Atlanta United Falls, 3-2, to Real Salt Lake
MLS Atlanta United FC

Atlanta United Falls, 3-2, to Real Salt Lake

Published on March 7, 2026 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Atlanta United FC News Release


Atlanta United's Alexey Miranchuk and Tomás Jacob and Real Salt Lake's Noel Caliskan in action
Atlanta United's Alexey Miranchuk and Tomás Jacob and Real Salt Lake's Noel Caliskan in action
(Atlanta United FC)

ATLANTA, GA - Atlanta United fell 3-2 to Real Salt Lake on Saturday night in the team's home opener at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Alexey Miranchuk scored pair of goals for his first brace in his MLS career, but the Five Stripes were unable to overcome three first-half goals from the visitors.

After Atlanta controlled the action early on, the visitors struck first in the 23rd minute from a counterattack with a perfectly placed through ball that played Sergi Solans behind Atlanta's back line. Four minutes later, Real Salt Lake extended the lead to 2-0 when Aiden Hezarkhani found the top left corner with a blistering shot past Lucas Hoyos.

The Five Stripes responded in the 38th minute when Miranchuk scored the first goal of the season with a one-timer from about 10 yards out. Elias Baez and Cooper Sanchez each picked up their first career MLS assists in the build-up to the goal. Salt Lake restored their two-goal lead minutes later when Zavier Gozo found the back of the net.

In the second half, the hosts pushed to get back into the match and did so in the 74th minute. Tristan Muyumba played Latte Lath in on the edge of the box. The Ivorian took a couple dribbles to get behind the defense and squared the ball to an open Miranchuk at the far post who converted the chance with his right foot. It marked the first MLS brace in Miranchuk's Atlanta career.

Atlanta pushed for the equalizer down the stretch, but Salt Lake's defense made a couple of crucial blocks on shooting opportunities from Baez and second-half subtitute Matias Galarze to preserve the victory.

Atlanta United (0-3-0, 0 points) returns to action Saturday, March 14 when it hosts Philadelphia Union at Mercedes-Benz Stadium (3:00 p.m. ET, Apple TV, 92.9 The Game, La Mejor). All Atlanta United matches are available on Apple TV.

Match Summary

Stats

Shots: 16-10 Atlanta

Shots on target: 5-4 Salt Lake

Corner kicks: 4-2 Atlanta

Fouls Committed: 12-4 Atlanta

xG: 1.88 - 1.30 Atlanta

Possession: 58-42 Atlanta

Passing accuracy: 89-85 Atlanta

Scoring

RSL - Solans (Guilavogui) 23'

RSL - Hezarkhani 27'

ATL - Miranchuk (Baez, Sanchez) 38'

RSL - Gozo (Quinton, Glad) 40'

ATL - Miranchuk (Latte Lath, Muyumba) 74'

Disciplinary

RSL - Hezarkhani 17'

ATL - Cooper Sanchez 43'

RSL - Luca Moisa 34'

ATL - Juan Berrocal 45+6'

RSL - Zavier Gozo 90+1'

Notes:

Alexey Miranchuk scored his first career MLS brace tonight. It's the fourth consecutive season that a ATL UTD player has scored a brace in the home opener

Matias Galarza made his club debut as a second-half substitute

Sergio Santos also made his club debut in the second half

Elias Baez and Cooper Sanchez each recorded their first-career MLS assists tonight

Tomas Jacob had a team-high 4 tackles won tonight, the second consecutive game he has led the team in that category.

Attendance: 53,862

ATLANTA UNITED STARTING LINEUP

GK: Lucas Hoyos

D: Elías Báez

D: Juan Berrocal

D: Enea Mihaj (Sergio Santos - 85')

D: Tomás Jacob (Matthew Edwards - 79')

M: Tristan Muyumba

M: Steven Alzate (Saba Lobjanidze - 79')

M: Cooper Sanchez (Matías Galarza - 59')

F: Alexey Miranchuk

F: Miguel Almirón (c)

F: Latte Lath

Substitutes not used:

Jayden Hibbert

Stian Gregersen

Ronald Hernández

Pedro Amador

Luke Brennan

REAL SALT LAKE STARTING LINEUP

GK: Rafael Cabral (c)

D: Lukas Engel

D: Justen Glad

D: Philp Quinton (Sam Junqua - 85')

M: Luca Moisa (Griffin Dillon - HT)

M: Noel Caliskan

M: Morgan Guilavogui (Zach Booth - 81')

M: Juan Sanabria

F: Sergi Solans (Jesus Berea - 81')

F: Aiden Hezarkhani (Dominik Marczuk - 62')

F: Zavier Gozo

Substitutes not used:

Stijn Spierings

Pablo Ruiz

Mason Stajduhar

Alexandros Katranis

OFFICIALS

Jon Freemon (referee), Brian Dunn (assistant), Nick Balcer (assistant), Sergii Demianchuk (fourth), Younes Marrakchi (VAR), Fabio Tovar (AVAR)

Check out the Atlanta United FC Statistics

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Images from this story

Atlanta United's Alexey Miranchuk and Tomás Jacob and Real Salt Lake's Noel Caliskan in action
Atlanta United's Alexey Miranchuk and Tomás Jacob and Real Salt Lake's Noel Caliskan in action
   



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