Atlanta United defeated CF Montréal 2-2 (5-4 in penalties) to advance to the Round One Best-of-3 series in the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs. Brad Guzan made one save while all five Atlanta players converted their spot kicks to secure the victory. With the win, Atlanta now faces Inter Miami CF with Game 1 set for Friday, Oct. 25 in Miami at 8:30 p.m. ET (MLS Season Pass on Apple TV – FREE, STAR 94, La Mejor Radio).
Atlanta United took the lead in the 29th minute through Brooks Lennon. After a 44-pass sequence, Pedro Amador received the ball on the left wing, picked his head up and delivered a cross into the box that Lennon headed perfectly into the side net for his first goal of the season. Amador recorded his fifth assist of the season.
Atlanta continued to attack down its left side and Lennon had a chance to score his second of the night in the 32nd minute. Saba Lobjanidze played an early cross behind Montréal’s backline that found an unmarked Lennon running onto the ball at the edge of the six-yard box but his first-time effort at goal sailed over the crossbar.
Stian Gregersen doubled Atlanta’s lead in the 44th minute. Alexey Miranchuk swung a left-footed free kick from the left wing towards the far post. Gregersen freed himself from his defender and met the cross inside the six-yard box to finish with a powerful header down and past Jonathan Sirois. Atlanta converted two of its four shots on target in the first half to take a 2-0 lead into the break.
Early on in the second half, Atlanta continued to push for the third goal. Lobjanidze had a chance in the 53rd minute, running onto a diagonal ball into space from second-half substitute Tyler Wolff and cutting inside before striking a low shot straight at Sirois. Ten minutes later, Josef Martínez cut the visitors lead to 2-1 when he arrived first to a loose ball inside the box after Guzan had come off his line and the Venezuelan passed the ball into the net.
Guzan came up with a diving save in the 73rd minute to deny a threat from former Five Stripe George Campbell from inside the box. The ATL captain made another huge save in the 76th minute, this time on a powerful free kick attempt from about 25 yards out from Tom Pearce. Daniel Ríos and Lobjanidze each had chances to add a third for Atlanta in the 79th and 80th minutes but each attempt was slightly off target.
Montréal found the equalizer through Martínez in the 89th minute from the penalty spot after VAR ruled that a foul on Lennon occurred just inside the box. With the score tied 2-2 at the end of regulation, the match went directly to penalty kicks.
In the shootout, Guzan made a diving stop to his left on the second penalty taken by Pearce. Dax McCarty, Ríos, Miranchuk and Derrick Williams scored to give Atlanta the advantage going into the fifth round of the shootout. Lobjanidze stepped up to the moment and calmly slotted his ball to the bottom left corner of the goal sending Sirois the wrong way to secure the victory.
The Five Stripes have a quick turn around and have a huge battle ahead of them as they face the Supporters Shield winners, Inter Miami CF. It seems like a mountain to climb, but the players and staff are ready for the challenge.
“Yes, of course, I always look forward to playing in big games and I’m looking forward so much to playing in Mercedes-Benz with the stadium packed,” said Stian Gregersen post-match. “So to play in front of our fans, I’m looking forward very much to playing in this game.” The second match of the three-match series will be in Atlanta on Saturday, Nov. 2.
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-Jon Jones
Photos: Courtesy of ATLUTD