/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65364409/1172521321.jpg.0.jpg)
Atlanta United couldn’t hold on to its lead after Julian Gressel finished off a superb flowing move to at Stade Saputo Sunday evening as the the Five Stripes only picked up a point in its road finale in the 2019 regular season. The point, however, proved vital as the Philadelphia Union lost, giving Atlanta a leg up in the race for the No. 2 seed and a chance to host a second-round playoff game if the team so advances.
Man of the Match: Julian Gressel
Atlanta’s goalscorer wins your Man of the Match. It was a gutsy performance from Gressel who took a knock early in the game after having missed United’s last game with a knee/calf injury sustained in the win against San Jose. Let’s watch the goal again, yeah?
The run from @JulianGressel
— Atlanta United FC (@ATLUTD) September 29, 2019
The touch from @emersonhyndman
Absolutely class in pic.twitter.com/ux0sXJAkyy
It’s interesting that we’ve seen more goals of this type—flowing interplay between the attacking midfielders all the way into the penalty area—this year than we did under Tata Martino. I don’t know if it’s a matter of having different kind of players like Pity Martinez and Emerson Hyndman who prefer to play these types of passes, or if it’s something Frank de Boer drills his team. Regardless, these are the moments we all love to see in this sport—stuff that takes your breath away.
Full Player Ratings
GK: Brad Guzan - 7.35
RWB: Julian Gressel - 8.02
CB: Leandro Gonzalez Pirez - 5.84
CB: Miles Robinson - 7.48
CB: Michael Parkhurst - 7.47
LWB: Justin Meram - 6.23
CM: Jeff Larentowicz - 7.37
CM: Darlington Nagbe - 7.12
CM: Emerson Hyndman - 7.14
FW: Pity Martinez - 7.25
FW: Brandon Vazquez - 5.28
SUB: Ezequiel Barco - 7.20
SUB: Tito Villalba - 7.26
SUB: Flo Pogba - 6.11
MANAGER: Frank de Boer - 6.62