Atlanta United produced an emphatic response after falling behind early, beating CF Montréal 3-1 on Saturday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Major League Soccer.

Montréal struck first through Matthew Longstaff in the 6th minute, silencing the home crowd and giving the visitors the sharper start. But Atlanta gradually took control of the fixture, found more rhythm in possession, and turned the match just before the break.

The equalizer arrived in the 41st minute when Saba Lobjanidze finished to make it 1-1, capping a strong spell from the hosts. Atlanta then landed a massive blow deep into first-half stoppage time, with Emmanuel Latte Lath scoring at 45’+6′ to send the home side into the interval 2-1 ahead.

Any hope of a Montréal response after halftime was quickly dented. Lobjanidze struck again in the 50th minute for his second goal of the night, stretching Atlanta’s lead to 3-1 and giving the hosts full control of the contest.

From there, Atlanta managed the match well. The home side finished with 52.7 percent possession, outshot Montréal 18-11, and created the better attacking volume with 13 shot assists and five shots on target. Montréal still tested Atlanta goalkeeper Lucas Hoyos at times, matching the hosts with five shots on target, but they could not find the finishing touch needed to get back into the fixture.

The match had an increasingly scrappy edge as it wore on. Emmanuel Latte Lath went into the book in the 4th minute, Samuel Piette was cautioned for Montréal in the 20th, and Prince Owusu also saw yellow in the 44th. Atlanta later picked up bookings for Hoyos at 77′, Enea Mihaj at 90’+2′, and Tomás Jacob at 90’+5′. Montréal’s night ended on a worse note when Brayan Vera was sent off in stoppage time at 90’+1′.

For Atlanta United, this was the kind of result that showed both resilience and cutting edge. After conceding in the opening stages, they stayed composed, attacked with purpose, and were rewarded through a decisive spell spanning the end of the first half and the beginning of the second. Lobjanidze’s brace at 41′ and 50′ provided the headline, while Latte Lath’s goal at 45’+6′ proved a pivotal turning point.

CF Montréal will point to their bright opening and Longstaff’s 6th-minute goal as evidence they were in the match, but they were ultimately undone by Atlanta’s sustained pressure and sharper finishing in key moments.

Final score: Atlanta United FC 3, CF Montréal 1.