If you were sitting in Mercedes-Benz Stadium on September 13, 2025, you probably still haven't processed what you saw. It was a match that defied every law of soccer logic. Atlanta United basically staged one of the greatest comebacks in MLS history, only to have it mean absolutely nothing in the end. A 5-4 loss. At home. It was the kind of night where you walk out of the stadium, look at your friend, and just say, "What even was that?"
The Atlanta United vs Columbus Crew rivalry isn't some manufactured marketing gimmick. It's built on a foundation of high-stakes playoff heartbreak and some of the most lopsided scorelines you'll see in professional sports. Honestly, looking at the history, Columbus has become the ultimate "boogeyman" for Atlanta. Since that first expansion season in 2017, the Crew have consistently found ways to dismantle the 5-Stripes, whether through tactical masterclasses or just pure, unadulterated chaos.
The Night Logic Died: September 13, 2025
Let's talk about that 5-4 game. It’s the perfect microcosm of this entire matchup. By the 39th minute, Columbus was leading 5-0. Read that again. Five to zero. Diego Rossi had a hat-trick before most people had even finished their first beer. It looked like an absolute massacre. Atlanta’s defense, coached by Ronny Deila, was essentially a sieve. Every time the Crew crossed the halfway line, the ball ended up in the back of Jayden Hibbert’s net.
But then, things got weird.
Miguel Almirón, who had recently returned to the club and was captaining the side, slotted a penalty just before halftime. Most fans figured it was a "mercy goal" to make the scoreline look slightly less embarrassing. Instead, it sparked a 5-Stripes resurgence that felt like a fever dream. Pedro Amador scored his first club goal immediately after the break. Jamal Thiaré bagged a brace. By the 88th minute, it was 5-4. Atlanta was actually knocking on the door of a 5-5 draw.
They finished with 3.8 Expected Goals (xG) compared to Columbus's 1.7. Think about that. Atlanta created nearly double the quality of chances, yet they still lost. That’s the Atlanta United vs Columbus Crew experience in a nutshell: statistical dominance met with a brutal reality check.
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A History of Bad Blood and Postseason Pain
To understand why this match matters so much to fans, you have to go back to the beginning.
- 2017 Knockout Round: Atlanta’s first-ever playoff game. A record-breaking crowd of over 67,000 people. Zack Steffen turned into a brick wall for Columbus, making eight saves before the Crew won on penalties. That night set the tone for the next decade.
- The 6-1 Blowout (2023): Just when Atlanta thought they were finding their footing under Gonzalo Pineda, they traveled to Ohio and got absolutely shredded. It wasn't even a contest.
- The 2023 Playoff Series: A three-game war. Atlanta actually won Game 2 at home (4-2), giving fans a glimmer of hope. Then they went back to Lower.com Field for Game 3 and lost 4-2. The pattern is clear: Columbus usually gets the last laugh.
Currently, the head-to-head record sits at 13 wins for Columbus, 8 for Atlanta, and 3 draws. The goal difference is leaning heavily toward the Black & Gold as well, 47 to 37. It’s not just that Columbus wins; it’s that they often win with a style that makes Atlanta look disorganized.
Tactical Friction: Nancy-ball vs. Deila’s Directness
Why does Columbus always seem to have the upper hand? It mostly comes down to Wilfried Nancy. The man is a tactical wizard. His "Nancy-ball" system is built on extreme possession and drawing the opponent out. They don't just pass the ball; they bait you. They want you to press them so they can slice through you with one-touch passing.
Atlanta, under Ronny Deila in 2025, tried to be more aggressive. They wanted to use the pace of Saba Lobjanidze and the creativity of Almirón to catch Columbus on the break. In the 5-4 game, it actually worked—offensively. But defensively, playing a high line against players like Diego Rossi and Cucho Hernández is basically suicide.
Columbus's style is incredibly fluid. They move the ball from the defensive third into the final third more efficiently than almost anyone in the league. In 2025, they ranked #1 in passes into the final third. Atlanta, by contrast, relies more on individual brilliance and set pieces.
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Key Players Who Define This Matchup
When these two teams meet, certain names always seem to pop up on the scoresheet.
Cucho Hernández is a menace. He’s scored 7 goals against Atlanta in his career. He’s the type of striker who only needs half a yard of space to ruin your weekend. Then there's Diego Rossi, who seems to save his best performances for the Mercedes-Benz Stadium lights. His hat-trick in the most recent meeting was a masterclass in movement off the ball.
For Atlanta, Miguel Almirón remains the emotional heartbeat. His return to the club in 2025 was supposed to signal a return to the "glory days." While he’s putting up the numbers—his 26th career goal for the club tied him with Thiago Almada for second all-time—the supporting cast hasn't always been there. Saba Lobjanidze is the other big threat; he led the team with 8 assists across all competitions in 2025 and is usually the one providing the service for Jamal Thiaré.
What Most People Get Wrong About This Match
A lot of casual observers think the Atlanta United vs Columbus Crew matchup is just another Eastern Conference game. It isn't. It's a clash of identities.
People often blame Atlanta's losses on "bad luck" or "individual errors." While those exist, the reality is more complex. Columbus is a team that thrives on structure. Atlanta, since the Tata Martino era, has struggled to find a consistent tactical identity. They’ve toggled between high-pressing, possession-based, and counter-attacking styles. This lack of a clear "DNA" makes them vulnerable to a team as well-drilled as the Crew.
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Also, don't sleep on the "Lower.com Factor." Atlanta hasn't just struggled in Columbus; they’ve often looked completely lost there. The atmosphere in Ohio is tight and hostile, a sharp contrast to the massive, cavernous feel of the Benz.
Making Sense of the Future
So, where do we go from here? If you're an Atlanta fan, the September 2025 loss was the final nail in the coffin for playoff hopes. It was a brutal way to end the season, especially since they showed they could score four goals on the best team in the league.
The next step for Atlanta is clearly defensive stability. You can't concede five goals at home and expect to be a serious contender. Ronny Deila has talked about "effectiveness in both boxes," but until the 5-Stripes find a way to stop the bleeding against elite transition teams, Columbus will continue to dominate this fixture.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts:
- Watch the Wing-Backs: In the next meeting, keep a close eye on Atlanta’s fullbacks. If they push too high, Nancy will exploit the space behind them every single time.
- The First 15 Minutes: Columbus tends to start fast. Atlanta needs to survive the initial wave of pressure to have any chance of controlling the tempo.
- Set Piece Opportunities: Atlanta actually has an aerial advantage. Stian Gregersen and Enea Mihaj are massive targets. If the game is tight, a corner kick might be Atlanta's best path to a result.
The Atlanta United vs Columbus Crew rivalry is one of the most entertaining spectacles in American soccer. It’s loud, it’s high-scoring, and it’s usually heartbreaking for one side. But more than anything, it’s a reminder that in MLS, stats like xG don’t mean a thing if you can’t handle the chaos.
To keep track of the next chapter in this rivalry, keep an eye on the 2026 schedule releases. With the World Cup looming and the league evolving, the tactical gap between these two teams might finally start to close—or Columbus might just find another way to score five.