George Campbell among Atlanta United standouts

Atlanta United centerback George Campbell’s mom celebrated her birthday Friday.

Campbell got her a card, a nice dinner, oh, and the game-winning goal in Friday’s 3-0 victory over Orlando at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. It was the first goal for the 20-year-old Homegrown signing.

”Told her that I’d score for her, so it’s really amazing,” he said. “I did my best, and it came right to me. It was meant to happen, I guess.”

The goal came on a header in the 25th minute, with Campbell splitting two Orlando defenders to hammer the ball down into the lower left corner.

The play started with a corner kick.

Atlanta United’s assistant coaches noticed in their scouting that Orlando could be slow to react to short corners. Recognizing that, Ezequiel Barco and Marcelino Moreno ran to the corner. Barco passed to Moreno. Atlanta United’s taller players, a group that includes Campbell, were still making their way down the field for the set piece.

As Campbell made his run toward the penalty box, he said he and Moreno made eye contact at least twice. Moreno took a touch. Campbell’s pace quickened, his long legs easily covering yards of artificial turf. Moreno chipped the ball into the box, and Campbell, without having to break stride, was the first to react to the ball.

“Credit to Campbell, though, for just sprinting forward and reading the play fantastically,” manager Gonzalo Pineda said. “The gap between the defenders, he just attacked the ball in a very good way, which is typical from Campbell because he is very aggressive, and I liked the aggression from all of our players.”

Campbell started because Miles Robinson was unavailable after starring for the U.S. men’s national team in its three World Cup qualifying games, a series that ended Wednesday. It was Campbell’s third start and eighth appearance this season. He said that Robinson told him to get himself a goal.

As Atlanta United’s first manager, Gerardo Martino, would say, a defenders’ first job is to defend.

Playing as part of a three-person centerback grouping, Campbell finished second on the team in tackles (three), led the team in fouls conceded (three) and completed 88.6 percent of his passes, including three of four long balls. He won three of his six duels and had four clearances.

Under Pineda, the team has scrapped the man-marking system preferred by previous manager Gabriel Heinze and gone almost exclusively to a zonal marking system. The spent part of the past two weeks working on that. Campbell said it was a big adjustment, but he thinks the team handled it well. He said they felt comfortable during Friday’s game, and the players communicated well.

In posting its sixth shutout, Atlanta United held Orlando to only two shots on goal and six chances created.

“I can see a centerback with tremendous potential,” Pineda said. “He’s a centerback that is physically gifted. His aggression when he presses between the lines was fantastic today, so I was pleased with his performance before he scored the goal.”

For more content about Atlanta United

Follow me on Twitter @DougRobersonAJC

On Facebook at Atlanta United News Now

On Instagram at DouglasDavidRoberson

Atlanta United coverage on the Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Atlanta United’s 2021 MLS schedule

April 17 Atlanta United 0, Orlando 0

April 24 Atlanta United 3, Chicago 1

May 1 New England 2, Atlanta United 1

May 9 Atlanta United 1, Inter Miami 1,

May 15 Atlanta United 1, Montreal 0

May 23 Atlanta United 1, Seattle 1