Red Bull New York 3, Atlanta United FC 0 at Sports Illustrated Stadium — Mehmeti, Cowell and a Marshall-Rutty free kick closed the regular season, and Parker's 12-year career, on Decision Day.
Red Bull New York beat Atlanta United FC 3-0 at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison on Saturday, November 7, 2026 — the final day of the MLS regular season, Decision Day, with both clubs already out of the playoff picture and playing out the string.
Atlanta had the first real chance. In the eighth minute Miguel Almirón latched onto a long ball from Elías Báez and hit the left post, with Breel Embolo in space to his right, per Scarves and Spikes' match recap. It was the moment the afternoon could have turned the other way — a goal then, away from home on the last day, and a flat season finale suddenly has a different shape. Instead the ball came back off the post, and New York took the game away from there.
New York scored after that let-off. Ronald Donkor played a ball into Adri Mehmeti, Jayden Hibbert made the initial save on the teenager's shot, and Mehmeti put the loose ball in for 1-0 at 31'. Cade Cowell made it two at 54', taking a through ball from Sekou Kone, pulling Hibbert off his line and scoring on an open goal. Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty finished it at 81' with a free kick from just outside the box — the recap describes it as soaring.
The afternoon's real story came off the bench. Defender Tim Parker announced on Friday that he would retire after this match, ending a 12-year MLS career across five clubs, with 303 regular-season appearances and 280 starts per Field Level Media. MLSSoccer.com's retirement report notes Parker represented Red Bull in two stints (2018-20 and 2025-26) and helped the club win the 2018 Supporters' Shield. Sportradar's player record for this match lists Parker as subbed on — he played in his farewell match, came on at 90', and it ended in a 3-0 win and a clean sheet. New York's official starting-XI post had listed Parker among the substitutes before kickoff.
Atlanta put out a listless performance in attack, per the recap, and its season came to an unceremonious end at 9-19-6. New York had been unbeaten at home against Atlanta before kickoff — 5-0-3 in eight matches at this stadium, outscoring Atlanta 13-3 — and the win extends that run.
A Finale That Became Parker's Farewell
Previously Staff’s read: For the standings, honestly, very little — and the body of this story has never pretended otherwise. Both clubs were already eliminated before kickoff: Atlanta's elimination came on October 28, and New York's came at Nashville. Neither reached the playoffs, and no result in Harrison was going to change that. Atlanta's season ends closed out with a listless attacking performance and a 3-0 defeat at a ground where it has still never won.
What the afternoon will actually be remembered for is the farewell. He came on at 90' to play the final minutes of his final match in front of the home crowd, in a 3-0 win, with a clean sheet intact. Careers rarely get to choose their last afternoon. On Decision Day in Harrison, Parker's last one had the scoreline, the shutout and the send-off all pointing the same way.
Sources · 4 sources
- Sportradar — New York Red Bulls vs Atlanta United FC, MLS 2026, Nov 7, 2026
- Scarves and Spikes — Atlanta United limp to 3-0 season-ending loss at Red Bull New York
- MLSSoccer.com — Red Bull New York defender Tim Parker announces retirement
- Red Bull New York — Starting XI: Red Bull New York, Atlanta United Meet on Final Matchday
Every minute from Harrison — the full box score, play-by-play and all three goals — is in the Game Center for Red Bull New York vs Atlanta United, and the full MLS slate is on the MLS hub.
