Atlanta United fell 2-1 to CF Montréal on Saturday afternoon at Stade Saputo. Atlanta controlled possession for most of the match, but Montreal edged out the visitors with an 82nd-minute winner.
Montreal opened the scoring through a set piece in the fourth minute. Djordje Mihailovic crossed in a free-kick from the left wing to the edge of the Atlanta six-yard box. Defender Kamal Miller got on the end of it at the back post, heading the hosts into a 1-0 lead.
Atlanta almost answered in the 19th minute through Thiago Almada, who found a pocket of space before unleashing a curling shot from 30 yards out that narrowly missed wide. The visitors continued to create pressure in Montreal’s final third. Then in the 32nd minute, Marcelino Moreno nearly drew Atlanta level with a set piece of his own, forcing a diving save out of Sebastian Breza with a free-kick effort from nearly 30 yards out.
Moreno eventually netted the equalizer in the 51st minute, touching down a cross sent into the Montreal penalty area off the boot of Almada from the right flank. Moreno dragged the ball back before his shot kissed off the left post and past Breza for the Argentinian’s second goal of the season.
A Montreal corner kick bounced around the Atlanta box in the 54th minute, almost deflecting into Bobby Shuttleworth’s net. Andrew Gutman cleared the chance off the line.
Montreal found the match-winner in the 82nd minute, as Miller created space for himself with fancy footwork on the right edge of the Atlanta penalty area. Miller sent a cross to the near post and into the path of Joaquin Torres, who flicked a header past Shuttleworth to win the match for the hosts.
Atlanta (3-4-2, 11 points) returns to action Saturday, May 7 when it hosts Chicago Fire at Mercedes-Benz Stadium (6 p.m., Bally Sports South, Sports Radio 92-9 The Game, La Mejor).
-Jon Jones
Photo: Courtesy of ATL UTD
THE PEACH REVIEW® 