Atlanta United fell 3-2 to Pumas in its second game in Phase One of Leagues Cup 2025 Saturday night at Inter&Co Stadium. Emmanuel Latte Lath scored his eighth goal, and Saba Lobjanidze recorded his eighth assist of the season in all competitions. Adalberto Carrasquilla won the night for Pumas with a brace.
After an even opening 20 minutes of the match, Alvaro Angulo gave Pumas the lead in the 23rd minute from the penalty spot after Brooks Lennon was called for a foul on Pedro Vite inside the box.
Saba Lobjanidze tested Pumas goalkeeper Keylor Navas for the first time in the 32nd minute, intercepting a pass in Atlanta’s attacking third and quickly firing a hard shot on frame that the Costa Rican international pushed away.
Atlanta leveled the match just three minutes later with Lobjanidze forcing an own goal from Navas. Ronald Hernández played a ball down the right wing to Miguel Almirón, who turned and found Bartosz Slisz in the center of the field about 25 yards from goal. The midfielder delivered a ball over the top of the defense, picking out a streaking Lobjanidze, who directed a right-footed first-time shot that deflected off of Navas and into the net.
Atlanta took the lead in the 43rd minute after a nice counterattacking sequence ended with a goal for Latte Lath. The play started with Lobjanidze intercepting a pass in the attacking half and quickly playing the ball centrally to Alexey Miranchuk, who laid it off for Slisz. The midfielder played Almirón into space, where he drove forward and slipped a pass into the right side of the box to Lobjanidze. The winger picked his head up and squared a cross to the far post, where Latte Lath calmly slotted a left-footed finish into an open net.
Pumas tied the match in the 62nd minute when Adalberto Carrasquilla received a pass in the center of the box and blasted a strike into the top-right corner. Carrasquilla put Pumas ahead in the 89th minute. After Hernández was called for a foul inside the box, Carrasquilla’s penalty attempt was saved by Brad Guzan, but the rebound fell to the Pumas midfielder, who passed the ball into the net.
In stoppage time, Pumas’ captain Navas was issued a straight red card for a challenge on Jamal Thiaré just outside the box. After a long delay, Slisz took the free kick but couldn’t direct it on target in what was the final play of the match.
“I’m a coach who never talks about the referee. And to be fair, in the end, we don’t deserve to win,” said Atlanta United head coach Ronny Deila, commenting on the chaos at the end of the match. “I think they had the chances and that’s ok. But the way it happens that’s very different. I need to stand up for my boys. It’s crazy. It’s a clear red card (to Keylor Navas), and he can stand 15 minutes on the pitch, control the world, and do whatever he wants on the pitch. If you’re a star, then you can do whatever you want in the league. But other times, you get punished when you are a second too late. So, where are the consequences?”
Atlanta United (0-2-0, 0 points) returns to Leagues Cup action Wednesday, Aug. 6, when it hosts Atlas FC at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in the club’s third and final match in Phase One (7:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass, 92.9 The Game, La Mejor). All Atlanta United matches are available with an MLS Season Pass subscription, located on the Apple TV app.
-Jon Jones
Photo: ATL UTD