Real Salt Lake Score Three in First Half, Survive Aleksey Miranchuk Brace to Beat Atlanta United 3-2

Atlanta United threw a party for its home opener, and Real Salt Lake showed up with two 18-year-olds and a rookie striker and ate all the snacks.

RSL scored three times between the 23rd and 40th minutes through Sergi Solans, Aiden Hezarkhani and Zavier Gozo, then hung on through an Aleksey Miranchuk brace to beat Atlanta 3-2 on Saturday night in front of 53,862 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. It was Real Salt Lake's second straight win, and it left the 5-Stripes without a point after three games.

Fast Start, Faster Counters

Both teams came out flying. Morgan Guilavogui, the Designated Player making his first start of the season according to RSL, had a shot blocked in the first minute and kept shooting: he tried his luck four times in the opening 22 minutes. Atlanta answered through Emmanuel Latte Lath, whose effort in the eighth minute was saved by Rafael Cabral, and Miguel Almirón started to find space, testing the RSL defense from distance in the 17th and 19th minutes. Miranchuk, making his first start of the season per Atlanta, sent a shot from distance just wide in the 21st.

Then RSL showed what it does best: punish teams on the break. In the 23rd minute, Atlanta had a shot blocked and RSL went the other way in a flash. Guilavogui picked up the ball deep in his own half and slipped a through ball behind the defense, and Solans ran onto it and finished low into the bottom right corner. RSL said it was the rookie Spanish striker's first career MLS goal.

Four minutes later it was 2-0. Hezarkhani did not have much room in the middle of the box, but he made just enough for a right-footed shot into the top left corner. RSL credited Solans with a flick in the buildup, and the club noted it was the 18-year-old's second straight match with a goal after scoring his first career MLS goal against Seattle a week earlier.

Miranchuk Answers, Gozo Replies

Atlanta kept pushing, and in the 38th minute it finally broke through. Elías Báez crossed from the left and Miranchuk hit a left-footed shot into the top right corner, giving Atlanta its first goal of the season.

The building barely had time to celebrate. Two minutes later Philip Quinton won the ball back and found Gozo on the right, and the 18-year-old beat his man before firing a left-footed shot into the top left corner. 3-1. Three yellow cards followed before halftime, and RSL went in two goals clear.

Atlanta's Push

Coach Pablo Mastroeni sent on Griffin Dillon for Luca Moisa at halftime, and RSL said Dillon was the club's eighth debutant of the season and the seventh to make his MLS debut. Tata Martino answered with Matías Galarza Fonda, who made his Atlanta debut in the 59th minute, per the club.

RSL had chances to put it away. Justen Glad headed a Dillon set piece wide in the 64th minute, and Dillon forced a save from Lucas Hoyos two minutes later. Atlanta kept the ball and kept pushing, and in the 73rd minute Latte Lath got into the left side of the box and slid it across for Miranchuk, who finished with his right foot. 3-2, and Mercedes-Benz Stadium came alive.

The visitors were stretched by injuries in the final stretch, losing Solans in the 82nd minute and Quinton three minutes later. Atlanta created a few more looks. Galarza Fonda forced Cabral into a save in the 89th, Latte Lath sent a header just past the top left corner after a corner in stoppage time and Matt Edwards dragged a long shot wide. RSL held.

Who Stood Out

Aleksey Miranchuk: Two shots on target, two goals. Atlanta noted they were the club's first two MLS goals of the season. In defeat, he was the best player on the field.

Morgan Guilavogui: Five shots, none on target, but the assist on the opener was a thing of beauty. His willingness to shoot and run kept Atlanta's back line honest all night.

Zavier Gozo and Aiden Hezarkhani: Two teenagers, two goals, both into the top left corner. RSL said four academy products started for a third straight week, and these two are the reason that stat matters.

Rafael Cabral: Three saves, including the late stop on Galarza Fonda that preserved the win.

The Turning Point

The 40th minute. Atlanta had just scored, the crowd was roaring and the 5-Stripes had momentum. Gozo's goal two minutes later killed it before it could build.

Stats That Matter

• Possession: Atlanta 62.4 percent, RSL 37.6 percent.
• Shots: Atlanta 16, RSL 11. On target: Atlanta 5, RSL 4.
• Passing: Atlanta completed 625 of 690 passes; RSL completed 352 of 421. Atlanta said its 320 completed first-half passes were the sixth most in a first half of a regular-season match in club history.
• Clearances: RSL 40, Atlanta 12.
• Crosses: Atlanta attempted 26 and completed 4.

What It Means

RSL is 2-0-1 with 6 points after opening with a 1-0 loss at Vancouver and beating Seattle 2-1 at home. The club's recap had it fifth in the Western Conference after the match. RSL also said it improved to 48-10-18 when scoring first in the 186-game Mastroeni era. Next up is a home game against Austin FC on Saturday, March 14.

Atlanta is 0-0-3 with no points after 2-0 losses at Cincinnati and at San Jose and now this. RSL's recap listed Atlanta 13th in the Eastern Conference. The 5-Stripes stay home to face Philadelphia on Saturday, March 14, the second of four straight home matches, according to the club.

Closing Take

Atlanta played well in spells and dominated the ball. It just ran into a team that does not need the ball to hurt you. RSL is the friend who never orders an appetizer but still somehow ends up with the best dish at the table. Three goals from three different players in 17 minutes is a strong statement, and it was enough to survive Miranchuk's best.

Stats from ESPN's match data. Club notes from Real Salt Lake (rsl.com) and Atlanta United (atlutd.com).