Altanta United defeated D.C. United 3-1 Saturday, July 21st at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA. (photo credit: Jim Stapp)
Atlanta United rides to victory on a Martínez hat-trick
Atlanta United defeated a confident D.C. United team 3-1 in front of 45,087 on Saturday afternoon at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The match paired best and worst in the Eastern Conference. D.C. United came in riding the emotional high from the big win against Vancouver at home to open the long awaited new stadium Audi Field. This was combined with the big addition of English legend Wayne Rooney, who started for the first time for the visitors.
Wayne Rooney gets his first MLS start, however Altanta United still defeats D.C. United 3-1 Saturday, July 21st at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA. (photo credit: Jim Stapp)
Atlanta and D.C. United opened the match with wide-open-end-to-end play that saw Josef Martínez just miss a header in the first 5 minutes. D.C. United opened the scoring with a counter attack but was unable to sustain the effort. Atlanta United manager Gerardo “Tata” Martino, “I think even though we started off behind on the scoreboard
we were always in control of the game. Before D.C.’s goal we could have converted but after we had the order and the patience to turn around the score and it was a good victory for the team.”
DC United manager Ben Olsen spoke to how his team played, “I think we played OK, and OK doesn’t count it against them. You got to make a lot of plays that matter in both boxes, defensively and on the other side. I just didn’t think we did that enough to get points out of what was a very good team. They’re dynamic. They’re well coached. They’re in the spot they are for a reason.”
Scoring Details
Atlanta United 0 – D.C. United 1 – Zoltan Stieber (Paul Arriola) 8’
In the eighth minute, D.C. United counterattack the exposed backline when it was just Michael Parkhurst and Leandro Gonzalez Pirez. Paul Arriola went down the center of the pitch and played a well timed ball wide to the right for Zoltan Stieber. From the edge of the box Stieber struck a left-footed shot past Brad Guzan into the far corner.
Brad Guzan said after the game, “I don’t know. Obviously not good enough from our side of things. To have [Paul] Arriola free as can be with no one remotely close to him isn’t ideal.”
Atlanta United 1 – D.C. United 1 – Josef Martínez (Tito Villalba, Miguel Almirón) 30’
Atlanta responded when they collected an errant pass from Rooney. Andrew Carleton dropped a pass for Martínez at the edge of the box and then back-heeled for Miguel Almirón. Almirón quickly played the ball wide to Tito Villalba, who immediately lifted a cross into the box that Martinez was able to beat D.C. United goalkeeper David Ousted, and head the ball into the back of the net.
BEAST. MODE. ?@JosefMartinez17 is a terror in the air. What a goal! https://t.co/PXnKdM5O4r
— Atlanta United FC (@ATLUTD) July 21, 2018
Atlanta United 2 – D.C. United 1 – Josef Martínez 54’
The second goal came in the 54th minute off a corner kick. Carleton was able to shake Luciano Acosta and lift a dangerous cross into the box toward the back post. The ball took a slight deflection off of a D.C. United defender that went right to a waiting Martínez, who calmly headed it into the goal.
What a move, @AndrewCarleton7
What a finish, @JosefMartinez17#ATLUTD takes the lead! https://t.co/liwG485otH— Atlanta United FC (@ATLUTD) July 21, 2018
Atlanta United 3 – D.C. United 1 – Josef Martínez 73’
He finished off his hat trick in the 72nd minute as Atlanta broke through on a counterattack. Almirón picked up a loose ball and ran toward goal despite being outnumbered and slid a ball through for Martinez. Steve Birnbaum tried to clear, but Martinez won the ball back and was in alone against Ousted, where he dribbled around the goalkeeper and tapped the ball in.
History.@JosefMartinez17 finishes his sixth career hat trick https://t.co/ChRVSRTF03
— Atlanta United FC (@ATLUTD) July 21, 2018
Personnel Details
Josef Martínez collected his sixth career hat-trick breaking the all-time MLS record. Martínez now has 22 goals on the season leading the league with almost twice as many as the next closest striker. He only needs needs six more to break the MLS single-season scoring record.
