Atlanta United earned its first win of the preseason, taking down their next-door-state neighbors Birmingham Legion FC 2-0 in their second match of 2025. The match featured some high energy, and it was the club’s fifth win over Birmingham in its history.
Here’s what happened
Atlanta United made strides in and out of possession compared to last week’s friendly in Chattanooga. Aggression and persistence – those words describe the effort, and for a full 90 minutes to boot. Ronny Deila’s squad looked more and more fit and physical as the game went on.
The Peachtree Press was suffocating, earning Atlanta United the ball high up the pitch on the pitch. The discipline and communication of the press was a theme in the first half as the Atlanta United forwards showed just how much their fitness has improved. The injection of pace from Cayman Togashi and Saba Lobjanidze helped that effort, forcing the Legion defenders into errant touches and passes.
First half starting XI
Josh Cohen, Ronald Hernández, Luke Brennan, Efraín Morales, Noah Cobb, Will Reilly, Cayman Togashi, Jay Fortune, Ronan Wynne, Edwin Mosquera, Bartosz Slisz (C)
Takeaways from first half
Atlanta United’s energy was on full display in the first half, pinning Birmingham deep in their own half and applying relentless pressure to create chances. They took advantage of a set piece for their first goal after Edwin Mosquera skipped past a couple of defenders to draw a foul on the left-hand side of the box. Ronald Hernández’s cross found Togashi, who looped a well-placed header past the keeper and into the bottom right corner to open the scoring in the 25th minute.
Luke Brennan nearly had another headed goal just a couple minutes later but was caught just a stride offsides before his effort.
Mosquera was active deep and wide down the left-hand side in the first half. He drew a couple of fouls deep in the attacking third with slick dribble take-ons. One of those runs created the set piece that led to the first goal for the 5-Stripes. His combination play with Will Reilly and Bartosz Slisz in midfield unlocked the Birmingham defense a few times. He nearly found himself a goal after throwing himself at a Togashi cross and narrowly missed the ball in the 39th minute.
It was in the midfield where Atlanta United were most dominant, on multiple occasions winning the ball quickly after losing it and not allowing Birmingham much time in possession. Reilly, Slisz, and Jay Fortune looked comfortable with the ball at their feet and were quick to distribute.
The youngsters showed up. Ronan Wynne, one of Atlanta United’s 2025 MLS Super Draft selections, impressed again after scoring in the team’s last match against Chattanooga FC. His activity at right back was apparent, not afraid to overlap in attack. Even in the early days of the preseason, Wynne showed his fitness up and down the pitch. His chemistry with Brennan on the right side was apparent.
It may have been a friendly, but both teams weren’t afraid to get physical in the midfield. Birmingham midfielder Enzo Martinez got stuck in a couple of times, and Slisz and Fortune responded with a couple of firm tackles of their own. Legion picked up seven fouls as a team by the 33rd minute.
Goalkeeper Josh Cohen didn’t have to make a single save in the first half, instead contributed with composed passing to keep steady possession.
Second half starting XI
Brad Guzan (C), Tristan Muyumba, Saba Lobjanidze, Jamal Thiaré, Luke Brennan, Noah Cobb, Mateusz Klich, Luis Abram, Matt Edwards, Dominick Chong Qui, Alexey Miranchuk
Takeaways from second half
The second half was a little less buttoned up on either side. Both teams had passages of good chances, and in quick succession sometimes. Still, Atlanta United’s press didn’t let up, and they created most of the chances. After a myriad of chances that just got away, it was an own goal that gave the 5-Stripes their second of the match in the 80th minute. Alexey Miranchuk found Saba in behind the defense, and his pass across the goal was cleared into the net by a Birmingham defender.
It was the half of the fullbacks. Dominick Chong Qui, the Atlanta United 2 squad member, was asked to make an impact very early on into the second half, clearing a shot off the line in the 46th minute. He and Edwards created lots of chances from their forward runs deep into opposing territory and nearly collected a couple of assists.
Brennan and Noah Cobb were the two first-half players who continued on in the second half, and Brennan didn’t let up. A low cross from the winger found Jamal Thiaré in the 55th minute, but the ball caught him mid stride, and the shot went wide. Brennan was comfortable as a straight-line winger but also inverted inside to exploit space at times. His promise at just 19 years old was easy to see.
An active sequence nearly saw both teams score within the span of a couple of minutes in the 62nd minute. The first save of the game for Atlanta United came when Brad Guzan stopped a shot from the edge of the box by Birmingham attacker. The 5-Stripes countered, and an Edwards cross found Miranchuk, who opted for placement and not power on his strike from just outside the 6-yard box. The ball was blocked, and on Legion’s counter immediately after, a shot got past Guzan but skipped wide.
Many Atlanta United players were in the right spot at multiple points in the second half, but didn’t have the finish. Thiaré caught a volley very well in the 73rd minute, but the shot rocketed wide. Then, a Miranchuk cross found Thiaré, whose header nailed the crossbar. Miranchuk himself nearly scored from outside the box in the 85th minute, but his firm strike was saved. In the end, Birmingham was the only team to score in the second half, just on their own net.
The mostly fresh legs kept the pressure consistent from half to half. The next step for Atlanta United will be maintaining that press when they can’t swap the squad at half.
Up next – MLS competitors
The remainder of Atlanta United’s preseason schedule is against MLS teams. The next fixture will be February 8 against New England Revolution at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla.
