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Gabriel Pirani’s goal in the second half salvaged a road point for visiting D.C. United on Saturday night, as they played Atlanta United to a 1-1 draw on the final day of the MLS regular season.
Despite its three-match losing streak coming to an end, D.C. (5-18-11, 26 points) saw its winless streak reach five matches (0-2-3). Saturday’s draw also means it will finish at the bottom of the MLS table for the first time since 2013.
Atlanta (5-16-13, 27 points) avoided a last-place finish in the league standings with the draw but saw its winless streak reach six matches (0-4-2).
Pirani scored in the 67th minute, almost immediately after Atlanta goalkeeper Brad Guzan delivered a kick save on Christian Benteke’s initial attempt.
Joao Peglow’s follow-up shot deflected off Atlanta defender Enea Mihaj and back to Pirani, who ultimately finished at Guzan’s far post to make it 1-1. It was Pirani’s seventh goal of the season.
Pirani’s goal matched a third-minute opener from Atlanta’s Miguel Almiron. The Paraguay international’s low-driven, long-distance shot from just beyond the edge of the box found its way past D.C. goalkeeper Jordan Farr as Atlanta opened up a 1-0 lead. It was Almiron’s sixth goal of the season.
Almiron appeared to make it 2-0 in the 18th minute on a free kick from Steven Alzate, but he found himself offside in the process.
After Pirani’s equalizer in the second half, Saba Lobjanidze had an opportunity to deliver a potential go-ahead tally for Atlanta in the 84th minute, but D.C. United’s Lukas MacNaughton cleared the ball off the goal line at the last second.
Meanwhile, Guzan, who announced his retirement on Tuesday after a professional career that spanned just over two decades, finished with three saves in his final match, his only blemish of the night coming on the Pirani goal.
Atlanta had 13 total shots to D.C.’s 10, while also holding a 7-4 edge in shots on goal.
Farr finished the night with five saves for D.C.
–Field Level Media
