Atlanta United as a club — from the players, to the executives, to the ownership, to the fans — got its first taste of Concacaf Champions League action Thursday night and ew, gross. It was a sour taste to be sure. The reigning MLS Cup Champions never looked comfortable on a dry, firm artificial surface and looked disorganized tactically in Frank de Boer’s first competitive match in charge.
Man of the Match: Darlington Nagbe
Okay, I will admit this is a bit awkward. None of us, including Nagbe himself, knew if he’d even be making the trip as of two days before the game. Nagbe sat out almost all of preseason training with the first team due to “personal reasons,” and as such, his fitness and sharpness remained a mystery. His introduction in the second half gave Atlanta some more controlled possession, and surprisingly, he nearly scored himself on an effort from range. Unfortunately, Nagbe couldn’t help turn the tide in the first leg. His performance, however, offers hope that he can slot right back into the starting XI for the return leg Thursday.
Full Player Ratings
GK: Brad Guzan - 5.95
CB: Michael Parkhurst - 5.21
CB: Miles Robinson - 5.74
CB: Leandro Gonzalez Pirez - 4.23
RWB: Julian Gressel - 6.09
CM: Jeff Larentowicz - 4.85
CM: Eric Remedi - 5.63
LWB: George Bello - 3.84
RAM: Pity Martinez - 5.93
LAM: Ezequiel Barco - 5.38
ST: Josef Martinez - 5.05
SUB: Darlington Nagbe - 6.37
SUB: Tito Villalba - 6.33