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MLS Atlanta United FC

Atlanta United Plays FC Cincinnati to 2-2 Draw

October 21, 2023 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Atlanta United FC News Release


Atlanta United on game night
Atlanta United on game night
(Atlanta United FC)

ATLANTA - Atlanta United played FC Cincinnati to a 2-2 draw Saturday night at TQL Stadium. Giorgos Giakoumakis scored his 16th and 17th goals of the season and Thiago Almada added two assists to finish the year as the MLS assist leader with a club record of 19. Atlanta finished the regular season as the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference and will face Columbus Crew in the Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs Round One Best-of-3 series. The date and time will be announced by MLS at a later date.

Atlanta scored the game's opening goal in the 12th minute through Giakoumakis. The play started with Luis Abram playing a line-breaking pass to Almada in the center of the field where Atlanta's number 10 turned quickly and attacked Cincinnati's back line. Almada found Saba Lobjanidze sprinting into the right side of the box where the winger squared the ball in front of net for Giakoumakis to slot home for his 16th goal of the season.

Atlanta continued to put pressure on Cincinnati and nearly found a second goal in the 15th minute as a cross reached Lobjanidze on the right side of the box, however the Georgian international's shot went just past the far post. Lobjanidze had another attempt saved by Roman Celentano a few minutes later after again finding space on the right side of Cincinnati's penalty area.

Cincinnati leveled the match in the 25th minute when Dominique Badji tapped-in a low cross from Alves Powell inside Atlanta's six-yard box.

Giakoumakis added Atlanta's second goal in the 32nd minute with a one-timed finish off a cross from Almada. The play again came down Atlanta's right side as Lobjanidze received the ball and played it back to Almada who delivered his league-leading 19th assist of the season.

Luciano Acosta tied the match at 2-2 on the final play of the first half, flicking a header past Brad Guzan from about six yards in front of goal.

In the 51st minute, Atlanta was reduced to 10 men as Almada picked up his second yellow card of the match. The Argentine will be suspended for the opening match of the playoffs. Both teams continued to battle and search for the winning goal yet the match ended 2-2 as Cincinnati dropped points at home for just the fourth time in the regular season.

Atlanta United (13-9-12, 51 points) will face Columbus Crew in Round One of the Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs (date and time TBD, MLS Season Pass, 92.9 The Game, La Mejor). All Atlanta United matches are available with an MLS Season Pass subscription, located on the Apple TV app.

Match Summary

Stats

Shots: 17-13 Cincinnati

Shots on target: 5-3 Atlanta

Corner kicks: 7-5 Cincinnati

Fouls Committed: 12-11 Atlanta

xG: 2.09 - 1.55 Cincinnati

Possession: 56-44 Cincinnati

Passing accuracy: 88-82 Cincinnati

Scoring

ATL - Giorgos Giakoumakis (Lobjanidze, Almada) 12'

CIN - Dominique Badji (Powell, Acosta) 25'

ATL - Giorgos Giakoumakis (Almada) 32'

CIN - Luciano Acosta (Barreal, Murphy) 45+2'

Disciplinary

ATL - Thiago Almada (yellow) 36'

ATL - Thiago Almada (yellow, red) 51'

CIN - Matt Miazga (yellow) 73'

ATL - Jamal Thiaré (yellow) 85'

Notes:

Giorgos Giakoumakis scored his 16th and 17th goals of the season.

Thiago Almada recorded his league-leading 18th and 19th assists of the season.

Almada became the 11th player in MLS history to record at least 19 assists in a single season.

Saba Lobjanidze recorded his fourth assist of the season.

Almada will be suspended for the first match of the playoffs following his red card.

ATLANTA UNITED STARTING LINEUP

GK: Brad Guzan (c)

D: Ronald Hernández

D: Miles Robinson

D: Luis Abram

D: Caleb Wiley (Brooks Lennon - 90')

M: Matheus Rossetto

M: Tristan Muyumba (Juanjo Purata - 90')

M: Thiago Almada

M: Saba Lobjanidze (Edwin Mosquera - 63')

F: Xande Silva (Jay Fortune - 75')

F: Giorgos Giakoumakis (Jamal Thiaré - 77')

Substitutes not used:

Quentin Westberg

Amar Sejdic

Derrick Etienne Jr

Miguel Berry

FC CINCINNATI STARTING LINEUP

GK: Roman Celentano

D: Alvas Powell (Bret Halsey - 71')

D: Yerson Mosquera

D: Matt Miazga (Nick Hagglund - 90+7')

D: Alvaro Barreal

M: Ian Murphy (Malik Pinto - 90')

M: Obinna Nwobodo

M: Luciano Acosta (c)

M: Junior Moreno (Yuya Kubo - HT)

F: Dominique Badji (Sergio Santos - 71')

F: Brandon Vazquez

Substitutes not used:

Alec Kann

Marco Angulo

Raymon Gaddis

Gerardo Valenzuela

OFFICIALS

Joe Dickerson (referee), Logan Brown(assistant), Brian Dunn (assistant), Ismir Pekmic (fourth), Jorge Gonzalez (VAR), Tom Supple (AVAR).

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Atlanta United on game night
Atlanta United on game night
   



Major League Soccer Stories from October 21, 2023


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