Credit: Birmingham Legion FC
Atlanta United made their large traveling crowd of supporters proud this afternoon with a convincing 2-0 win over the Birmingham Legion of the USL Championship.
United started the match with a young starting 11. Homegrown Will Reilly started at the 10, 2nd Round SuperDraft pick Ronan Wynne started at right back, Luke Brennan started at right wing, and Cobb and Morales were the center back pair. Veterans Josh Cohen, Ronald Hernandez, and Bartosz Slisz also started.
For the Legion, they had a mix of trialists and starters. New signings Danny Trejo, Stephen Turnbull, Ronald Damus played alongside longtime star Enzo Martinez.
For the first 20 minutes, the match had no real chances. Atlanta dominated possession, but general sloppiness led to there only being 1 half-chance, a bycicle kick by left back Ronald Hernandez that went straight to the goalkeeper.
However, in the 25th minute, United found their breakthrough from new forward signing Cayman Togashi. After a foul was drew on the left side of the 18, Togashi met a cross from Hernandez and soundly placed the ball in the bottom right corner.
One minute later, the forward almost had his double. A low cross by Luke Brennan seemed to be harmless until Togashi ran into the 18, flicked the ball up, and hit it on the volley. The shot was close, but it hit the side netting of the near post.
Just one minute after that, Hernandez put in a beautiful 30-yard cross towards Luke Brennan, whose run in behind allowed him to meet the ball and head it into the bottom left corner. However, the goal was called back due to a very tight offside.
The last chance of the first half was in the 40th minute. Togashi, after running out to the right side of the field, hit a ball across the box that Mosquera just missed at the back post.
Atlanta started the second half with a lineup highlighted by more starters. Guzan, Klich, Miranchuk, Lobjanidze, and Thiare came on, while Cobb and Brennan were the only players to stay on from the first half. Birmingham’s lineup was not announced.
In the 47th minute, the Legion’s Dawson McCartney flew by Matthew Edwards on the far touchline, driving all the way into the box before passing inside to Luca Dourado, who hit a slow-rolling ball past Brad Guzan. However, it was cleared by Atlanta left back Chong-Qui before it reached the goal line.
In the 54th minute, Saba had great combination play in the midfield and got the ball to Brennan out wide. Thiare met the subsequent cross at the near post, but scuffed it wide in what should have been an easy goal.
10 minutes later, while building out of the back, Muyumba lost the ball outside the 18 rather easily. The shot by Birmingham went straight to Guzan. After the save, the subsequent Atlanta attack led to a cross meeting Miranchuk free in the middle of the box. His left-footed shot was blocked by sprawling Legion defenders. Then after that attempt, the Legion broke on the counter, and Lucas Dourado, one on one with Cobb, shot just wide of the left post. It was easily the Legion’s best chance of the match.
In the 74th minute, a Jamal Thiare volley went just wide of the left post. He got the ball in the middle of the box after a terrible set of attempted headed clearances by the Legion, but it luckily did not cost them.
Just after the clock struck 80 minutes, Thiare had another huge chance hitting the crossbar with a free header in the box after a cross from Miranchuk. One minute later, Atlanta would finally see their deserved second breakthrough. Saba Lobjanidze ran into the box and was played through by Muyumba, who had drawn out wide. Saba’s ball into the 6-yard box went off Legion trialist #24 for an own-goal and the 2-0 lead.
Atlanta would keep the pressure up in the 85th minute with an effort from Miranchuk outside the 18 that had to be tipped over the bar, and then they’d see the rest of the game out. It was a very convincing 2-0 win that was an entertaining watch and should bring optimism to fans about Ronny Delia’s tactics for the regular season.
Small correction. I saw you mentioned AJ Paterson being in on an attempt, but I think that might have been Dourado. AJ was in street clothes on crutches with a big brace on his left knee.
I feel bad for Legion trialist #24 !