Atlanta United: Analyzing best performances from 2018 season
By Josh Bouland
June 13 @ Columbus Crew
This mid-June match held a lot of weight as both Atlanta and Columbus sat atop the Eastern Conference. Columbus was riding a nine-game unbeaten streak, including an impressive draw against New York Red Bulls in the game prior. Atlanta was not looking so great coming off a draw against NYCFC that should’ve been a loss. Atlanta won 2-0 anyway, turning in a complete performance that saw its stars shine and showcase a solid team goal in the process.
How Atlanta won: Josef Martinez scored his 14th goal of the season in the 30th minute. He scored while colliding with a Columbus player and appeared to break his nose on the play. He did not return for the second half. It didn’t matter though, as Hector Villalba scored in the 82nd minute to put the game away.
Dominance all around: Atlanta notched their fourth clean sheet of the season. The defense played well, despite winning fewer duels and tackles then Columbus. Brad Guzan was the advantage in this contest, especially in the second half. Guzan made a huge save on Columbus’ best chance of the night. However, the biggest representation of dominance came on Villalba’s goal. The Crew turned the ball over and Atlanta countered to perfection. Miguel Almiron drew opposition towards himself and Romario Williams, allowing Villalba to capitalize on said space and put the ball in the back of the net.
Bigger picture: The Five Stripes showed out on the road, continuing their impressive form away from home. Their win over Columbus was their fifth on the road and fifth of a record-breaking 10 road wins. Josef Martinez scored in his fourth straight game en route to a record-tying nine consecutive games with a goal.