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MLS Atlanta United FC

Atlanta United Wins 4-0 vs. Colorado Rapids

May 17, 2023 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Atlanta United FC News Release


Atlanta United celebrates win
Atlanta United celebrates win
(Atlanta United FC)

ATLANTA - Four different players scored in Atlanta United's 4-0 win against Colorado Rapids Wednesday night in front of 42,587 fans at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Thiago Almada, Luiz Araújo, Tyler Wolff and Giorgos Giakoumakis all found the back of the net to snap the team's three-match losing skid in league play. Almada and Giakoumakis each scored their team-leading sixth goal of the year, Wolff scored his first MLS goal and Araújo tallied his third of the year.

Atlanta controlled the game early and earned a penalty in the eighth minute when Danny Leyva was ruled for a handball inside the 18-yard-box. Almada took the spot kick and went for placement, aiming for the upper right corner, but his attempt missed high.

Almada quickly redeemed himself in the 29th minute with his third direct free kick goal of the season. Derrick Etienne Jr. earned the foul roughly 25 yards from goal on the left side. Almada fired the ball over the four-man Colorado wall and into the back of the net, leaving goalkeeper William Yarbrough flat-footed.

Atlanta United continued to pile on pressure, but struggled to find a goal from open play. Colorado defended deep and attempted to hit Atlanta on the counter, but goalkeeper Quentin Westberg preserved the 1-0 lead with an acrobatic save on Leyva in the 67th minute and again in the 70th minute when he denied Jonathan Lewis' attempt at his near post.

Araújo eventually doubled Atlanta's advantage in the 80th minute. The play started from a goal kick when Miles Robinson dribbled forward and found Brooks Lennon on the touchline at midfield. Lennon laid the ball off with one touch to Araújo who had acres of space ahead. The Brazilian breezed by one defender on the edge of the box before calmly slotting a shot between the legs of Andreas Maxso which rolled into the near post, again leaving Yarbrough frozen.

Atlanta refused to let up as Wolff scored his first MLS goal in the 87th minute. Almada received a pass in the box on the left side and took a shot aimed at the far post which was parried away by Yarbrough. The ball ricocheted off defender Alex Gersbach on the goal line and was ultimately poked home by Wolff.

Giakoumakis finished the scoring in the 90th minute on a play that went the length of the field in just two passes. Westberg played a pass to Lennon on the right side who took one touch before firing a long ball towards the Greek forward making a run into the box. Giakoumakis, who entered as a second-half substitute, chested the ball into his path and chipped the ball over an onrushing Yarbrough before tapping it into an empty net.

Atlanta United (6-4-3, 21 points) returns to action when it travels to face Chicago Fire FC Saturday, May 20 at Soldier Field (8:30 p.m., 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: 27-6 Atlanta

Shots on target: 10-3 Atlanta

Corner kicks: 7-2 Atlanta

Fouls Committed: 9-8 Colorado

xG: 3.85 - 0.29 Atlanta

Possession: 68-32 Atlanta

Passing accuracy: 87-74 Atlanta

Scoring

ATL - Thiago Almada 29'

ATL - Luiz Araújo (Lennon) 80'

ATL - Tyler Wolff 87'

ATL - Giorgos Giakoumakis (Lennon) 90'

Disciplinary

COL - Ralph Priso 23' Y

ATL - Thiago Almada 31' Y

COL - Sam Nicholson 53' Y

Notes

Thiago Almada scored his sixth goal of the season and his third from a direct free kick

Giorgos Giakoumakis scored his sixth goal of the season

Luiz Araújo scored his third goal of the season

Tyler Wolff scored his first career MLS goal

Brooks Lennon recorded his third multi-assist game of his career. Lennon is second on the team with six assists.

All three of Atlanta United's Designated Players scored for the second time this season (3/18/23 vs. Portland)

Quentin Westberg recorded his first clean sheet with Atlanta United. It was the team's third clean sheet of the season.

Attendance: 42,587

ATLANTA UNITED STARTING LINEUP

GK: Quentin Westberg

D: Brooks Lennon

D: Miles Robinson (c)

D: Juanjo Purata

D: Ronald Hernandez

M: Matheus Rossetto (Machop Chol - 84')

M: Santiago Sosa (Franco Ibarra - 73')

M: Thiago Almada

M: Luiz Araújo (Tyler Wolff - 84')

M: Derrick Etienne Jr. (Luis Abram - 84')

F: Miguel Berry (Giorgos Giakoumakis - 53')

Substitutes not used:

Clement Diop

Aiden McFadden

Ajani Fortune

Noah Cobb

COLORADO RAPIDS STARTING LINEUP

GK: William Yarbrough (c)

D: Danny Wilson (Sebastian Anderson - 87')

D: Andreas Maxso

D: Lalas Abubakar (Moise Bombito - 63')

D: Alex Gersbach

M: Danny Leyva (Yosuke Hanya - 87')

M: Connor Ronan

M: Ralph Priso (Calvin Harris - 79')

F: Michael Barrios

F: Sam Nicholson

F: Kevin Cabral (Jonathan Lewis - 64')

Substitutes not used:

Marko Ilic

Oliver Larraz

Steven Beitashour

Michael Edwards

OFFICIALS

Fotis Bazakos (referee), Adam Wienckowski (assistant), Mike Rottersman (assistant), Ian McKay (fourth), Kevin Broadley (VAR), Jonathan Johnson (AVAR).

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Atlanta United celebrates win
Atlanta United celebrates win
   



Major League Soccer Stories from May 17, 2023


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