. Wolf scored his second goal of the match and third of the season in the 51st minute when Atlanta United defender Domonik Chong Qui failed to properly clear or secure a ball neat the Atlanta net which gave Wolf a clear shot. Six minutes into the second half and Atlanta United was down 3-1. Another own-goal was generated from a shot from Saba Lobjanidze, he did the same thing at Cincinnati last week, and got Atlanta to within a goal of tying the score in the 61st minute. Miguel Almiron, with an assist from Xande Sliva, tied the match with a header in the 75th minute. Silva entered the match in the 57th minute as a sub for Mateusz Kilch. Almiron, having scored his first goal of the season, felt good when he attempted another shot a few minutes later. That one flew well over NYCFC goalkeeper Matthew Freese’s head.What Else: Youth MovementAtlanta United defender Dominik Chong Qui makes his first start during the match against New York City FC at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday, March 29, 2025. Photo by Mitch Martin/Atlanta UnitedDefender Dominik Chiong Qui, a product of Atlanta United’s youth system, made his first career start tonight in place of Pedro Amador. Chong Qui was taken out of the game in the 57th minute and replaced by Edwards.A week earlier at Cincinnati, Will Reilly was in the starting lineup for the first time in his career. To start the season, defender Matt Edwards started the first three games of the season. It has been a youth movement of sorts this season.The final substitution of the match was Reilly coming into the game for Almiron in the 90th minute. There were eight minutes put on the clock for stoppage time. After the match, Deila was complimentary of Ching Qui’s play. The man behind the movementJose Hadathy, the artist behind the FIFA World Cup 26™ Atlanta Host City Poster. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta VoiceEven though there’s still plenty of time for the city of Atlanta and soccer supporters from around the world to prepare for FIFA World Cup 2026, imagery for the quad-annual event is popping up now. The official host city poster for Atlanta, which will host several tournament matches, including one of the semifinals, was created by a local artist with a flair that attracted the host city committee to commission him for the task of creating the city’s World Cup poster.Jose Hadathy took time to talk to The Atlanta Voice before Saturday night’s Atlanta United about his many inspirations for the poster and his love for the beautiful game.The Atlanta FIFA World Cup 2026 poster is one of 16 to be unveiled over the next month. “I thought it was important to include symbolizations and metaphors that represented the city,” Hadathy, who has worked for three years as a graphic designer for Atlanta United, said of creating the poster.  FIFA World Cup 2026 Host City poster was designed by Jose Hadathy. Photo provided to The Atlanta VoiceBorn and raised in Ecuador, Hadathy and his family moved to Georgia right before he started high school. After he graduated from Lassiter High School in Marietta, Hadathy moved on to Savannah School of Art & Design’s Atlanta campus to pursue his dream of becoming an artist.His creative work for Atlanta United and familiarity with the game of soccer were some of the reasons the city’s host committee decided to hire him for the job of creating the singular poster for Atlanta. Hadathy clearly remembers the moment he got the call.“First of all, I couldn’t believe I was getting this opportunity,” he told The Atlanta Voice. “I immediately started looking at art that was fitting for this poster.” The post Atlanta United opens three-match homestand with 4-3 win over NYCFC appeared first on The Atlanta Voice. ...read more read less