With the latest goal scored in Atlanta United history, they stole victory from the Chicago Fire at the death.
Starting XI
Atlanta United (4-2-3-1): Quentin Westberg; Brooks Lennon, Miles Robinson (C), Juanjo Purata, Andrew Gutman; Santiago Sosa, Matheus Rossetto, Thiago Almada, Luiz Araújo, Derrick Etienne Jr.; Giorgos Giakoumakis
Chicago Fire (4-2-3-1): Chris Brady; Arnaud Souquet, Carlos Terán, Rafael Czichos, Jonathan Dean; Fabian Herbers, Maren Haile-Selassie, Brian Gutiérrez, Xherdan Shaqiri, Chris Mueller; Kei Kamara
“Today, we weren’t the better team, but we won.” That was Gonzalo Pineda after the match and the sentiment was echoed across the team. He elaborated saying, “we made mistakes that we normally don’t do” including mistakes in their “buildup and distribution.”
For as well as Atlanta maybe didn’t play, there was equal credit given to Chicago Fire for how well they did play. Part of Chicago’s success was due to “being compact and understanding timing with their pressure” according to Pineda. It stifled their buildup and forced them into traps on the flanks.
Forward Derrick Etienne was also complimentary of Chicago saying they “came with a different game plan than we came to the game with.”
First Half
The overall picture of the match was uncharacteristic, but they began the match in a characteristic manner. Fast starts have been frequent with four goals scored within the opening 15 minutes of the match. Giorgos Giakoumakis increased that tally to five.
The play began with Thiago Almada playing a cutting ball over the Chicago backline. Brooks Lennon chased it all the way to the touchline before playing a pass across the box that found Giako. After a touch, he thundered it into the back of the net. (Giakoumakis 1-0, 13′).
Giakoumakis also increased his own record with his fifth goal of the season in his fifth start.
Chicago would have the next chance in the match after a turnover in midfield. A dinked ball was played into no man’s land in the space vacated by Andrew Gutman. In a race between Maren Haile-Selassie, Santiago Sosa, and Quentin Westberg, it was Haile-Selassie who won the race to the ball first and dinked it over Westberg. Luckily the only part of the net it was able to find was the top.
Another turnover led to another chance for Chicago. Gutman played a pass directly to an opposing player who quickly played through Kei Kamara. Kamara got a shot off but Westberg was equal to it and made a save with his foot.
After their fast start, the Atlanta attack was unable to create anything truly threatening.
Second Half
A substitution was made at halftime by Atlanta United. Clement Diop entered the game for Westberg due to an injury. It was revealed by Pineda that Westberg suffered a knock during pre-game. He felt increased pressure in the knee during the match and was removed as a precaution.
A fast start was almost the narrative of the second half as well.
Sosa played a cross-field pass finding Lennon in acres of space. After being closed down, he played a looping cross which Giako met with his head. Similar to Haile-Selassie in the first half, his effort only found the top of the net.
That would be his last contribution to the match as he was substituted minutes later. Before leaving, he spent time reaching this hamstring indicating a reaggravation of the injury. Miguel Berry entered his place.
Caleb Wiley also entered the match in place of Etienne. It was nearly an immediate impact for Wiley, but he was unable to control a rebounded save from an Almada shot at the top of the box.
With the packed fixture list, a cautious substitution was made seeing Alamada leave the match in place of Machop Chol. As the match seemed to wind to an end, Franco Ibarra made a return after his red card suspension taking the place of Luiz Araujo.
It was Ibarra who played a back pass that split both Atlanta United center-backs and was pounced on by Chicago substitute Kacper Przybyłko. Diop did well to close down the space and saved the initial shot.
The loose ball was picked up by Chicago and passed into Przybyłko who put it past Miles Robinson on the goal line and into the back of the net (Przybyłko 1-1, 90).
Nine minutes of extra time stood before Atlanta United and two more dropped points. In extra-time, Atlanta was beneficiary of two dangerous set-piece opportunities.
Lennon stood over a free kick and whipped a cross into the box. The cross was met by Juanjo Purata who fired a bullet header on goal but directly at the Chicago keeper.
The resulting corner was played in by Lennon again. Purata again met the cross. This time his contact with the ball ricocheted off the back of Haile-Selassie and into the goal to give Atlanta the lead and ultimately the victory (Purata 2-1, 90+9′).
After the heartbreaking defeat last weekend in Toronto, it was Atlanta United who stole victory from the Chicago Fire at the death.
Matchday 9: Atlanta United 2 (Giakoumakis 13′, Purata 90+9′) – Chicago Fire FC 1 (Przybyłko 90′)
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All matchday photos are credited to Eduardo Villalobos/Area Sports Network
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