Wessam Abou Ali leads Crew over Atlanta United 3-1 for first victory of season

Columbus earns first win under new coach Henrik Rydström.

Apr. 5, 2026 at 7:50pm

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Wessam Abou Ali scored two goals in the first eight minutes of the second half to lead the Columbus Crew to a 3-1 victory over Atlanta United on Saturday night. The win was the first of the season for the Crew, who are in their first year under new head coach Henrik Rydström.

Why it matters

The Crew have struggled to start the season, going 0-3-2 in their first five games. This win over Atlanta United, one of the top teams in the league, could be a turning point that gets the Crew's season back on track.

The details

Abou Ali scored in the 48th and 53rd minutes to give the Crew a 2-0 lead. Atlanta United's Alexey Miranchuk cut the deficit to 2-1 in the 60th minute, but Max Arfsten restored the Crew's two-goal advantage just a minute later. Patrick Schulte made three saves in goal for the Crew, while Lucas Hoyos had four saves for Atlanta United.

  • The game was played on Saturday, April 5, 2026.
  • Abou Ali scored his two goals in the 48th and 53rd minutes of the second half.

The players

Wessam Abou Ali

A forward for the Columbus Crew who scored two goals in the second half to lead his team to victory.

Henrik Rydström

The first-year head coach of the Columbus Crew.

Alexey Miranchuk

A forward for Atlanta United who scored his team's lone goal in the 60th minute.

Patrick Schulte

The goalkeeper for the Columbus Crew who made three saves in the game.

Lucas Hoyos

The goalkeeper for Atlanta United who made four saves in the game.

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What’s next

The Crew will host Orlando City on April 12, while Atlanta United will visit the Chicago Fire on the same day.

The takeaway

The Crew's victory over Atlanta United, led by Wessam Abou Ali's two-goal performance, could be a much-needed boost for the team as they look to turn their season around under new head coach Henrik Rydström.