Atlanta United Vs Herediano: 3 things we learned – Resurrection

Atlanta United defeated CS Herediano on Thursday night 4-0 to win the Round of 16 series 5-3 on aggregate. Here are three things we learned.

Atlanta United is through to quarterfinals of CONCACAF Champions League where Liga MX giant Monterrey awaits. But first, we’ll look at Atlanta’s return leg against Herediano in the Round of 16 in which they won 4-0. It was a strong win all around but was highlighted by very strong individual performances. To say Atlanta rebounded from an embarrassing first leg is an understatement. The team looked wildly disorganized in Costa Rica and was easily punished for its mistakes. But that was a completely different team to the one that played so brilliantly on Thursday night.

In true Atlanta fashion, the Five Stripes burst out of the gate in the second leg, scoring just 47 seconds into the game. Another goal followed less than ten minutes later and two insurance goals in the second half solidified the win. In the end, it was comfortable.

Here are three things learned from Atlanta’s dominant return leg victory.

3. Nagbe with a strong performance

During his time with Portland, Darlington Nagbe was a fan favorite and an integral part of the club’s success in his years there. In Atlanta, Nagbe has taken on a much more unsung role. He hardly makes any flashy plays yet he is an important part of this team.

In the first leg in Costa Rica, there was a shift in the game when Nagbe subbed on. His calmness on the ball is supremely underrated and the team benefited from him starting the return leg. Look at Nagbe’s effect on the game from last night:

It’s no coincidence that Atlanta struggled last week against Herediano without Nagbe on the field. That same struggle was felt last season when Nagbe missed two months with an injury. If his importance to the team was unnoticed before last night, it’s certainly noticeable now.