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USL Atlanta United 2

Josef Martinez Brace Hands Atlanta United 2-0 Win against Chicago Fire

June 1, 2019 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Atlanta United 2 News Release


ATLANTA - Atlanta United defeated Chicago Fire 2-0 Saturday night in front of 67,502 fans at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The crowd surpassed the UEFA Champions League Final between Liverpool and Tottenham in Madrid (63,272). Josef Martinez scored his ninth and 10th goals of the season while the club won its fifth consecutive home match. Atlanta recorded its eighth clean sheet of the season, tying its record from 2018, while also giving Brad Guzan the MLS lead this season. With the win, the club finished a run of eight games in 28 days where it picked up 18 points out of a possible 24.

Atlanta opened the scoring in the 12th minute on a play that began with Franco Escobar dribbling free down the right flank. The right back laid the ball off for Pity Martinez, who then cut inside and played a give-and-go with Escobar. Martinez drew a pair of defenders out of the box before slipping a pass to Josef Martinez behind Chicago's backline where the Venezuelan coolly one-timed a low shot past goalkeeper Kenneth Kronholm.

Martinez scored his second goal of the night moments before halftime. Dion Pereira received a pass on the left side in the defensive half and sent a long ball upfield. Martinez out-muscled Francisco Calvo while shielding him off the ball to win position and raced in on goal alone. Kronholm rushed out to try to close down the angle, but Martinez delivered a low shot from just outside of the box that glided into the bottom left corner to give Atlanta a two-goal lead in the 43rd minute. Martinez's brace marked his 15th MLS multi-goal match with Atlanta United and his third this season.

Atlanta United (8-5-2, 26 points) returns to action Tuesday, June 11 against Charleston Battery at MUSC Health Stadium in the Fourth Round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup (7:30 p.m. EST, ESPN+, Sports Radio 92-9 The Game). Atlanta's next MLS Regular Season match is Wednesday, June 26 against Toronto FC at BMO Field (8:00 p.m. EST, FOX Sports South, Sports Radio 92-9 The Game).

MATCH INFO

Atlanta United 2, Chicago Fire 0

Mercedes-Benz Stadium

Atlanta, Georgia

STATS

Shots: 10-10 Tied

Shots on Target: 8-3 Atlanta

Corner kicks: 6-2 Atlanta

Fouls committed: 14-10 Chicago

Clearances: 19-11 Atlanta

Offside: 4-3 Atlanta

Possession: 53-47 Chicago

Passing Accuracy: 86-82 Chicago

SCORING SUMMARY

ATL - Josef Martinez 12' (Pity Martinez, Franco Escobar) [HIGHLIGHT]

ATL - Josef Martinez 43' (Dion Pereira) [HIGHLIGHT]

DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY

ATL - Franco Escobar 33' (yellow)

CHI - Jorge Corrales 59' (yellow)

CHI - Bastian Schweinsteiger 77' (yellow)

ATLANTA UNITED STARTING LINEUP

Brad Guzan; Franco Escobar, Leandro González Pirez, Miles Robinson, Michael Parkhurst ©; Darlington Nagbe, Eric Remedi, Julian Gressel (Jeff Larentowicz - 72'); Dion Pereira (Brek Shea - 55'), Pity Martinez (Justin Meram - 80'), Josef Martinez.

Substitutes not used: Alec Kann, Andrew Carleton, Romario Williams, Florentin Pogba.

CHIACGO FIRE STARTING LINEUP

Kenneth Kronholm; Johan Kappelhof, Francisco Calvo, Bastian Schweinsteiger; Dax McCarty ©, Jorge Corrales (Raheem Edwards - 63'), Nicolás Gaitán, Aleksandar Katai (Fabian Herbers - 82'), Djordje Mihailovic; CJ Sapong, Nemanja Nikolic (Przemyslaw Frankowski - 63').

Substitutes not used: Davis Ousted, Marcelo, Mo Adams, Brandt Bronico.

ATTENDANCE

67,502

OFFICIALS

Nima Saghafi (referee), Adam Wienckowski (assistant), CJ Morgante (assistant), Fotis Bazakos (fourth), Ricardo Salazar (VAR), Jeff Muschik (assistant VAR)

TEAM NOTES

Atlanta United's attendance of 67,502 was higher than that of the UEFA Champions League Final between Tottenham and Liverpool in Madrid, Spain.

Josef Martinez scored his ninth and 10th goals of the season. He has now scored in three straight games, it's the fourth time in his MLS career that he has a scoring streak of three games or more (four games in 2017, four games in 2018, nine games in 2018). It was also his 15th multi-goal game of his MLS career and his third this season.

Brad Guzan now has eight clean sheets on the season, one ahead of Bill Hamid.

After the win, Atlanta was in first place in the Eastern Conference with 26 points. D.C. United, also on 26 points, plays later Saturday night. Philadelphia Union, with 25 points, plays on Sunday.

Pity Martinez and Franco Escobar each registered his second assist of the season.

Dion Pereira registered his first MLS assist.

Jeff Larentowicz appeared in his 405th career game, good for third place all-time in league history among field players. He's four behind Chad Marshall for second place.

Franco Escobar picked up his fifth yellow card of the season and will serve a one match suspension in Atlanta's next MLS match (at Toronto FC on June 26 at BMO Field).

The eight shots on target tied a season-high.

Check out the Atlanta United 2 Statistics



United Soccer League Championship Stories from June 1, 2019


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