Atlanta United defender Michael Parkhurst on setting the MLS career hat-trick record: “(I’m) surprised he’s done it so quick. It’s just amazing, the tear that he’s on — unprecedented in the league. It’s a tribute to him, it’s a tribute to the team. Not too many players are going to score that first goal tonight. He’s just fearless. Usually when the goalie comes out like that, you shy away. He never shies away. He’s always up for it and it’s unbelievable.”
Josef Martínez rounds keeper David Ousted for the third goal of the afternoon when Altanta United defeated D.C. United 3-1 Saturday, July 21st at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, in Atlanta, GA.(photo credit: Jim Stapp)
Andrew Carleton made his first start in MLS. The 18 year-old homegrown has been getting playing time with the USL team and working hard in training. Tata Martino spoke to his decision to start Carleton, “Because he’s been working really hard and in good form.”
He had two shots on goal, picked-up an assist and had an all round solid match. After the match Carleton spoke on his performance, “I definitely feel like I could’ve done more. There was no way that was my best performance. I was still happy with how I did. There’s always times to go back and work on your game and try to get better and better. Hopefully, whether it’s next week or two weeks from now, whenever the next time I play I’ll try to do better than today.”
Carleton went on to speak on how different the game is from what he had experienced, “I mean it’s definitely a step up from USL or youth national team stuff. Everybody is flying the whole game. You have to be pretty fit, and by the 60th minute I was (heaving sound) just dying out there. Adrenaline is pumping so you’re just going the whole time. But as I said, it’s definitely a step up. Everybody is quality, and you see that in the plays if you’re one step off they’ll get past you or break you down.”
Andrew Carleton gets his first career MLS start as Altanta United defeated D.C. United 3-1 Saturday, July 21st at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, in Atlanta, GA. (photo credit: Jim Stapp)
Recently acquired Midfielder Eric Remedi made his club debut as a second-half substitute. His inclusion into the team is a big boost as a replacement for Carlos Carmona and filling the gap with the injury to Darlington Nagbe. After the match Eric Remedi talked about how he’s adapting to the team, “Good. Luckily my Argentine teammates and Miguel have helped me adapt well to the group. I’m just trying to get used to things as fast as possible.”
He also spoke on where he feels most comfortable playing on the field, “Last season I played mostly as a defensive midfielder. Before I played more offensively so that doesn’t bother me, either. The offensive players are the ones that generate the plays so, I’ll let them do it.”
Eric Remedi gets his first MLS action as Altanta United defeated D.C. United 3-1 Saturday, July 21st at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, in Atlanta, GA. (photo credit: Jim Stapp)
Line-ups
Atlanta United
- GK: Brad Guzan
- Defenders (4): Chris McCann, Leandro Gonzalez Pirez, Michael Parkhurst, Franco Escobar
- Midfielders (2): Jeff Larentowicz, Julian Gressel
- Midfielders (3): Andrew Carleton (Brandon Vazquez – 65’), Miguel Almirón, Tito Villalba (Eric Remedi – 77’)
- Forward (1): Josef Martinez (Kevin Kratz – 85’)
Unused Substitutes
- Alec Kann, Miles Robinson, Mikey Ambrose, Romario Williams
D.C. United
- GK: David Ousted
- Defenders (4): Joseph Mora, Steve Birnbaum, Frederic Brillant, Oniel Fisher
- Midfielders (5): Yamil Asad, Luciano Acosta, Christopher Durkin, Paul Arriola (Russell Canouse – 81’), Zoltan Stieber (Bruno Miranda – 76’)
- Forward (1): Wayne Rooney (Darren Mattocks – 66’)
Unused Substitutes
- Jalen Robinson, Ian Harkes, Junior Moreno, Steve Clark
Up Next
Atlanta United returns to action when it travels north of the border to face the Montreal Impact on Saturday, July 28 at Stade Saputo.
