Atlanta United’s six-month wait to play in its new home of Mercedes-Benz Stadium appears to have been worth it.
A soccer event was supposed to be the first event in the $1.5 billion sports palace in March. But construction delays pushed back the inaugural game until June, and then until July, and then until Sunday’s opener against Dallas.
With goals from Leandro Gonzalez Pirez, Josef Martinez and Greg Garza, Atlanta United defeated Dallas 3-0 to start its string of six consecutive home games at its new home.
“It lived up to expectations,” captain Michael Parkhurst said. “It was fantastic. The crowd was fantastic. A very good evening to start things off here.”
Unlike the team that looked lethargic at times in its previous two games, a 1-0 loss at D.C. United and a 2-2 draw at Philadelphia, the Five Stripes jumped on Dallas quickly and rarely let up. The team had a season-high 12 shots on goal and showed an imagination and understanding with passes and runs that have been missing in recent weeks. Manager Gerardo Martino called the performance the team’s best of the season.
The win keeps Atlanta United (11-8-6) in sixth place and in the playoffs in the MLS Eastern Conference.
First chance. It appeared that Josef Martinez was on the verge of giving Atlanta United a 1-0 lead in the sixth minute with a penalty kick after he was hauled down in the box by Dallas goalkeeper Jesse Gonzalez. Instead, VAR reviewed the penalty and said that Martinez was offside on the run that led to the penalty call.
By rule, VAR can review if there was an infraction during the attacking play that would negate the penalty. Martinez being offside on the pass from Miguel Almiron was an infraction.
Hector Villalba, Yamil Asad and Almiron combined in the 12th minute to create a scoring chance with Villalba crossing to Asad, who put the ball into space in the penalty box for Almiron to run onto. His shot was blocked by Gonzalez.
First goal. After coming close several times, Atlanta United grabbed a 1-0 lead in the 14th minute on a goal by Pirez, his first for Atlanta United. The Five Stripes quickly took a corner kick. Almiron whipped in a cross that went off Villalba's head and across the penalty box, where Pirez was there to knock it in. He said he was just trying to put it across the goal, but with the turf it took a bounce and went in.
“It’s a great joy to score the first goal in the stadium,” Pirez said. “Over the course of years and history it will always go down as the first goal, so that’s something I’ll always remember. But the important thing is that it served a purpose and helped us win the game.”
It was Almiron’s 10th assist and Villalba’s fifth assist this season.
“The first goal obviously changed the game, and gets the crowd involved,” goalkeeper Brad Guzan said.
Second goal. It took Atlanta United less than a minute into the second half to increase its lead to 2-0. Yamil Asad forced a turnover in Dallas' half of the field. Carlos Carmona picked up the loose ball and fed it to Almiron, who was streaking down the left wing. He crossed it to Martinez for the tap-in goal. It was Martinez's 10th goal this season and Almiron's team-leading 11th assist.
“It takes so much pressure off when you get that goal in the second half,” Parkhurst said. “It was smooth sailing from there. Everybody did their part but that second goal was really important.”
Third goal. Garza's second goal this season gave Atlanta United a 3-0 lead in the 68th minute. Villalba put in a cross from 18 yards that Martinez ran across – he smartly never touched the ball – drawing the Dallas defense with him and leaving Garza alone on the back post for the tap-in. It was an intelligent play by Martinez. It was also Villalba's sixth assist this season.
Garza said he was yelling at Martinez to let the ball go through.
“I think it was OK because he had already scored his goal for the day,” Garza said. “It gave me a chance to score mine.”
The playoff chase. Atlanta United's win, combined with Montreal's loss to New England on Saturday and Philadelphia's tie with Minnesota United on Saturday, comes close to reducing the Eastern Conference playoff chase to six teams for six spots.
Atlanta United has 39 points and remains in sixth and has two games in hand on seventh-place Montreal, which has 36 points. The Five Stripes trail fifth-place New York Red Bulls by two points but have two games in hand, fourth-place Columbus by four points but have four games in hand and third-place Chicago by six points but have three games in hand.
Atlanta United will next host New England on Wednesday in the second of six consecutive home games.
“It was a really important result because we knew the results of the other games this weekend with New York City losing, New York and Chicago drawing,” Gonzalez Pirez said. “It was really important for us to get a win and start this streak on the right foot and start climbing the table.”
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