Atlanta and Nashville secure postseason spots as rivals fall short

Miguel Almirón and Alexey Miranchuk each contributed a goal and an assist as Atlanta United defeated Toronto FC 3-1 on Sunday. The result ended Atlanta’s six-game home winless streak and eliminated the Toronto club from the playoff race for the sixth straight season.

Almirón opened the scoring in the 22nd minute with a chip over goalkeeper Luka Gavran following a one-touch pass from Miranchuk. It was Almirón’s seventh goal of the season and Miranchuk’s eighth assist. Cooper Sánchez extended the lead to 2-0 in the 40th minute after Almirón carried the ball down the left flank and found the unmarked forward near the penalty spot.

Miranchuk added the third goal in the 51st minute, capitalizing on a rebound that struck the post after a long-range shot by Almirón. Toronto’s Lewis Morgan, who entered as a second-half substitute, scored in the 79th minute to narrow the final margin.

In a separate match, the Nashville SC overcame a two-goal deficit to beat the New York Red Bulls 3-2 on a rainy Sunday. The victory relied on two own goals and a late strike by Sam Surridge in stoppage time. The win extended Nashville’s unbeaten streak to nine matches and marked the second time in club history that the team finished the regular season undefeated at home.

Nashville tied the Major League Soccer record for points in a single season, matching the 74 points set by Inter Miami in 2024. The squad still has one game remaining, but its 44 points earned at home already stand as a league record.

The combined results of these two matches guaranteed a playoff berth for the Columbus Crew in the Eastern Conference. The Crew secured the spot due to the losses suffered by both the Red Bulls and Toronto FC.

The season concludes with one final match for Nashville, while the other teams mentioned have already determined their postseason status for this cycle.