Atlanta United draws 1-1 with DC United
Atlanta avoids the Wooden Spoon and honors retiring club legend Brad Guzan
It was another draw for Atlanta United to close out the forgettable 2025 season as The Five Stripes and DC United split the points with a 1-1 stalemate in the Benz on Decision Day. The result lifts Atlanta just off the bottom of the table and clinches the Wooden Spoon for DC United for the 2025 campaign.
Miguel Almiron scored in the 3rd minute and looked to have another before the half-hour mark only to be ruled offside. This was a welcome change of recent pace as Atlanta had started the game brightly, playing in an energetic, free-flowing attacking style to open this final match of the 2025 regular season.
But again, the familiar patterns of shaky play plagued the hosts as the visitors leveled the match in the second half. DC United scored their goal in the 66th minute as Gabriel Pirani scored on the third time asking after a familiar lack of decisive Atlanta defending left a loose ball in front of the goal that the opponents have punished all season long.
Despite a furious Atlanta push during the final 15 minutes of play, the next goal would not be found and the match ended knotted 1-1 in Atlanta’s 13th draw of the season.
The match will not be remembered for the result but rather for the crowd-favorite named “Guuuuuz” standing tall in all pink in the Atlanta goal.
Retiring club legend Brad Guzan played his final match between the pipes for Atlanta as pre-game awards, photo ops, fan chants, halo board messages, and post-match interviews all echoed the praises of an outstanding 21 years of professional soccer. Guzan made an immediate impact upon his arrival in Atlanta in 2017 and has been a stabilizing force in the Five Stripe’s line up during his service to the club. A major Achilles injury just a few seasons ago provided a major obstacle to overcome, however, Guzan returned to the No. 1 goalkeeper role for the club and provided pure MLS Playoff magic just a season ago helping knock Messi’s heavily favored Inter Miami out of the 2024 postseason.
Guzan seemed upbeat, humble, and thankful for his pro soccer journey, especially the chapters here in Atlanta, as he just soaked in the moment surrounded by family and friends as he played his final 90 minutes for the Five Stripes at the world-class standard his career has defined.
Guzan humbly summed up his love of the game on popular social media site X by saying, “I’m just a kid from Chicago who instantly knew this game was for me. Today, as I prepare to hang up my gloves, I know this journey was never just about me.”
Other retirement comments from Guzan focused on “we” and the future direction of Atlanta United. Clearly, there is a plan in place to keep Guzan in the Five Stripe’s family in his post-playing days, and Guzan hinted that he would get started on his next chapter of soccer in the near future. With the sacking of Head Coach Ronny Deila just hours after this final match, Atlanta United seems poised to make bold moves this offseason with some familiar personalities ready to return the club to the summit of MLS and beyond.
It should not be too long before Atlanta United retires their first player number and makes Brad Guzan the first member of the Five Stripe’s Hall of Fame and Stadium Ring of Honor.
“He’s Big, He’s Tall, He’s a Mother******* Wall…Brad Guzan.”