Atlanta United secures three points after tonight’s victory over Colorado Rapids. Thiago Almada redeemed himself after a missed penalty kick, and instead, scored a howler of a free kick outside the box. Other goals came from Luiz Araújo, Tyler Wolff, and Giorgis Giakoumakis. All three designated players scored and Wolff scored his first MLS goal.
Atlanta controlled the game early and earned a penalty in the eighth minute when Danny Leyva was ruled for a handball inside the 18-yard box. Almada took the spot kick and went for placement, aiming for the upper right corner, but his attempt missed high.
Almada quickly redeemed himself in the 29th minute with his third direct free-kick goal of the season. Derrick Etienne Jr. earned the foul roughly 25 yards from goal on the left side. Almada fired the ball over the four-man Colorado wall and into the back of the net, leaving goalkeeper William Yarbrough flat-footed.
Atlanta United continued to pile on pressure but struggled to find a goal from open play. Colorado defended deep and attempted to hit Atlanta on the counter, but goalkeeper Quentin Westberg preserved the 1-0 lead with an acrobatic save on Leyva in the 67th minute and again in the 70th minute when he denied Jonathan Lewis’ attempt at his near post.
He is a leader. He is a guy that leads not with words, but with actions that show his intensity, his desire, and his hunger to score goals and help the team in any possible way.”
Head Coach Gonzalo Pineda on the impact of Giorgis Giakoumakis
Araújo eventually doubled Atlanta’s advantage in the 80th minute. The play started with a goal kick when Miles Robinson dribbled forward and found Brooks Lennon on the touchline at midfield. Lennon laid the ball off with one touch to Araújo who had acres of space ahead. The Brazilian breezed by one defender on the edge of the box before calmly slotting a shot between the legs of Andreas Maxso which rolled into the near post, again leaving Yarbrough frozen.
Atlanta refused to let up as Wolff scored his first MLS goal in the 87th minute. Almada received a pass in the box on the left side and took a shot aimed at the far post which was parried away by Yarbrough. The ball ricocheted off defender Alex Gersbach on the goal line and was ultimately poked home by Wolff.
Giakoumakis finished the scoring in the 90th minute on a play that went the length of the field in just two passes. Westberg played a pass to Lennon on the right side who took one touch before firing a long ball towards the Greek forward making a run into the box. Giakoumakis, who entered as a second-half substitute, chested the ball into his path and chipped the ball over an onrushing Yarbrough before tapping it into an empty net.
Atlanta United (6-4-3, 21 points) returns to action when it travels to face Chicago Fire FC Saturday, May 20 at Soldier Field (8:30 p.m., MLS Season Pass, 92.9 The Game, La Mejor). All Atlanta United matches are available with an MLS Season Pass subscription, located on the Apple TV app.
-Jon Jones
Photo: Courtesy of ATLUTD
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