Atlanta United defeated Toronto FC 2-1 with late-match heroics Saturday night in front of 42,568 fans at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Jamal Thiaré scored in the 97th minute to steal three points for Atlanta. Thiago Almada also scored his sixth goal of the season and confirmed his departure after the match.
The match began with both sides fighting for control and Toronto appeared to take the lead through Lorenzo Insigne in the 25th minute. After a Federico Bernardeschi shot was blocked on the right side, Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty followed the play and sent a first-time cross to the back post where Insigne headed in a goal. However, after video review, Insigne was ruled offside on the cross.
Atlanta pushed for the go-ahead goal and found the back of the net in first-half stoppage time. Gavran sent a clearance toward midfield where Jay Fortune gathered a second ball and played it back. Derrick Williams quickly threaded a ball through Toronto’s midfield to find Almada on the left side where he played a give-and-go with Daniel Ríos and darted toward goal. One-on-one with Gavran, Almada fired a low shot inside the left post and handed Atlanta a 1-0 lead in the second minute of added time.
Toronto, however, struck back in the opening minute of the first half through Bernardeschi. Insigne sent a long diagonal ball to the right wing where his fellow countryman Bernardeschi brought it down, dribbled toward goal, and cut the ball on his favored left foot before curling a shot to the far post to level the match in the 46th minute.
I saw Jamal [Thiare] and I saw the keeper, and I said ‘I don’t think he sees [Jamal],’ but part of me was thinking this won’t work because it never does, but Jamal stayed persistent, stayed in the moment, and he ended up getting a reward.”
Atlanta United head coach Rob Valentino on Jamal Thiaré’s goal
Williams nearly regained the lead for Atlanta in the 50th minute. Brooks Lennon sent an out-swinging cross near the penalty area where Williams attacked and cleverly redirected on frame with his right boot toward the far post and forced a diving save from Gavran.
One of Atlanta’s best chances to score came in the 84th minute when Lennon sent a cross from the right side to the back post, but it was slightly high for Thiaré to steer his header on frame.
Tied at 1-1 with seconds remaining before the final whistle, Toronto goalkeeper Luka Gavran caught a cross from Tristan Muyumba and fell to his knees, lying on top of the ball. While players from both teams retreated to midfield for the assumed final kick of the match, Thiaré turned toward the end line for a sip of water next to the goal. Unaware that Thiaré hid behind him, Gavran dropped the ball to the ground while scanning the field. Thiaré immediately stole the ball, dribbled away from Gavran, and slotted a shot into an empty net, sending the Mercedes-Benz Stadium crowd into a frenzy. It marked the third-latest game-winning goal in club history.
With transfer rumors swirling around the club (Caleb Wiley to Chelsea via Strasbourg, Thiago Almada to Lyon via Botafogo), Thiago Almada confirmed his departure when asked if this was his last match with the club. “Yes, I obviously think so. Scoring a goal at home and with a win is a happy ending,” the World Cup winner began. “Though the one thing that I didn’t do was win a title here, but I think that I tried to do my best and give everything for the club.”
Atlanta United (6-8-6, 24 points) returns to action Wednesday, July 3 when it travels to face New England Revolution at Gillette Stadium (7:45 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass, FS1, 92.9 The Game, La Mejor). All Atlanta United matches are available with an MLS Season Pass subscription on the Apple TV app.
-Jon Jones
Photo: Courtesy of ATLUTD