Atlanta United Battles in a 2-2 Draw Against FC Cincinnati on the Road

Atlanta United earned a point on the road against FC Cincinnati on Saturday at TQL Stadium.

Photo: ATLUTD

The Five Stripes started out strong in the first half. Alexey Miranchuk would give Atlanta their first chance of the match in the 4th minutewhen he took a shot from inside the box that bounced off the bar. Saba Lobjanidze would capitalize on the clearance, but his shot was blocked.

Cincinnati would test Atlanta throughout the first half, but Brad Guzan kept it scoreless. From a free kick in 7th minute, Evander would deliver a ball to Nick Hagglund who headed it towards goal, but Guzan was able to stop the shot.

In the 35th minute, Miranchuk found Will Reilly in the midfield where the Decatur native would spring Lobjanidze up the right wing who crossed the ball into the box. Tristan Muyumba would then attempt a shot, but it deflected off of Latte Lath before it hit the back of the net.

Due to 10 players being called up to international duty, Ronny Deila had to rely on the depth that he had on the bench and they did not disappoint.

Will Reilly made his MLS debut and hit first career MLS start in the match, but you wouldn't think thats the case. He played the full 90 minutes plus stoppage time, and he helped create many opportunities, won tackles and did all of it while playing on a yellow card earned in the 28th minute of the match.

Photo: ATLUTD

“I think we get a new player today with Will. He showed that he can perform on this level. And again, trustworthy is the number one word you can put together with him," said Ronny Deila. "That's what we need for everybody in good and bad times, that we keep going whatever happens. He just saw what was in front and showed everything and what character we need to be a top team.”

Reilly joined the Atlanta united Academy in 2016 where he played with Atlanta United 2 at the USL Championship level. He then left to play at Stanford. Reilly was signed to a Homegrown deal back in December of 2024. This performance is highlighted the determination and his drive to help the team. Deila even said in post match that "he had the mentality I'm looking for."

"There's no time to switch off. You got to be switched on the entire game, especially when you have someone like Evander who's constantly off your shoulders. There were a few times he picked up the ball in the second half and towards the end of the first half and started driving on our back line," said Will Reilly after the match when asked about the adjustment to playing at this level. "Those moments where you can't switch off because those players will punish you and the team.”

Deila even said in postgame media when asked about subbing Reilly off, "Why should I take off Will? No chance. Take off the best player? He was one of the best players."

In the 41st minute, Muyumba was stretchered off after a right knee injury and Cayman Togashi checked into the match. Once he came into the match, the spark was reignited for Atlanta. This spark would give Atlanta the the lead in the 50th minute.

After earning a throw-in, Togashi throw the ball to Saba, who is wide open running up the right wing. Saba finds Latte Lath, and the striker connects with his left foot to beat Roman Celentano.

Photo: ATLUTD

Cincinnati would find an equalizer in the 70th minute off of a free kick. Evander's ball deflects off of Atlanta's wall and goes in the complete opposite direction of Guzan.

Only a few minutes later, Pavel Bucha took the ball away after a turnover in the midfield where he found Evander in the box who snuck it past Guzan to make it 2-1.

"We were going to change to a back five before the goal because that's where we started to lose shape and then we try to get into it and that. When they scored, of course in that moment then maybe the back five is not the right thing to do either. We maybe should attack more. But it's difficult," said Deila. "I felt more goals were going to come soon if we didn't do anything. So we tried to do it, but a little bit too late. Then again, it's good that we came back again and get our goal. That's something we can take with us in competent advice in the future.”

In the 88th minute, Ronald Hernandez found Miranchuk in the center of the pitch where he found Saba running down the right wing. Saba delivered a cross meant to find Latte Lath, but Alvas Powell cut the ball off and pushed the ball into the net to give Atlanta the equalizer.

“I'm very happy with the point. I think it was deserved. I think we should have won the game. We were the better team for 60 minutes. I sit here with the same feeling I had the last five, six games, whatever we have played," said Deila. "We show how much quality we have when we are playing good, but we just lose totally shape and concentration and discipline when things are going against us and we are protecting something. Again, we talk together all the time about those things. If you're going to be a top club, we need to deal with these kind of situations."

We have seen this team continue to grow and develop over the past five games. Every game, we see a better product than the last. This match showed me the fight that this team has. If Atlanta United is a puzzle, the outline is there and you have most of the middle pieces together, now its just completing the puzzle with the last few that are missing. If they continue to show that fight in the rest of the matches this season, they will be unstoppable and they added another piece in today's match.

"The first 60 minutes you cannot do much more. You have three, four, five good chances - they have one in a set play. After they get one-one, also a little bit before that, we start to open up and you see the trouble is going to happen and in the end we are lucky to get the draw. When you see the whole game, we should have won it because we are the better team today," said Deila. "That is the most frustrating thing for me, that we are showing every game now what kind of level we can be. We're also showing what level kind of level we can be at our worst and if we don't solve that we will never be a top club."

Atlanta United is back in action Saturday, March 29 when it hosts New York Reb Bulls at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.