Atlanta United had a big 2-0 win at home over visitors Real Salt Lake. (photo: Jim Stapp)
Atlanta win convincedly at home taking nine points in seven days
Atlanta dominated from the start in a 2-0 victory over Real Salt Lake in front of another huge crowd of 72,017.
Atlanta controlled the match throughout, possessing the ball for more than 54% of the time. Real Salt Lake managed just three shots on target, two of which came in the final 10 minutes.
Atlanta was lead by Julian Gressel. He scored a goal and added an assist. Tito Villalba added the other goal, his seventh of the season and his third consecutive game.
Atlanta head coach Tata Martino spoke about the success of the tactical formation employed with three in the front line instead is his more common approach with just one. “I think the guys played well up front tonight. Miguel was maybe missing a little precision in his finishing tonight. Josef had a couple of crosses that were coming his way, but didn’t reach him. Tito did a great job and was rewarded with a goal. What happens when we press high, we are a compact team like in the first half tonight. But in the second half, we were forced to drop back a little bit, but then there is more space for us to hit on the counterattacks. Sometimes when teams get divided into two parts like that, it’s bad. But for us it can be a good thing, because we have so much space on the counterattack. Those three guys can get the ball and start a counterattack by themselves.”
Scoring Details
Atlanta United 1 – Real Salt Lake 0 – Julian Gressel (Miguel Almirón) 37′
In the 37th minute Miguel Almirón turned the corner on the left side and delivered a cross for Julian Gressel. Gressel chested the ball, let it bounce and then crushed the volley into the left corner, leaving Real Salt Lake goalkeeper Nick Rimando frozen watching the blast go by him.
Top corner ?
Absolute SCREAMER from @JulianGressel! https://t.co/3VTFgReLkZ
— Atlanta United FC (@ATLUTD) September 22, 2018
Atlanta United 2 – Real Salt Lake 0 – Tito Villalba (Julian Gressel) 61′
In the 61st minute Julian Gressel took a throw-in aimed for Josef Martínez. Using the defenses focus on himself, Martínez dummied the ball straight to Tito Villalba. Villalba struck a rocket toward the right corner that found the post. As Real Salt Lake goalkeeper Nick Rimando dove past, the shot caromed off the upright, struck him in the back and rolled over the line for the goal.
When @TitoVillalba15 hits it from distance….
It's ending up in the net ? https://t.co/nerRiZKSXC
— Atlanta United FC (@ATLUTD) September 23, 2018
Atlanta United 16-year-old Homegrown George Bello made his first career MLS start and were victorious in a big 2-0 win at home over visitors Real Salt Lake. (photo: Atlanta United)
Squad Details
George Bello started his first MLS match, after coming in as a late sub earlier in the month in D.C. The 16-year old Homegrown player is the eighth-youngest player in MLS history to start a game at 16 years and 243 days. Bello is a product of the Atlanta United Academy and has put in time with the new USL Altanta United 2 club preparing his way to the first team.
Here is a touching moment between George Bello and head coach Tata Martino.
Awww! Tata Martino sharing a moment with his 16yo player (who just played a heck of a game) George Bello
2-0 | #ATLvRSL | #ATLUTD | #RSL pic.twitter.com/g0X80CN7vX
— HotSpot Soccer (@HotSpotSoccer) September 23, 2018
José Hernández made his MLS debut. The 21-year-old Venezuelan was the substitute at left back for George Bello. Hernández has been logging time with Atlanta United 2 but has moved up the depth chart with injuries and squad rotation. After the match he spoke with reporters and showed emotion on his chance in today’s match, “Yeah, I’m a young player, and I arrived to one of the best teams in the league, so I knew that I was going to have to wait a little bit for my moment. But, finally it came, and I’m enjoying it.”
Tito Villalba has now scored in three consecutive matches. This marks the best run of scoring in his MLS career. He spoke how the season has progressed, and how he feels physically, “Little by little, I’m improving. Keep in mind, I didn’t have a pre-season. I got injured three times. I didn’t start the best way, but the important thing is to finish in the best form.”
Julian Gressel and Miguel Almirón now each have 14 assists. They are one behind the league leader Borek Dockal of the Philadelphia Union.
Brad Guzan comfortably saved all three shots on goal. He completed his eighth shutout of the season and second in the club’s last three games.
?GUUUUUUUZ
Another clean sheet for our #1 ? pic.twitter.com/MgLfMEKHGr
— Atlanta United FC (@ATLUTD) September 23, 2018
Line-ups
Atlanta United
- GK: Brad Guzan
- Defenders (4): Leandro Gonzalez Pirez (Miles Robinson – 88′), Jeff Larentowicz, Franco Escobar
- Midfielders (3): George Bello (Jose Hernandez – 73′), Eric Remedi, Darlington Nagbe, Julian Gressel
- Forwards (3): Tito Villalba (Ezequiel Barco – 81′), Josef Martínez, Miguel Almirón
Unused Substitutes
- Alec Kann, Kevin Kratz, Andrew Carleton, Romario Williams
Real Salt Lake
- GK: Nick Rimando
- Defenders (4): Marcelo Silva, Justen Glad, Brooks Lennon (Sebastian Saucedo – 77’), Aaron Herrera
- Midfielders (3): Sunny, Kyle Beckerman, Joao Plata
- Forward (3): Damir Kreilach, Albert Rusnak, Jefferson Savarino
Unused Substitutes
- Andrew Puta, Luke Mulholland, Corey Baird, Nick Besler, Shawn Berry, Pablo Ruiz
Up Next
Atlanta United have a huge showdown against their closest pursuing for the Supporters Shield, the New York Red Bull. The match will take place at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey on Sunday, Sept. 30th.
Record Tracking
Goal Differential
Atlanta is currently sitting on a +29-goal differential. This is tied for the fifth-best in MLS history with the 2012 San Jose Earthquakes.
Road Wins
Altanta has ten road wins, the most in the MLS in the post shoot-out era. Four teams are tied with nine wins.
Total Wins
Atlanta currently has 19 wins. In the post-shootout era since 2000, the record is 20 wins held by the 2014 Seattle Sounders and 2018 Toronto FC.
Total Points
Currently Atlanta has 63 points. Toronto FC holds the all-time points record with 69.
To surpass 69 points, the team will need at least two wins and a draw in their final four matches.
