TORONTO -- Atlanta United’s road form is either good - considering it is well ahead of last season’s scoring pace - or it’s poor considering it has allowed victories to slip away in back-to-back road outings.
Toronto turned three Atlanta United points into one with the game’s final kick in Saturday’s 2-2 draw at BMO Stadium. NYCFC scored the tying goal two minutes after Atlanta United thought it had the winner in last week’s 1-1 draw.
Five Stripes manager Gonzalo Pineda wasn’t happy after watching his team twice take a lead - despite playing without four starters - against Toronto only to come away almost empty-handed.
“Very frustrated, upset,” he said. “Second time on the road we’re winning and then we concede goals and we cannot reward ourselves with three points because I felt that we did enough to get the three points. But we couldn’t finalize, that’s where we need to learn. But very happy with other things.”
Atlanta United’s first goal was scored by Giorgos Giakoumakis in the game’s fourth minute. He later exited the game with what Pineda said was a hamstring injury. The severity wasn’t yet known.
Machop Chol scored the second goal in the 76th minute. Atlanta United played the game without Thiago Almada (arguably the best player in MLS who was held out for precautionary reasons) goalkeeper Brad Guzan (who suffered a torn MCL against NYCFC) and defensive midfielder Franco Ibarra (who received a red card against NYCFC and served the mandatory one-game suspension).
Toronto’s goals were scored by Richie Laryea in the 43rd minute and Brandon Servania in the fourth minute of stoppage time.
“It’s just a sour taste in our mouth is because we we lost two points in the last minute of the game,” Pineda said.
Here are five observations from the match:
Replacing Giakoumakis. Giakoumakis worked very hard with and without the ball in the first half. His goal came on a header from a corner kick by Lennon.
When he didn’t have the ball, he pressed Toronto very hard and almost came up with an accident goal when he forced goalkeeper Sean Johnson into an ill-advised chip that bounced off Giakoumakis’ head and back into the field. The ricochet could have gone back into the goal, which was a few feet away.
It was also clear that Giakoumakis was injured when he sat on the turf after an unsuccessful pressure early in the second half. He immediately started hitting the turf with his right hand.
Miguel Berry came on at striker and didn’t make a noticeable impact with no shots or key passes in 40 minutes.
Pineda said that Giakoumakis needed to be evaluated.
Creating chances. This was the second game that Almada missed. The first was the 6-1 loss at Columbus in which Atlanta United created a season-low chances (6) and shots on goal (1).
Atlanta United put more shots on goal than Toronto (5-4) and created more chances (9-8), so it has learned how to play without the talented attacking midfielder.
Interestingly, Chol came on as an attacking midfielder hybrid in the second half. Pineda said he put Chol there because he can cover a lot of ground. He trained at the position this week and played it some during the preseason. Chol has also played as a left wing, right wing, striker and wingback.
Chol said Pineda told him to “go in and, and provide work on both sides of the ball. So that was my role.” Chol has become one of the first players Pineda goes to as a sub, the 12th man.
If Giakoumakis can’t play, there’s a possibility that Chol will start at striker on the road against Chicago (April 23, 4:30 p.m.)
“I’m just grateful for that kind of trust,” Chol said. “And for me, it just gives me more confidence to to keep doing what I’m doing and to continue to train well.”
Chol’s goal. Chol’s first goal for Atlanta United came in the 76th minute and actually bounced off his left shoulder. Though, Chol thinks he may have gotten a small part of his head on the ball. He said he would one day tell his future children that it was a “golazo.”
Chol is one of the more beloved players on Atlanta United because of his warm personality. Chol’s teammates signed the ball. Chol said he was going to give it to his mother.
“So happy for the guy; he truly deserves it,” teammate Caleb Wiley said. “The way he trains in training, such a hard working guy, humble. So for him to get his first goal tonight, it was special.”
After he scored, he pulled up his jersey to show a T-shirt upon which was written Anton Forever, a tribute to deceased teammate Anton Walkes. Chol said he’s been wearing it since the first game of the season in hopes that he would get to show it.
“I just wanted to tribute him any way possible,” Chol said.
Replacing Guzan. Quentin Westberg replaced Guzan in goal and played well, according to Pineda.
Westberg made two saves. He may wish he had a cleaner look at Laryea’s goal, which beat him to the near post. There was nothing Westberg could do about the second goal, which was the result of several individual break downs.
Westberg was very good with the ball at his feet, which was something he said was a strength on Thursday.
“He showed exactly what to expect from him,” Pineda said. “Steady guy that has a lot of experience and can be good in the build up.”
Replacing Ibarra. Santiago Sosa replaced Ibarra and, like Westberg, did well, according to Pineda.
“Obviously, at times, it takes a couple of games to really get the best out of the players,” Pineda said. “But I think overall due to the expectations, I think Santi did a great job. It wasn’t an easy game for him because he was under a lot of pressure from many midfielders around that area.”
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Atlanta United’s 2023 MLS schedule
Feb. 25 Atlanta United 2, San Jose Earthquakes 1
March 4 Atlanta United 1, Toronto FC 1
March 11 Atlanta United 3, Charlotte FC 0
March 18 Atlanta United 5, Portland 1
March 25 Columbus 6, Atlanta United 1
April 1 Atlanta United 1, New York Red Bulls 0
April 8 Atlanta United 1, New York City FC 1
April 15 Atlanta United 2, Toronto FC 2
April 23 vs. Chicago Fire FC, 4:30 p.m., FS1
April 29 at Nashville SC, 1:30 p.m., Fox
May 6 at Inter Miami CF, 7:30 p.m.
May 13 vs. Charlotte FC, 7:30 p.m.
May 17 vs. Colorado Rapids, 7:30 p.m.
May 20 at Chicago Fire FC, 8:30 p.m.
May 27 at Orlando City SC, 7:30 p.m.
May 31 vs. New England Revolution, 7:30 p.m., FS1
June 3 at Los Angeles FC, 10:30 p.m.
June 10 vs. D.C. United, 7:30 p.m.
June 21 vs. New York City FC, 7:30 p.m.
June 24 at New York Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m.
July 2 vs. Philadelphia Union, 4 p.m., Fox
July 8 at CF Montreal, 7:30 p.m.
July 12 at New England Revolution, 7:30 p.m.
July 15 vs. Orlando City SC, 7:30 p.m., FS1
Aug. 20 at Seattle Sounders, 10:30 p.m.
Aug. 26 vs. Nashville SC, 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 30 vs. FC Cincinnati, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 2 at FC Dallas, 8:30 p.m.
Sept. 16 vs. Inter Miami CF, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 20 at D.C. United, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 23 vs. CF Montreal, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 4 at Philadelphia Union, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 7 vs. Columbus Crew, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 21 at FC Cincinnati, TBA
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