Fafa Picault finished the comeback in the 82nd minute, and Atlanta United walked out of Mercedes-Benz Stadium with a 2-1 win over New York Red Bulls in its first match back there since May 9. Miguel Almirón set up the winner, and the result turned a match that had opened with Atlanta United chasing the game into one that ended with the home side celebrating.
That late goal mattered because Atlanta United had already been forced to recover from an early deficit, and it did so on a night when the return to Mercedes-Benz Stadium carried extra weight. Red Bull New York scored first, but Atlanta United kept pushing until Picault arrived at the decisive moment. The comeback was the kind of finish that gives a home crowd a reason to remember the date as much as the score.
The details behind the win explain why the result held up. Lucas Hoyos made a key first-half save on Emil Forsberg to keep the match at 1-0, and Tristan Muyumba’s goal pulled Atlanta United level before Picault’s winner. Junior Alonso was busy throughout, finishing with seven clearances and a team-high 12 defensive contributions, while Adrian Gill completed 95 percent of his passes, won all three of his ground duels and helped move the ball with three passes into the final third. Tómas Jacob also played his part with a secondary assist on Muyumba’s goal.
There was still friction inside the performance. Atlanta United did not dominate every phase, and some of the relief work came from players asked to steady the match rather than dictate it. Stian Gregersen logged 22 minutes plus stoppage time off the bench, Ronald Hernández had 10 touches and won his sole ground duel, and Cooper Sanchez returned to the lineup after the Concacaf U-20 Championship. Paulo Díaz was still working toward match fitness, and Enea Mihaj was serving a red-card suspension, leaving Atlanta United to piece together enough cover to hold the line while the attack found a late answer.
Picault’s goal gave Atlanta United more than three points. It gave the return to Mercedes-Benz Stadium a finish that felt earned rather than routine, and it left Red Bull New York with the sharper question after the match: how it let a lead slip in a game it had already controlled once. For Atlanta United, the next step is simpler to read — carry the same edge into the next home test, because the homecoming now has a result to match it.
