Atlanta United Falls 3-2 to D.C. United - OurSports Central

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Atlanta United FC

Atlanta United Falls 3-2 to D.C. United

May 11, 2024 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Atlanta United FC News Release


ATLANTA - Atlanta United lost 3-2 to D.C. United Saturday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Thiago Almada scored his third goal of the season and 20th with Atlanta in MLS Regular Season play, becoming just the third player in club history to reach 20 goals and 20 assists during the regular season in his career.

Atlanta started the game fast and looked dangerous, which resulted in an early goal as Almada opened the scoring in the 16th minute from the penalty spot. The play started on the right wing when Saba Lobjanidze sent a cross with the outside of his right boot to the back post. Edwin Mosquera one-timed the ball to Giorgos Giakoumakis in the center of the box where he was fouled by D.C.'s Christopher McVey. Almada stepped to the spot and buried his shot into the right side of goal, sending D.C. goalkeeper Alex Bono the other way.

D.C. United quickly struck back with a goal in the 19th minute. With D.C. United in transition, Aaron Herrera sent a through ball down the right wing for Jared Stroud where he delivered a first-time cross to Christian Benteke on the edge of the six-yard box. The Belgian striker redirected the ball on goal with a well-placed header down and to the left, just out of reach for Brad Guzan.

Minutes before halftime, Guzan made a critical save to keep the match level. D.C. United forced a turnover in Atlanta's own half and Benteke charged down the center of the field before slipping a pass into the box for Ted Ku-DiPietro on the left side. He attempted to sneak it in the near post, but Atlanta's captain got to ground quick and made a kick-save.

However, D.C. took the lead in the 44th minute. After a spell of possession in Atlanta's half, D.C. United worked the ball down the right flank for Stroud to send in a cross. The initial ball was cut out by Atlanta, but it fell directly back to Stroud who picked out Benteke on the back post for a free header to go up 2-1 heading into the break.

Atlanta wasted little time to even the match, finding the back of the net in the 48th minute. After forcing a turnover in D.C.'s half, halftime substitute Dax McCarty collected the loose ball and quickly found Almada in space on the left side. The Argentine cut inside, combined with Giakoumakis near the top of the box for a give-and-go before sending a ball to Lobjanidze on the right wing inside the penalty area. Lobjanidze sent a cross into the box, but it took a deflection off D.C.'s Matti Peltola and rolled into the goal to pull the match level at two goals apiece.

Benteke earned his hat trick in the 54th minute. Mateusz Klich delivered a corner kick to the center of the box where Benteke was able to out jump his man and place his header off the right post and into the goal.

Atlanta's best chance down the stretch came in the 78th minute on a header from Giakoumakis. McCarty played an early cross from a deep position in the midfield towards the left side of the box. Giakoumakis was able to out-jump his defender and sent a looping header toward goal, but Bono caught it before it found the net.

Atlanta United (3-5-3, 12 points) returns to action Wednesday, May 15 when it travels to face FC Cincinnati at TQL Stadium (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, located on the Apple TV app.

Match Summary

Stats

Shots: 15-14 D.C.

Shots on target: 6-3 D.C.

Corner kicks: 7-6 Atlanta

Fouls Committed: 17-10 D.C.

xG: 2.3 - 1.5 D.C.

Possession: 61-39 Atlanta

Passing accuracy: 88-80 Atlanta

Scoring

ATL - Thiago Almada (penalty) 16'

DC - Christian Benteke (Stroud, Herrera) 19'

DC - Christian Benteke (Stroud) 44'

ATL - Matti Peltola (own-goal) 48'

DC - Christian Benteke (Mateusz Klich) 55'

Disciplinary

ATL - Bartosz Slisz 29'

DC - Cristian Dajome 38'

ATL - Thiago Almada 45+2'

ATL - Luis Abram 75'

DC - Garrison Tubbs 84' Notes

Almada scored his third goal of the season and his 20th in MLS Regular Season play

Almada is now the third player in club history to have 20 goals and 20 assists in MLS Regular Season play (Almiron, Villalba)

Attendance: 42,822

ATLANTA UNITED STARTING LINEUP

GK: Brad Guzan (c)

D: Brooks Lennon

D: Noah Cobb

D: Luis Abram

D: Caleb Wiley

M: Bartosz Slisz (Nick Firmino - 86')

M: Tristan Muyumba (Xande Silva - 61')

M: Thiago Almada

M: Saba Lobjanidze (Daniel Ríos - 73')

M: Edwin Mosquera (Dax McCarty - HT)

F: Giorgos Giakoumakis

Substitutes not used:

Josh Cohen

Ronald Hernandez

Efrain Morales

Jay Fortune

Luke Brennan D.C UNITED STARTING LINEUP

GK: Alex Bono

D: Lucas Bartlett

D: Matti Peltola

D: Aaron Herrera

D: Christopher McVey

M: Jared Stroud (Gabriel Pirani - 73')

M: Ted Ku-DiPietro (Jacob Murrell - HT)

M: Jackson Hopkins (Garrison Tubbs - 81')

M: Mateusz Klich

F: Cristian Dajome (Conner Antley - HT)

F: Christian Benteke (c) (Pedro Santos - 87')

Substitutes not used:

Tyler Miller

Martin Rodriguez

Steven Birnbaum

Kristian Fletcher

OFFICIALS

Joe Dickerson (referee), Nick Uranga (assistant), Gianni Facchini (assistant), Sergii Boiko (fourth), Alejandro Mariscal (VAR), Kathryn Nesbitt (AVAR)

Check out the Atlanta United FC Statistics

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Major League Soccer Stories from May 11, 2024


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