Sports stats



Atlanta United FC

Atlanta United Plays to 1-1 Draw vs. Columbus Crew

October 7, 2023 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Atlanta United FC News Release


Atlanta United's Miles Robinson and Derrick Etienne Jr. on game night
Atlanta United's Miles Robinson and Derrick Etienne Jr. on game night
(Atlanta United FC)

ATLANTA - Miles Robinson scored an equalizing goal in the 97th minute to help Atlanta United earn a 1-1 draw against Columbus Crew Saturday night in front of 42,684 fans at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Atlanta United also became the fastest club in Major League Soccer history to have 5 million fans attend MLS Regular Season matches, setting the record in 103 games.

Neither side was able to find a clear advantage in the first half and struggled to put shots on frame. Atlanta produced a threatening opportunity early in the sixth minute when Thiago Almada slipped a through ball into box for Brooks Lennon making a diagonal run to the left side, but the fullback's shot was lifted over the bar.

On the other end, Brad Guzan made a kick save on Cucho Hernandez in the ninth minute, Columbus' only shot on goal in the first 45 minutes. Xande Silva had a good look at goal in the 30th minute with a shot from distance and narrowly picked out the right upper-90, but his attempt sailed over the goal.

Guzan opened the second half with a critical save on Hernandez from point-blank range in the 48th minute, and again denied the Colombian striker six minutes later with a kick save to keep the match scoreless.

Edwin Mosquera checked into the match in the 62nd minute and provided an immediate spark. Mosquera received a pass on the right wing in the 64th minute and delivered a cross to the back post for Giorgos Giakoumakis, but the Greek international was a half-step too late and couldn't redirect it on goal.

Columbus broke the deadlock in the 65th minute. Aidan Morris received a pass on the left side and dribbled towards goal. He fed a pass to Hernandez standing near the penalty spot where he one-timed a shot into the left side of goal.

Jamal Thiare entered the match in the 75th minute and nearly assisted the equalizing goal less than a minute later. From a free kick on the right side, Almada delivered a ball to the front post which was flicked on by Thiare to the back post. It was narrowly turned in by Giakoumakis and Luis Abram who each had a look at it, but the ball skipped through and out for a goal kick.

Atlanta had one final opportunity to level the match when Mosquera earned a foul on the right wing just outside of the penalty area in the 96th minute. Almada struck the dead ball and perfectly curled it to the back post where Robinson leapt and headed the ball down, sending it bouncing into the right side of goal. It was Robinson's second of the year and Almada's league-leading 17 assist of the season.

Atlanta United (13-9-11, 50 points) returns to action on Decision Day, Saturday, Oct. 21 when it travels to face FC Cincinnati at TQL Stadium at 6:00 p.m ET (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: 22-10 Columbus

Shots on target: 6-4 Columbus

Corner kicks: 12-3 Columbus

Fouls Committed: 10-4 Columbus

xG: 2.15 - 1.12 Columbus

Possession: 50-50

Passing accuracy: 89-86 Columbus

Scoring

CLB - Cucho Hernandez (Aidan Morris) 65'

ATL - Miles Robinson (Thiago Almada) 90+7'

Disciplinary

None Notes:

Atlanta United became the fastest club in Major League Soccer history to have 5 million fans attend MLS Regular Season matches, setting the record in 103 games

Miles Robinson scored his second goal of the season

Thiago Almada recorded his league-leading 17th assist of the season

With the assist, Almada moved into second place all-time in Atlanta United history with 29

With the draw, Atlanta United can finish as high as fifth place in the Eastern Conference and as low as seventh heading into Decision Day on Oct. 21

Brad Guzan made a season-high five saves in a home match

ATLANTA UNITED STARTING LINEUP

GK: Brad Guzan (c)

D: Brooks Lennon

D: Miles Robinson

D: Luis Abram

D: Caleb Wiley

M: Matheus Rossetto (Jay Fortune - 75')

M: Tristan Muyumba (Miguel Berry - 89')

M: Thiago Almada

M: Saba Lobjanidze (Edwin Mosquera - 62')

F: Xande Silva (Jamal Thiare - 75') (Derrick Etienne Jr. - 83')

F: Giorgos Giakoumakis

Substitutes not used:

Quentin Westberg

Ronald Hernandez

Juanjo Purata

Amar Sejdic COLUMBUS CREW STARTING LINEUP

GK: Patrick Shulte

D: Rudy Camacho

D: Julian Gressel

D: Yevhen Cheberko (Mohamed Farsi - 89')

D: Steven Moreira

M: Darlington Nagbe (c)

M: Aidan Morris

M: Alexandru Matan (Christian Ramirez - 90+3')

M: Sean Zawadzki

F: Cucho Hernandez

F: Diego Rossi (Kevin Molino - 90+5')

Substitutes not used:

Evan Bush

Gustavo Vallecilla

Yaw Yeboah

Jacen Russell-Rowe

Max Arftsen

Jimmy Medranda

OFFICIALS

Ismail Elfath (referee), Chris Elliott(assistant), Ben Pilgrim (assistant), Malik Badawi (fourth), Jose Carlos Rivera (VAR), Nick Uranga (AVAR).

Check out the Atlanta United FC Statistics




Images from this story

Atlanta United's Miles Robinson and Derrick Etienne Jr. on game night
Atlanta United's Miles Robinson and Derrick Etienne Jr. on game night
   

• Discuss this story on the Major League Soccer message board...

Major League Soccer Stories from October 7, 2023


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central