Atlanta United defeats Revolution 4-0 in exhibition game

ATHENS -- Tyler Wolff and Luiz Araujo continued their solid play during the preseason in Atlanta United’s 4-0 win against the Georgia Revolution on Sunday at the Turner Soccer Complex on the campus of the University of Georgia.

Wolff scored his second goal in as many friendlies and added an assist, while Araujo scored and added his second assist in as many games. Atlanta United’s next friendly will be against Mexican side Celaya in Guadalajara on Feb. 6. The game time hasn’t been announced.

“We aren’t looking a lot at the score lines,” manager Gonzalo Pineda said. “It’s good to win. It’s good to score many goals. But I’m more focused on the behaviors, the tactical adjustments, patience on the ball and attacking on the flanks in our primary assist zones. The performance was OK. We are progressing in a positive direction.”

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Pineda said he hoped to see intensity with the team’s pressure, particularly high to limit the amount of the time the Revolution had on the ball, distribution of the ball during build-up play and positioning when attacking, and consistent mentality.

“Try to be on the front foot, try to dominate the game and try to see a complete mentality,” he said. “I think we saw a little bit of that, maybe at the end of both halves we didn’t continue as attacking as much as we could have. But I’m very positive about the reaction of all the players.”

Atlanta United’s starting 11 for the first game was goalkeeper Brad Guzan, centerbacks George Campbell and Alan Franco, fullbacks Aiden McFadden and Andrew Gutman, midfielders Ozzie Alonso, Matheus Rossetto, Franco Ibarra, Luiz Araujo and Tyler Wolff, and striker Jackson Conway.

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Not available for either game were midfielders Marcelino Moreno (injury), Jake Mulraney (green card), Jurgen Damm (finalizing loan or transfer), Machop Chol (with South Sudan), Santiago Sosa (injury) and Emerson Hyndman (injury), fullbacks Brooks Lennon (injury), Ronald Hernandez (with Venezuela), Caleb Wiley (U.S. Under-20s) and George Bello (finalizing possible transfer), striker Josef Martinez (with Venezuela) and centerback Miles Robinson (with U.S.). Though Atlanta United has yet to confirm the loans, Ezequiel Barco and Erik Lopez weren’t present, either.

Atlanta United took a 1-0 lead in the second minute on a goal by Wolff, whose header was assisted by Araujo, who hit a lovely chipped pass into the middle of the penalty box. It was the second time in as many scrimmages that Atlanta United jumped out to a quick lead. It scored in the second minute on Tuesday.

Atlanta United increased its lead to 2-0 on a goal by Araujo, who headed in a cross by Gutman in the eighth minute. Gutman was played into space down the left by Wolff. He collected the ball and hit a low, hard cross yards away from the mouth of the goal.

Campbell made it 3-0 in the ninth minute, putting back a rebound of an Araujo shot. The play started with Campbell intercepting a pass near midfield. He carried the ball forward, playing it to Araujo, who beat one defender before taking a shot from about 12 yards.

The first game ended with Atlanta United outshooting the Revolution 11-2 and taking three corners to the Revs’ two. Georgia goalkeeper Chris Banfi made six saves. Guzan made one. Araujo led with three shots. Conway had two.

Within the first 45 minutes, players switched positions rather liberally. Wolff and Araujo interchanged. McFadden sometimes moved forward as a second striker. Ibarra sometimes moved from the central midfield to the left. And unlike at times last season, when the players sometime wouldn’t move when a teammate had the ball, players were often moving in triangles, forcing defenders to make decisions and move.

Atlanta United’s lineup in the second game was composed of goalkeeper Dylan Castanheira, centerbacks Bryce Washington and Alex de John, fullbacks Mikey Ambrose and Luke Brennan, midfielders Amari Sejdic, Amari Fortune, Robbie Mertz, Darwin Matheus and Erik Centeno, with Daniel Bloyou at striker.

The second team scored in the 61st minute on a header by Bloyou, assisted by Centeno.

The second team took five shots, resulting in two saves. The defense allowed three shots, none on goal.

“These games are important exercises for us to implement what we are working on in training,” Guzan said. “That’s being aggressive, being on the front foot, trying to win the ball higher up the field. Aside from the goals, there were more important plays for me for us to win the ball back, whether it was attack or play the ball back. Just killing attacks from them before they had a chance to hit one or two passes.”

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Atlanta United’s 2022 MLS schedule

Feb. 27 vs. Sporting KC, 3 p.m., FS1

March 5 at Colorado, 6 p.m., BSSO/BSSE

March 13 vs. Charlotte, 4:30 p.m., FS1

March 19 vs. Montreal, 4 p.m., BSSO/BSSE

April 2 at D.C. United, 7:30 p.m., BSSO/BSSE

April 9 at Charlotte, 3 p.m., ESPN