Atlanta United wins preseason friendly opener

Part 2 of the Gerardo Martino era at Atlanta United started with a 4-0 win against USL-side Lexington on Friday.

Miguel Almirón and Alexey Miranchuk scored two goals each, all in the first half, at the team’s training ground in Marietta. Pedro Amador had two assists. Miranchuk also had one.

Striker Emmanuel Latte Lath (hip), winger Saba Lobjanidze (adductor), midfielder Jay Fortune and striker Jamal Thiare (illness) didn’t play. Latte Lath and Lobjanidze are expected to resume training next week.

“We’ve been working for about 15 days now, so you’re seeing some of the things that we’re working on,” Martino said. “Of course, we still have a lot of things to improve. But we thought it was a good start.”

Atlanta United’s starting 11 consisted of striker Miranchuk, right-winger Almirón, left wing Luke Brennan, midfielders Steven Alzate, Tristan Muyumba and Tomas Jacob, fullbacks Amador and Ronald Hernández, central defenders Enea Mihaj and Juan Berrocal, and goalkeeper Lucas Hoyos. Jacob and Hoyos were bought during the offseason.

Almirón and Miranchuk frequently interchanged positions in the first 45 minutes.

Miranchuk scored Atlanta United’s first goal on a tap-in from 6 yards in the 11th minute. Brennan attacked down the left. He was dispossessed, but the ball rolled a few yards through the box to Miranchuk.

Almirón put a shot over the crossbar from 7 yards in the 17th minute after he was played through by Amador, who frequently attacked up the left side. Amador would sometimes drift toward the middle of the pitch, similar to what Brooks Lennon would do on the right when Gonzalo Pineda managed.

Lexington came within millimeters of tying the match in the 21st minute when a shot ricocheted off the underside of the crossbar before bouncing back into the field. Mihaj outraced a Lexington attacker and cleared the ball off the line.

Atlanta United would sometimes push both fullbacks into the attack. Jacob would drop into the backline and Mihaj and Berrocal would slide over to cover the spaces.

Hernandez forced a save in the 28th minute with a shot setup by a spinning, side-footed pass by Miranchuk to Almirón, who put the ball into space for Hernandez to attack.

Atlanta United took a 2-0 lead in the 32nd minute when Almirón found Miranchuk near midfield. Almirón continued his run, shouting, “Alexey” as he trucked down the field. Miranchuk split two defenders with a pass. Almirón ran onto the ball and slotted a low, left-footed shot.

Almirón made it 3-0 in the 37th minute with a left-footed shot from eight yards. Amador, again playing high up the pitch, found Almirón in the box for a one-time finish.

Miranchuk scored his second goal, another tap-in, in the 42nd minute. Amador was again the distributor, receiving a pass from Almirón, and played a pass parallel to the end line.

Martino changed 10 of 11 players for the second half. The lineup was composed of Cayman Togashi, Santiago Pita, Cooper Sanchez, Adrian Gill, Will Reilly, Stian Gregersen, Berrocal, Dominik Chong Qui, Matthew Edwards, Enzo Dovlo, a draft pick, and Jayden Hibbert in goal. Berrocal subbed out in the 61st minute. He was replaced by Toto Majub, a 2s player. Edwards was replaced by Adyn Torres later in the half.

Togashi put Atlanta United’s only shot on goal in the second half. It came in the 87th minute.

Atlanta United’s next preseason friendly will be played at Houston on Feb. 7. Atlanta United also will play the New York Red Bulls on Feb. 11 in Frisco, Texas, and Dallas on Feb. 14 in Frisco.