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Atlanta United struggled, labored and backpassed for much of the team’s 1-0 win over the Colorado Rapids Saturday evening. The Five Stripes eventually found the goal it needed through Julian Gressel’s 74th minute winner, but the performance as a whole was lackluster, especially from some of the team’s key players. Tito Villalba’s introduction to the game helped turn the tide. Did he earn y’alls man of the match? I’m about to go check.
Man of the Match: Darlington Nagbe
Nope, Darlington Nagbe did! In any game in which Atlanta holds at least two thirds of the possession as it did Saturday, Nagbe is going to play a big role. But his performance was especially impressive considering his switch to left back after the second half substitutions, a position from which he provided the assist to Gressel.
GK: Brad Guzan - 7.41
RB: Franco Escobar - 6.60
CB: Miles Robinson - 7.13
CB: Leandro Gonzalez Pirez - 6.85
LB: Brek Shea - 5.07
CM: Jeff Larentowicz - 6.80
CM: Darlington Nagbe - 8.17
RW: Julian Gressel - 7.85
CAM: Pity Martinez - 5.37
LW: Ezequiel Barco - 7.20
ST: Josef Martinez - 5.88
SUB: Eric Remedi - 6.35
SUB: Tito Villalba - 7.42
SUB: Michael Parkhurst - 6.42
MANAGER: Frank de Boer - 5.16