Alexey Miranchuk Saves Atlanta United Again, Late Goal Ushers a 1-1 Draw with CF Montreal
If a casual fan saw that Atlanta United had 67% of possession and 2.54 xG compared to the opponent’s 0.62, they’d think the team was unlucky to draw. Rather, it was the opposite as Alexey Miranchuk continued his streak of quality performances by again saving Atlanta United at the death, forcing a 1-1 draw with fellow bottom-dwellers CF Montreal.
Atlanta decided to return to the lineup that lost 3-2 to Pumas in the Leagues Cup last week after a midweek win against Atlas saw younger prospects and backups mixed in with starters. New signings Steven Alzate and Juan Berrocal appeared on the bench and would make their debuts in this match. On the other side, former United center back Efrain Morales started, and in his short time at the club he’s scored on his debut and signed a 3-year contract extension.
Seven minutes after kickoff, Montreal forward Prince Owusu played the ball past Gregersen to Hennadiy Synchuk, and his attempt to play it across goal from the left side was saved by a powerful hand from Guzan, diving low to stop the chance.
Nine minutes later, Atlanta’s had their first opportunity and it should have been a goal. Emmanuel Latte Lath flicked the ball behind him to Muyumba while facing away from goal, beating two defenders in the process. Muyumba took a touch and did the same to put Lath through on goal. The striker’s shot was too close to the keeper, so it was saved high right by Thomas Gillier with his right hand. The rebound came out to Hernandez, who crossed near post to meet Almiron’s run. His header was also saved by Gillier diving to his left.
The 23rd moment saw the start of a spell of dominance for Montreal. Luca Petrasso had a free header back post, and with all the time in the world, he put it over the bar to the right. A minute later, Hernandez dove backwards and used his left foot to flick the ball over the Atlanta goal, clearing a dangerous cross across the 6 yard box from Montreal.
From the ensuing corner, a header back post was saved comfortably by Guzan. He rolled it out to Muyumba, who played it right back without much pace. Guzan had to rush forward to beat Prince Owusu and clear the ball, and while the clearance found Montreal, their shot went wide right. Right after, Gregersen slid back to stop a Prince Owusu ball into the 6, forcing a corner. That corner was cleared, but fell to Dante Sealy, who hit the right post on a thunderous shot.
In the 29th minute, Miranchuk put in a wicked ball from the right that curled and dipped to the back post, just a little too far past Latte Lath. After the goal kick, Efrain Morales tried to turn out of pressure from Latte Lath, scuffed a pass back to his goalkeeper, and gave the striker a 1v1 opportunity. His shot against the sprawling Gillier was somehow put just wide right of the post with most of the right side of the goal showing to him.
Four minutes later, Miguel Almiron saved the ball from going out on the sideline, scooped it over Petrasso, and played Saba Lobjanidze down the line. Saba played a ball from the right side towards Latte Lath’s run, but Gillier got his hands down first and it luckily fell to a defender.
Once the 40th minute hit, Owusu received the ball out wide left and dribbled inside away from Gregersen. He then played a beautiful through ball past Atlanta’s midfield and defense to Caden Clark, who snuck behind Muyumba into space. He immediately played a pass across to Sealy, and he slotted it past Guzan in the bottom left corner for the 1-0 lead.
Clark played a 1-2 with Owusu four minutes into stoppage time that put him through on goal, but he was a foot offside and had his shot saved by Guzan’s leg. However, Montreal had ended with all the momentum and were looking to add to that in Atlanta’s most vulnerable moment: the 45-60th minute interval.
At halftime, Will Reilly subbed in for Muyumba in the midfield, in part because Deila said he wasn’t 100%, and in part because his defensive lapse led to the goal.
Eleven minutes into the half, Atlanta had another chance. Saba played in Brooks Lennon after a great central run through the midfield and defense, but his weak shot was saved by the keeper’s chest. Then on the other end, one minute out from United’s usual goal-leaking time period, Owusu was played through by Clark towards goal, but his touch went behind him and he lost the ball. Thanks to this touch, there would not be a repeat of the Pumas game with a goal given up right after the 60th minute.
Atlanta kept finding ways to make big chances, but they kept failing to score. A long ball forward by Berrocal in the 73rd minute was settled by Hernandez with his chest. He then played Saba in on the right side, but Dawid Bugaj slid to block what should’ve been a great goal. Berrocal would involve himself in another chance when his header on the left side of the box off a corner went just over the bar in the 82nd minute.
Finally, after countless opportunities, Atlanta United equalized. As always, it was in dramatic fashion, and it was the 4th goal in 5 games for one of the team’s best performers on the night, Alexey Miranchuk. The corner went back post to Luke Brennan, but as he went up, Efrain Morales came back from a poor position and also went up in hopes of clearing. The ball hit off one of them, or both, but what matters is that it ricocheted to the center of the 6-yard box, meeting Miranchuk for a header and a goal. Three minutes into stoppage time, Miranchuk banged a strike 18 yards out to the left corner that could have made him an even greater savior, but it bounced off the bar and the game finished 1-1.
Atlanta United now sit at 4-10-11 with the most draws in the league and have 22 points. Their next game will be away against the Colorado Rapids at 9:30pm EST.