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MLS Atlanta United FC

Atlanta United Advances in Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs After Penalty Shootout Win at CF Montréal

October 22, 2024 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Atlanta United FC News Release


Atlanta United celebrate against CF Montréal
Atlanta United celebrate against CF Montréal
(Atlanta United FC)

ATLANTA - Atlanta United defeated CF Montréal 2-2 (5-4 in penalties) to advance to the Round One Best-of-3 series in the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs. Brad Guzan made one save while all five Atlanta players converted their spot kicks to secure the victory. With the win, Atlanta now faces Inter Miami CF with Game 1 set for Friday, Oct. 25 in Miami at 8:30 p.m. ET (MLS Season Pass on Apple TV - FREE, STAR 94, La Mejor Radio).

Atlanta United took the lead in the 29th minute through Brooks Lennon. After a 44-pass sequence, Pedro Amador received the ball on the left wing, picked his head up and delivered a cross into the box that Lennon headed perfectly into the side net for his first goal of the season. Amador recorded his fifth assist of the season.

Atlanta continued to attack down its left side and Lennon had a chance to score his second of the night in the 32nd minute. Saba Lobjanidze played an early cross behind Montréal's backline that found an unmarked Lennon running onto the ball at the edge of the six-yard box but his first-time effort at goal sailed over the crossbar.

Stian Gregersen doubled Atlanta's lead in the 44th minute. Alexey Miranchuk swung a left-footed free kick from the left wing towards the far post. Gregersen freed himself from his defender and met the cross inside the six-yard box to finish with a powerful header down and past Jonathan Sirois. Atlanta converted two of its four shots on target in the first half to take a 2-0 lead into the break.

Early on in the second half, Atlanta continued to push for the third goal. Lobjanidze had a chance in the 53rd minute, running onto a diagonal ball into space from second-half substitute Tyler Wolff and cutting inside before striking a low shot straight at Sirois. Ten minutes later, Josef Martínez cut the visitors lead to 2-1 when he arrived first to a loose ball inside the box after Guzan had come off his line and the Venezuelan passed the ball into the net.

Guzan came up with a diving save in the 73rd minute to deny a dangerous shot from George Campbell from inside the box as Atlanta continued to face pressure from Montréal. Atlanta's captain made another huge save in the 76th minute, this time on a powerful free kick attempt from about 25 yards out from Tom Pearce. Daniel Ríos and Lobjanidze each had chances to add a third for Atlanta in the 79th and 80th minutes, however each attempt was narrowly off target.

Montréal found the equalizer through Martínez in the 89th minute from the penalty spot after VAR ruled that a foul on Lennon occurred just inside the box. With the score tied 2-2 at the end of regulation, the match went directly to penalty kicks.

In the shootout, Guzan made a diving stop to his left on the second penalty taken by Pearce. Dax McCarty, Ríos, Miranchuk and Derrick Williams scored to give Atlanta the advantage going into the fifth round of the shootout. Lobjanidze stepped up to the moment and calmly slotted his ball to the bottom left corner of the goal sending Sirois the wrong way to secure the victory.

MLS Season Pass on Apple TV will broadcast every match in the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs and is available through the Apple TV app on Apple devices, smart TVs, streaming devices, set-top boxes, and game consoles, as well as on the web at tv.apple.com. Fans in more than 100 countries and regions can sign up for MLS Season Pass for $9.99 for the remainder of the season. Existing Apple TV+ subscribers can sign up for a subscription to MLS Season Pass for free for the remainder of the 2024 season. For more information and to subscribe to MLS Season Pass visit apple.co/_MLS_.

Match Summary

Stats

Shots: 18-13 Montréal

Shots on target: 7-6 Montréal

Corner kicks: 7-1 Montréal

Fouls Committed: 7-6 Montréal

xG: 2.7 - 2.1 Montréal

Possession: 62 - 38 Montréal

Passing accuracy: 90 - 79 Montréal

Scoring

ATL - Brooks Lennon (Amador) 29'

ATL - Stian Gregersen (Miranchuk) 44'

MTL - Josef Martínez 63'

MTL - Josef Martínez (PK) 89'

Disciplinary

ATL - Dax McCarty Y 73'

MTL - George Campbell Y 90+7'

Notes

Brooks Lennon scored his first goal of the season.

Stian Gregersen scored his third goal of the season.

Pedro Amador recorded his fifth assist of the season.

Alexey Miranchuk recorded his second assist of the season.

Brad Guzan saved his fourth penalty of the season in all competitions.

Penalty Shootout:

Atlanta:

Dax McCarty - Y

Daniel Ríos - Y

Alexey Miranchuk - Y

Derrick Williams - Y

Saba Lobjanidze - Y

Montréal

Josef Martinez - Y

Tom Pearce - X

Nathan Saliba - Y

Gabriele Corbo - Y

Jules-Anthony Vilsaint - Y

ATLANTA UNITED STARTING LINEUP

GK: Brad Guzan (c)

D: Ronald Hernández

D: Stian Gregersen

D: Derrick Williams

D: Pedro Amador (Tyler Wolff - 49', Luis Abram - 90+1')

M: Bartosz Slisz

M: Jay Fortune (Dax McCarty - 74')

M: Brooks Lennon

M: Alexey Miranchuk

M: Saba Lobjanidze

F: Jamal Thiaré (Daniel Ríos - 74')

Substitutes not used:

Josh Cohen

Noah Cobb

Matt Edwards

Tristan Muyumba

Xande Silva

CF MONTREAL STARTING LINEUP

GK: Jonathan Sirois

D: Fernando Alvarez

D: Joel Waterman

D: George Campbell (Gabriele Corbo - 90+8')

D: Raheem Edwards (Tom Pearce - 59')

M: Samuel Piette (c) (Jules-Anthony Vilsaint - 59')

M: Bryce Duke (Sunusi Ibrahim - 81')

M: Nathan Saliba

M: Caden Clark (Kwadwo Opoku - 59')

F: Jahkeele Marshall-Ruty

F: Josef Martínez

Substitutes not used:

Sebastian Breza

Joaquin Sosa

Dominic Iankov

Dawid Bugaj

OFFICIALS

Joe Dickerson (referee), Cameron Blanchard (assistant), Chris Elliot (assistant), Guido Gonzalez Jr. (fourth), Kevin Stott (VAR), Mike Kampmeinert (AVAR)

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Atlanta United celebrate against CF Montréal
Atlanta United celebrate against CF Montréal
   

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