Atlanta United rallies behind Stian Gregersen brace to beat defending champion Columbus

Center back Stian Gregersen picked Saturday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium to have the first two-goal match of his professional career. Both goals, the first he's ever scored for Atlanta United, came in the second half, and Atlanta United stunned the defending MLS Cup champion Columbus Crew with a come-from-behind 2-1 victory.

The win comes at the tail end of back-to-back home matches for Atlanta United. Saturday's result means the club finishes the two-match home stand with four points heading into the Leagues Cup break. Atlanta United played New York City FC to a draw earlier this week.

“I think they could feel the moment," said interim head coach Rob Valentino in his post-match press conference. "They dug in and they did the work to get a result. It’s the first time we’ve come back down a goal and won the game, so that’s a real positive.”

Looking to recreate Wednesday’s master class when the team scored the fastest goal in club history 21 seconds into the match, Atlanta United attacked right out of the gate Saturday. This time, Brooks Lennon served a ball into the box that Bartosz Slisz headed on, but the first shot of the match wasn’t enough to challenge Columbus goalkeeper Nicholas Hagen.

Cucho followed it up with a long-range shot for Columbus in the third minute that was well-struck but sailed over goal.

Atlanta United was knocking on the door early in the first half and creating opportunities with some well-placed long passes. First in the seventh minute from Lennon to Jamal Thiaré, who earned the start Saturday. The Senegalese striker laid the ball off for Xande Silva whose firm shot was on target. Hagen made the block but Thiaré was in position to collect the rebound. It appeared that the goalkeeper might be called for a foul after a collision with Thiaré inside the box that drew a whistle, but in the end the flag was up. Atlanta was called offside.

On Atlanta’s next possession, it was Xande Silva with the long ball on point to Slisz. The pass met Slisz's run but the Polish international couldn’t gain control for an accurate shot.

Atlanta, again playing a long pass over the top, this time from Gregersen on the backline, created another chance in the 13th minute. Saba Lobjanidze ran onto Gregersen's pass and sent a low cross into the box. Thiaré received the cross for a shot from close-range, but Hagen came up with the save, his second in the opening 15 minutes of play.

As good as Atlanta looked at times in the first half, the Crew created chances of their own and in the 36th minute the visitors capitalized. Alexandru Matan dribbled the ball to the end line and took a shot near post. Atlanta United goalkeeper Brad Guzan, covering his post, dove to make the initial stop, but the rebound bounced right to the middle where Diego Rossi was waiting. He knocked it in to give Columbus a 1-0 lead.

"We knew coming into a game like this against Columbus that they would be really good on the ball, and so we thought also there would be space in transition. The big point of emphasis was being disciplined," Valentino said.

Atlanta United answered in the second half off a corner kick. Gregersen, all 6-foot-3 of him, timed it well to head the kick served by Lobjanidze. The header was a no-doubter. Gregersen's goal equalized the match 1-1 in the 60th minute.

The goal marks the first scored on a corner kick this season for Atlanta United. It's also the first career MLS goal for Gregersen, who signed with Atlanta United this past offseason.

The second-half equalizer was by the book, so much so that Atlanta United drew it up for Gregersen to score the game-winner in the 76th minute. Again, on a corner kick from Lobjanidze, the center back skied for a header with so much pace it froze Hagen to the spot.

After missing Wednesday's match against NYCFC due to a red card suspension, Gregersen returned to the starting lineup in a big way against Columbus. His brace was the fourth for an Atlanta United player this season. After breaking the deadlock with his second goal, the Norwegian answered the crowd's roar with a celebratory salute to 17s in the Gulch.

"I had a long week. I didn’t play in the middle of the week. I rested well and I worked hard, and I had a lot of energy to this game," Gregersen said. "Scoring two goals in one game, I've never done that before. So, it was good to do it here in Mercedes-Benz Stadium and in front of these amazing fans.”

Lobjanidze was credited with assists on both of Gregersen's goals, bringing the winger's total to seven on the season.

Saturday was the last regular season match until August 24 for Atlanta United. It was the team's first win since the 2-1 victory over Toronto FC at home on June 29.

A strong performance against one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference comes at a crucial point as Atlanta United prepares for two Leagues Cup matches at home against D.C. United on July 26 and Santos Laguna on August 4.

“The collective work rate together was really good, but it has to be like that every game," Valentino said. "That is the challenge for them. They’ve shown me that they can do it. Now, I’m going to demand it every game.”