Atlanta United loses 1-0 in Nashville opener

NASHVILLE, TN – Atlanta United lost 1-0 in Nashville on Friday night. It was the first game back from World Cup break, and for the most part, it wasn’t a bad first game back for the Five Stripes. For 97 of the 100 minutes (there were 10 minutes of stoppage time to end the game), the team in black was the better side. That said, the final score is the result. Good night, Nashville.

Major League Soccer is back, and with that begins the second half of Atlanta United’s 2026 season. The Five Stripes’ next three games will be on the road (Charlotte, New England, and at the Philadelphia Union) before returning home to Mercedes-Benz Stadium to host the New York Red Bulls on Saturday, August 15.

Nashville was missing several key players, including forward Cristian Espinoza (three goals, eight assists).

Atlanta United had to deal with some misfortune (pun intended) early on as Ajani Fortune had to leave the match after 11 minutes. Will Reilly subbed in for the Trinidadian international.

There was a scheduled hydration break after 30 minutes, with the score nil-nil. Atlanta’s attack seemed to lose a little steam after Fortune left the game. Miguel Almiron took two shots early in the match, neither were successful, but it could be seen as a sign of life from the Paraguayan following a first-ever World Cup appearance. An engaged Almiron will be crucial if Atlanta United is going to make the remainder of this season more interesting than the first 15 games.

In the 41st minute, a pass from Alexey Miranchuk found Almiron mere feet from the Nashville goal, and what followed were four touches, two fakes, and ultimately, no goal. That was easily the best scoring opportunity of the first six shots on goal during the first half.

The first half ended in a nil-nil draw. The second half began with Atlanta United adding more shots to their tally with no goals to show for it. In the 60th minute, the scoreboard at Geodis Park showed Atlanta leading Nashville 10-3 in overall shots and 3-1 in shots on goal. But neither team was leading the game.

Nashville broke the tie with an excellent header from Shakur Mohammed off a corner kick in the 78th minute. The home crowd, 30,109, came to its feet as Mohammed’s teammates mobbed him by the corner flag. The goal was his second of the season.

Emmanuel Latte Lath and Fafa Picault were brought on in the 82nd minute to try to drum up some offense. Latte Lath not starting the first match back after the World Cup break was a sign that he might be in Martino’s doghouse at the moment. Latte Lath had a chance to jump back in the starting lineup before his shot just before the end of regulation went over the goal and into the stands.

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