Brad Guzan of Atlanta United expresses his frustration during a loss to DC United on Sunday night Sept. 2nd at Audi Field in Washington D.C. (Photo: Atlanta United)
D.C. United defeat Atlanta 3-1 with a brace from Acosta.
D.C. United snaps the eight-match unbeaten run Atlanta had when they handed them a 3-1 defeat Sunday night. They reverted back to the formula that had generated success against Atlanta last season. The home side was willing to allow Altanta to dominate possession through circulating the ball around a well shaped tightly packed in defense. Then leveraged the counter attack with devastating impact, collecting all their goals on counter attacks.
Atlanta United again struggled to convert their possession into goals, much as they had last season when playing D.C. United. Atlanta had possession for 62% of the match but it felt like more as D.C. United struggled with holding possession for the first half and much of the second half.
The game turned on a penalty call early in the second half. Ezequiel Barco took down Paul Arriola in the box after he was badly beaten on the counter attack. Wayne Rooney converted the penalty and this seemed to knock Atlanta off-stride. After the goal, Atlanta united head coach Tata Martino commented, “We were a little bit disorganized and didn’t have as much control of the game.”
The Atlanta loss looms larger in the light of the missed opportunities. With losses by their closest competitors over the weekend, it was a chance to collect points in a close race as the season draws to a close. Instead, this loss will sit as a bitter pill for two weeks as the team is off this weekend for the international break.
Scoring Details
DC United 1 – Atlanta United 0 – Luciano Acosta (Wayne Rooney, Bill Hamid) 29’
D.C. United goalkeeper Bill Hamid drove a goal kick to mid-field where Wayne Rooney headed on for Luciano Acosta. Acosta created just enough space between Jeff Larentowicz and Leandro González Pírez to slip a shot between them and past Atlanta goalkeeper Brad Guzan.
DC United 1 – Atlanta United 1 – Jeff Larentowicz (Ezequiel Barco) 39’
Ezequiel Barco delivers another beautiful corner kick to the near post, where Jeff Larentowicz rose above Wayne Rooney to head the ball past D.C. United goalkeeper Bill Hamid.
When we get knocked down we get back up.
WAY up.
What. A. Header. https://t.co/FRBzcnmsGi
— Atlanta United FC (@ATLUTD) September 3, 2018
DC United 2 – Atlanta United 1 – Wayne Rooney (penalty) 52’
Wayne Rooney beat Atlanta keeper Brad Guzan when he guessed the wrong direction on a penalty kick awarded to Paul Arriola after he was taken down by Ezequiel Barco inside the box.
DC United 3 – Atlanta United 1 – Luciano Acosta (Wayne Rooney) 77’
Wayne Rooney moved in to to collect a loose ball at midfield and forwarded a nice little volley ahead for Luciano Acosta to run onto. Acosta put the last defender Jeff Larentowicz on his heels back pedaling. He deftly dribbled to the box and around Larentowicz and beat Atlanta keeper Brad Guzan to the right corner.
Personnel Details
Homegrown talent and academy standout George Bello, made his MLS debut. In doing so he became the youngest player to appear in a match in Atlanta United’s short club history. He broke the record set by Andrew Carlton who was 16 years, 332 days old when he entered a match last season, with 16 years, 223 days old.
Josef Martínez had a match to forget. He had a hard time finding service in the congested backfield filled with D.C. United defenders. His normally strong finishing was not present as he had three shots on goal, however were none on target. The lack of a goal brings his nine-match scoring streak to an end, leaving him tied with Diego Valeri.
Line-ups
Atlanta United
- GK: Brad Guzan
- Defenders (3): Chris McCann, Leandro González Pírez, Michael Parkhurst(Kevin Kratz – 63’), Julian Gressel
- Midfielders (2): Jeff Larentowicz, Eric Remedi
- Forwards (3): Ezequiel Barco (Romario Williams – 76’), Miguel Almirón, Tito Villalba (George Bello – 76’)
- Forwards (1): Josef Martínez
Unused Substitutes
- Alec Kann, Miles Robinson, Jose Hernandez, Andrew Carleton
DC United
- GK: Bill Hamid
- Defenders (4): Joseph Mora, Steve Birnbaum, Kofi Opare, Paul Arriola
- Midfielders (2): Júnior Moreno, Russell Canouse
- Midfielders (3): Ulises Segura, Luciano Acosta (Frederic Brillant – 89’), Zoltán Stieber
- Forward (1): Wayne Rooney (Darren Mattocks – 85’)
Unused Substitutes
- Travis Worra, Vytautas Andriuskevicius, Jalen Robinson, Bruno Miranda, Chris Durkin
Up Next
Atlanta United continue their road trip when they travel west to face the Colorado Rapids and San Jose Earthquakes after the international break next weekend.
