ATL Standard

Atlanta United's Saba Lobjanidze is making a significant impact this season as the team prepares for its last home match of the regular season. The winger from Georgia leads the team in goals with eight and ranks second in assists with seven, trailing only Brooks Lennon. As Atlanta United faces a must-win situation to keep postseason hopes alive, Lobjanidze's performance is crucial.

In a recent 1-1 draw against Philadelphia Union on September 28, Lobjanidze scored an equalizing goal in the 72nd minute. The play was initiated by Alexey Miranchuk and described by Brooks Lennon: "I saw that the ball was transitioning from the lefthand side to the right. Alexey made a great pass to Daniel Ríos, who was on the righthand side of the box. I gave him a shout, as I was overlapping him, so he could hear me and know that I was coming. To his credit, he gave me a great pass down the line. I just tried to put it into a dangerous area, and luckily Saba was there to finish it off."

Lobjanidze's header had an expected goal value of 0.37 out of 1.0, indicating high accuracy from Lennon's pass. Despite not having height advantage at 5-foot-9, Lobjanidze has shown proficiency in scoring headers, including one against Inter Miami CF on September 18.

Since joining Major League Soccer in 2023, Lobjanidze has been among the top-performing wingers based on metrics valued by Atlanta United. He ranks highly per 90 minutes in several categories such as goal contributions (0.5), xG contributions (0.46), shots (2.55), shots plus key passes (4.08), and post-shot expected goals (0.32).

Lobjanidze is noted for his high work rate and ability to cover extensive ground during matches—attributes that make him effective at getting into dangerous positions for Atlanta United's attack. He averages 6.8 touches in the box per game, ranking seventh among MLS wingers.

Fans are encouraged to watch for Lobjanidze during matches as he often positions himself strategically around the goal line or streaks upfield looking for scoring opportunities.