Jon Gallagher and Brooks Lennon, who combined to score three goals and notch two assists in Saturday’s 4-0 win against D.C. United, are producing more because their confidence is growing, interim manager Stephen Glass said.
The win was important because it pushed Atlanta United (5-8-2) up from 11th to 8th and into a playoff spot in the MLS Eastern Conference. It was also important because the team showed that it can produce a positive result without featuring a Designated Player in its lineup.
The offensive output was the most goals scored by the team this season, starting with Gallagher’s right-footed volley in the fourth minute into the lower left corner, aided by a perfectly struck pass by Lennon.
“He looks to me like he believes in himself a little bit more,” Glass said of Gallagher. “He knows there is a coaching staff that believes in him. He has found his way into the team through hard work. At the moment he’s keeping himself there through the same thing and his quality is coming up.”
Gallagher said the belief of the coaching staff is one of the reasons why he’s playing well. The 2018 draft pick leads the team in goals (3), bagging that total in the past four games after stepping in for the injured Ezequiel Barco, who missed his fourth consecutive game.
“He trusts in my ability and knows what I’m capable of, putting me up higher in the pitch," Gallagher said. "And saying you can score goals for this team. If that’s what he expects of me, then that’s the pressure I put on myself.”
Gallagher’s second goal was arguably the team’s best this season because it included quick interchanges among three players, each moving aggressively and with purpose. It started on the left side of Atlanta United’s formation, about 30 yards from D.C. United’s goal. Emerson Hyndman won the ball and passed it to Gallagher, who took a few dribbles before passing it to Adam Jahn, who one-touched it back to Hyndman near the baseline, who one-touched it back to Gallagher coming in on his right. Gallagher took a touch past goalkeeper Bill Hamid and slid the ball into the goal with a left-footed shot from a tight angle in the 65th minute.
Gallagher couldn’t pick a favorite between the two goals.
“They both were nice in their little own way," he said.
That was the only goal scored by Atlanta United against D.C. United that Lennon didn’t aid. In addition to his pass to Gallagher for the first goal, Lennon scored the second with a left-footed shot from 18 yards into the upper left corner. Lennon is right-footed, but he said that left-footed shot is one that he hits in training. After missing out on the fun of the third goal, he hit another beautiful cross to Adam Jahn, who headed the ball down and into Hamid’s goal for the final tally in the 70th minute.
It was the third time in 101 league games in his career that Lennon scored and assisted, and it was his first multi-assist game. Lennon said it was his best game as an Atlanta United player. The club traded with Real Salt Lake to acquire him during the offseason.
“Brooks has been great,” Glass said. "There are a few guys who we’ve asked to play multiple positions. Brooks has played right back, right side midfield or right wing and I think he’s done well at all of them. One of his key attributes from either position is that he can deliver a great ball. He’s similar to Jon (Gallagher) in being a confidence player. I just hope that all the players grow from a performance they put in tonight and the reward they got.”
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Atlanta United coming games
Wednesday vs. Orlando (6-2-4), 7 p.m., FSSE
Oct. 10 vs. New York Red Bulls (4-6-2), 6 p.m., FSS
Oct. 14 at Miami (3-7-2), 8 p.m., FSSE
Oct. 18 at Toronto (6-2-4) in Hartford, Conn., 7:30 p.m., FSSE
Oct. 24 vs. D.C. United (2-5-5), 4 p.m., FSSE
Oct. 28 at Orlando (6-2-4), 7:30 p.m., FS1
Nov. 1 vs. Cincinnati (3-6-3), 7 p.m., FSSE
Nov. 8 at Columbus (8-1-3), 3:30 p.m., FSSE
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