Stian Gregersen Brace helps Atlanta United to 2-1 win over Columbus Crew

July 20, 2024 – Major League Soccer (MLS)
Press Release Atlanta United FC

ATLANTA – Atlanta United defeated Columbus Crew 2-1 on Saturday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Stian Gregersen scored two second-half goals to lift Atlanta United over third place in the Eastern Conference and into a playoff spot for the Leagues Cup break. It was Gregersen’s first goals with the club and the fourth brace by an Atlanta United player this season.

Atlanta opened the game on the front foot and created early danger. In the seventh minute, Brooks Lennon sent a long ball to Jamal Thiare who beat three defenders to the left side of the penalty area and laid the ball off to an onrushing Xande Silva. The forward struck from distance with a knuckleball, but Columbus goalkeeper Nicholas Hagen dropped the ball. Thiare was then brought down by Hagen as he pounced on the rebound and initially earned a penalty, but the assistant referee ruled him offside on Silva’s shot.

A flurry of chances followed when Bartosz Slisz found himself one-on-one with the keeper on a counter-attack two minutes later, but his shot was cleared off the line. In the 13th minute, Gregersen lobbed a ball over the defensive line for Lobjanidze on the right flank, where he laid the ball off for Thiare on the edge of the six, but his close-range shot was blocked by Hagen.

Columbus held out against Atlanta’s onslaught and took the lead in the 36th minute. Alexandru Matan was played into the penalty area from the left flank and sent a low cross into the six-yard box. Brad Guzan pushed the ball away from goal, but the ball fell directly to Diego Rossi who tapped it in from close range.

Atlanta came out aggressive again after the break and equalized in the 60th minute. Lobyanidze raced into the penalty area and earned a corner on the left. The Georgian took the solid throw and fired it to the edge of the box, where Gregersen rose above his defender and fired a powerful header into the net for his first goal for the club.

Atlanta continued to threaten Columbus’ goal when Lennon’s volley attempt was destined for the bottom left corner and cleared for a corner in the 65th minute. On the ensuing corner, Slisz picked Lobjanidze’s cross out of the air with a clean hit, but his volley was also saved by a Columbus defender.

Gregersen finally gave Atlanta the lead in the 76th minute. Silva received the ball on the left flank just outside the penalty area and attempted to dribble past Columbus’ Mohamed Farsi, who managed to tap the ball out for a corner. Almost identical to the first goal, Lobjanidze again connected with Gregersen, who charged the ball in mid-air and sent a thundering header into the net, leaving Hagen with his feet on the pitch.

Atlanta nearly had a third goal in the 82nd minute via Lobjanidze. After forcing a turnover in the Columbus half, Slisz sent a through ball to Lennon on the right. Lennon sent a one-touch cross to the far post where Lobjanidze headed the ball down, but the ball hit the left post and was eventually cleared out of danger. Atlanta was able to sit out the rest of the game and secure a crucial win at halftime.

Atlanta United (7-11-7, 28 points) returns to action on Friday, July 26, when it hosts D.C. United in its first Leagues Cup group stage match at Mercedes-Benz Stadium (8 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass, 92.9 The Game, La Mejor). All Atlanta United games are available with an MLS Season Pass subscription, which can be found in the Apple TV app.

Summary of the match

Statistics

Shots: 16-14 Columbus

Shots on target: 6-3 Atlanta

Corners: 9-7 Atlanta

Mistakes committed: 9-8 Atlanta

xG: 3.0 – 2.5 Atlanta

Ownership: 65% – 35% Columbus

Pass accuracy: 88% – 80% Columbus

To score

CLB – Diego Rossi 36′

ATL – Stian Gregersen (Saba Lobjanidze) 60′

ATL – Stian Gregersen (Saba Lobjanidze) 76′

Disciplinary

ATL – Tristan Muyumba 25′

CLB – Yevhen Cheberko 29′

ATL – Brad Guzan 90’+6′ Notes

Stian Gregersen’s two goals were his first two for the club

Saba Lobyanidze recorded two assists, taking his season total to seven

It was the second time this season that Lobjanidze recorded two assists in the same match

The victory marked Atlanta’s first win of the season without a deficit

Attendance: 42,601

ATLANTA UNITED STARTING LINEUP

GK: Brad Guzan (c)

D: Ronald Hernandez

D: Stian Gregersen

D: Derrick Williams

D: Brooks Lennon

M: Bartosz Slisz

M: Tristan Muyumba (Luis Abram – 90’+4′)

M: Jay Fortuin

M: Saba Lobyanidze

Q: Xande Silva

Q: Jamal Thiare (Daniel Ríos – 63′ – Tyler Wolff 90’+7′)

Unused substitutes:

Josh Cohen

Edwin Mosquera

Pedro Amador

Dax McCarty

Lucas Brennan

Matt Edwards

COLUMBUS CREW STARTING LINEUP

GK: Nicolaas Hagen

D: Rudy Camacho

D: Yevhen Cheberko (Malte Amundsen – 79′)

D: Mohamed Farsi (Aziel Jackson – 89′)

D: Steven Moreira (c)

M: Alexandru Matan

M: Sean Zawadzki

M: Max Arfsten

F: Kucho Hernandez

Q: Diego Rossi

Q: Christian Ramirez (Jacen Russell-Rowe – 79′)

Unused substitutes:

Cole Johnson

Will Sand

Derrick Jones

Darlington Nagbe

Yaw Yeboah

CIVIL SERVANTS

Rosendo Mendoza (referee), Corey Parker (assistant), Jeffrey Swartzel (assistant), Nabil Bensalah (fourth), Kevin Terry Jr. (VAR), Fabio Tovar (AVAR)

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