ATL Standard

Ronny Deila made a significant impact as Atlanta United secured a thrilling victory against his former club, New York City FC, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The match culminated in a 4-3 win for Atlanta, with crucial adjustments by Deila playing a key role in the turnaround after falling behind 3-1.

"The way we played the last half an hour, that's how we want to be and that's where we're aiming for," Deila stated, reflecting on the team's performance. "I'm, again, back to the process in the performance, and I'm very happy that we showed something in the second half."

The evening did not start smoothly for Deila. Atlanta faced a late lineup change when left back Pedro Amador was unable to play, leading to the debut of 17-year-old Dominik Chong Qui. Challenges continued when a mistake by Derrick Williams allowed NYCFC to score the opening goal.

Despite Alexey Miranchuk's equalizer for Atlanta, NYCFC regained the lead with a penalty converted by Alonso Martínez. Another error by Chong Qui extended NYCFC's lead to 3-1. Deila responded with tactical changes, introducing Matt Edwards and Xande Silva in an effort to shift the game's momentum.

Silva's involvement was pivotal, assisting Miguel Almirón's equalizer to make it 3-3 in the 75th minute. Further adjustments by Deila proved effective when a cross forced an own goal by NYCFC in the 62nd minute and Latte Lath scored the winning goal in the 84th minute.

The victory ended Atlanta United's struggling form, bringing relief and excitement to the team and its supporters. The match was a remarkable return for Deila, reminiscent of his past coaching success with Club Brugge in the Belgian Pro League.

Atlanta United's triumph was both tactical and emotional for Deila, marking another significant chapter in his coaching career.