Atlanta United continues to dominate on the pitch after their 4-0 victory over the L.A. Galaxy. All four of Atlanta’s goals were scored in the first half of the game as this fast-paced offense quickly put the team ahead.
The first to score was forward Josef Martinez. After receiving a beautiful cross from forward Yamil Asad, Martinez beat goalkeeper Jon Kempin and found the back of the net at minute 13 of the match. Aside from setting up Martinez with the go-ahead goal, Asad added to United’s lead with two goals of his own coming in the 16th and 20th minutes. Topping off the scoring rampage was Miguel Almirón with a well-executed chip over the goalkeeper in the 43rd minute, leaving the L.A. Galaxy with no goals and no chance to win.
UNSTOPPABLE OFFENSE
Since moving into the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta United has scored 17 goals and won three out of four matches. The only game they haven’t won resulted in a high-scoring draw against Orlando City. Atlanta’s passing accuracy of 90 percent Wednesday night led to many scoring opportunities. The Galaxy played the majority of the match with 10 men (midfielder Jermaine Jones slid in aggressively on forward Hector Villalba, earning himself a red card in the 39th minute), but Atlanta had already scored three of its four goals before the ejection, proving that United’s form Wednesday night was too much for L.A. even at full strength. Martinez has reached 17 goals this season, including his score against the Galaxy, bringing him just two shy of MLS goal leader David Villa, who has 19. With this type of performance becoming commonplace for Atlanta, the team could be poised for big things through the end of the regular season.
DEPENDABLE DEFENSE
Goalkeeper Brad Guzan has allowed a total of three goals in Mercedes-Benz Stadium, all occurring in the same game. His top-notch goalkeeping has led to three shutout wins over the past eight days. Defenders Anton Walkes, Michael Parkhurst, Leandro González Pirez and Chris McCann all contributed to five blocked shots that kept the Wednesday night shutout alive.
MOVING FORWARD
Atlanta United will face off against the Montreal Impact this Sunday. Montreal remains seven points back from Atlanta but will have to take on a team whose momentum has clearly shifted in the right direction. The game will be played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and we’ve seen how Atlanta performs in its new home, outscoring opponents 17-3 in the first four games there. Despite Montreal’s shocking 5-3 win over league-leading Toronto FC on Wednesday, it is hard to see United’s winning streak coming to an end this Sunday.
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