Atlanta United played to a 2-2 draw with the Houston Dynamo Saturday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Daniel Ríos and Xande Silva scored for Atlanta while former five-stripe Franco Escobar and Latif Blessing scored for the visitors. Blessing’s late goal is what robbed Atlanta United of three points.
The Dynamo got off the mark early and took the lead in the fifth minute. Atlanta conceded a corner kick which Houston’s Hector Herrera delivered to the near post. Griffin Dorsey flicked a shot toward goal that ricocheted off the crossbar and fell to Franco Escobar on the far side. Escobar placed a lunging header across goal and into the net to hand the visitors the lead.
Luke Brennan entered the match in the 18th minute to replace an injured Edwin Mosquera, providing a spark in the attack. Atlanta leveled the match in the 25th minute on a play that began with Ríos forcing a turnover while pressing Houston’s backline just outside its 18-yard box. The Mexican forward dribbled into the penalty area and was quickly closed down by a pair of defenders, but he backheeled the ball to an overlapping Brennan. The Homegrown winger first-timed a cross to the near post for Thiago Almada inside the six-yard box, but goalkeeper Steve Clark saved his attempt. The ball rolled back to an unmarked Ríos in the middle of the box where he buried the equalizer for his second goal of the season.
An energized start to the second half saw Atlanta nearly take the lead in the 54th minute from a set piece. Almada delivered a free kick from the right wing into the box where Dax McCarty flicked it to the back post for Derrick Williams. The center back was positioned well, but his shot from inside the six-yard box was denied by Clark and went out for a throw-in.
Atlanta continued to push and took the lead following the throw-in. Almada received the ball and found Caleb Wiley in the middle of the field, who worked the ball over to Silva on the left wing. Silva split a pair of defenders as he dribbled toward goal and unleashed a curling shot from a tight angle that found the top corner on the far side. It marked Silva’s second goal of the year, matching his total from last season.
Houston’s attack struggled to create chances throughout the second half and put its first shot on target in the 84th minute. Dorsey sent a cross to the edge of the six-yard box where Latif Blessing put a powerful header on goal, but Brad Guzan was positioned well to make the save right on the goal line and preserve the lead.
Blessing, however, would capitalize on his next opportunity, scoring in the 89th minute to level the match. Houston quickly progressed the ball upfield, finding Dorsey on the right side and dribbling to the edge of the 18 before laying it off for Carrasquilla. Carrasquilla sent a cross to the back post where Blessing chested the ball down and finished with his right foot.
I think I hear it in your voice as well as mine, the disappointment. [The match] wasn’t in the bag, it never felt like that, that is for sure, but these are moments we have to stop. We were talking about it before, and it might be a little bit different, in some ways, the way we conceded, but I am disappointed in the way it ended up unfolding. I am not happy with that.”
Atlanta United interim head coach Rob Valentino on the late equalizer
Stats
Shots: 19-12 Houston
Shots on target: 9-5 Houston
Corner kicks: 6-4 Houston
Fouls Committed: 16-12 Houston
xG: 2.6 – 1.8 Atlanta
Possession: 52 – 48 Houston
Passing accuracy: 89 – 87 Houston
Atlanta United (4-8-5, 17 points) returns to action on Wednesday, June 19 when it travels to face D.C. United at Audi Field (7:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass, 92.9 The Game, La Mejor). All Atlanta United matches are available with an MLS Season Pass subscription.
-Jon Jones
Photo: Courtesy of ATLUTD