Saba Lobjanidze and Jamal Thiare scored in the first 17 minutes as Atlanta United qualified for the postseason by wrapping up the regular season with a 2-1 road victory against Orlando City on Saturday night.
Atlanta United (10-14-10, 40 points) won back-to-back matches for the first time since March, but they needed help based on other MLS results in order to gain a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Goalkeeper Brad Guzan made seven saves for Atlanta, which had anxious moments down the stretch.
Orlando City appeared to have the tying goal from Duncan McGuire in the 89th minute, but video review overturned the goal because of a handball violation on McGuire.
Martin Ojeda scored in the 42nd minute for Orlando City (15-12-7, 52 points), which had a three-match winning streak end. Orlando City was trying to clinch a home-field advantage for a playoff round in the Eastern Conference.
Trailing 2-1 early in the second half, Orlando City goalkeeper Pedro Gallese made a save on Aleksey Miranchuk’s penalty kick to keep the one-goal margin. The penalty came after Dagur Thorhallsson fouled Lobjanidze in the penalty area in the 46th minute.
Earlier, Lobjanidze posted his team-leading ninth goal, giving him a goal in three of the last six matches. He took a pass from Pedro Amador and cut through defenders at the box to zip a shot into the goal in the seventh minute.
Thiare’s sixth goal of the year was his first since June 29.
Ojeda scored on a header off Rafael Santos’ delivery from near the left sideline. It was his fourth goal of the season, but his first in a 13-match stretch.
–Field Level Media
