My players ratings for Atlanta United from Sunday’s game against Sporting KC at Children’s Mercy Park:
Goalkeeper Brad Guzan, 7: Making his third start for the team, he made a key save (it appeared with his face or shoulder) near the end of the game after Atlanta United had just tied the game 1-1...Earlier in the half he came out of his goal to cut down the angle of a breakaway by Gerso. ... His distribution was solid. It was made tougher by Sporting KC’s high press.
Right fullback Anton Walkes, 6: Making his sixth start, his first attempted cross sailed out of bounds for a goal kick. ... He hit a good cross in the 26th minute but Villalba couldn’t get his head on it toward the goal. ... Had two more good crosses in the half.
Centerback Michael Parkhurst, 7: Making 22nd start for Atlanta United and 236th in MLS, he made timely interception after timely interception, showing why he made his fifth MLS All-Star game earlier in the week. A composed display against a team full of fast players. ... His pass to Brandon Vazquez started the sequence that led to the tying goal.
Centerback Leandro Gonzalez Pirez, 6: Making his 21st start, he started well defensively and then started making runs up field that led to one turnover. ... He was judged to have fouled Latif Blessing that resulted in the penalty kick. It looked like a dive. ... He was then given a yellow card a few minutes later. ... When he learns to control his temper a bit better, he will be one of the league’s better defenders.
Left fullback Mikey Ambrose, 5: Making his first league start this season, he was quiet in the first half, but then had several turnovers in the first six minutes of the second half. One resulted in a yellow card against Asad and a free kick that Sporting KC couldn’t take advantage of. ... He was given a yellow in the 77th minute stopping a counter-attack. ... Still, for his first start against a good team, Ambrose did what was needed.
Holding midfielder Carlos Carmona, 6: Making his 19 start, he picked up a yellow card in the 24th minute. ... Had another tough tackle on Blessing later in the half that put the player out of the game for a few minutes. ... Played the rest of the game with the yellow and didn’t pick up a second one, which says something.
Holding midfielder Jeff Larentowicz, 6: Making his 19th start for Atlanta United and 327th in MLS, he was given a yellow card in the 21st minute on a tackle. ... Worked hard to disrupt play in the middle. ... Sporting KC had just three shots on goal.
Right midfielder Julian Gressel, 5: Making his 18th start, he again worked hard on defense and tried to get involved in the offense but not much worked. He had one shot that wasn’t on goal. It was his third consecutive average performance on the right.
Attacking midfielder Miguel Almiron, 6: Making his 20th start, he was mostly quiet until making a run down the center in the 27th minute that led to a free kick and yellow card against Ike Opara. ... He didn’t seem to have that fifth gear that he has shown in most of the previous games. That may have been the result of all of the activities in MLS All-Star week, as well as working hard in the first half. ... He finished with two shots..
Left midfielder Yamil Asad, 5: Making his 20th start, he was sloppy early with three giveaways and an inadvertent handball in the first 15 minutes. ... He also seems to be showing some signs of fatigue. The team won’t play again for two weeks.
Striker Hector Villialba, 6: He worked hard defensively, but couldn’t get anything going offensively. He finished with one shot
SUBS
Jacob Peterson (on for Gressel, 66th minute), 6: He scored the match-winner against his former club to earn my man-of-the-match honors.
Chris McCann (on for Larentowicz, 71st minute), 5: Made one good tackle and another interception.
Brandon Vazquez (on for Villalba, 82nd minute), 6: His physical play led to Peterson’s game-tying goal. ... Continues to show that he can be an impactful player on offense off the bench.
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