FROM MERCEDES-BENZ STADIUM – Atlanta United's Leagues Cup campaign came to a screeching halt after losing 0-0 (5-3 on penalties) to Liga MX side Santos Laguna on Sunday night.
It was a win-or-go-home situation for both Atlanta and Santos as DC United have already taken first place in East Group 7 with six points. Atlanta entered this game with one point in second place and Santos is in third place with zero points, which means that the winner of this game will advance to the League Cup Round of 32 along with DC.
Neither team was able to find a result in the first half although both teams created a few decent chances. Atlanta's Xande Silva came close to opening the scoring from distance, but Santos' Carlos Acevedo flicked a fingertip to deny the winger. Teammate Saba Lobjanidze again tested Acevedo at his near post with a curling kick from a tight angle, but the 28-year-old stood tall to keep the game at 0-0.
Tempers started to shine in the second half after being challenged by Santos' Jordan Carrillo's impetuous challenge on Atlanta's Stian Gregersen. Carrillo was shown a yellow card along with Tristan Muyumba after the pair clashed after the first challenge, and referee Ivan Barton was quick to send off both Xande Silva and Anthony Lozano after several players from both teams were involved in the scuffle.
After Barton checked the VAR, he decided that neither Silva nor Lozano could be substituted and showed the players yellow cards as both teams were left with 11 players on the field.
It seemed that neither team wanted to score consecutively after the lack of chances in the first half compared to the second half. Santos will advance to the Round of 32 on penalties 5-3 after the match ended 0-0 at regulation, with Acevedo making a crucial save in the penalty shootout.
GK: Josh Cohen – 7/10 – He was not tested in the first half but made several stops in the second half with 45.
RB: Brooks Lennon – 6/10 – The USA player was not involved in the attack as we are used to seeing. He received an early yellow card which saw Santos try to go up the side of the pitch.
CB: Stian Gregersen – 7/10 – It was well defended in the air and when Santos had players running behind.
CB: Luis Abram – 6/10 – Abram gave the playmakers too much space and he doesn't have the speed of Gregersen to do that.
LB: Pedro Amador – 6/10 – In his debut as an Atlanta player, Amador found himself in good positions in the final third but his delivery could have been better.
CM: Tristan Muyumba – 6/10 – The loose passes were swept into the middle of the park near Fortune.
CM: Jay Fortune – 7/10 – The young midfielder was solid as he didn't miss a ball in the opening 45 minutes, spraying balls out and through the middle with ease.
CM: Bartosz Slisz – 6/10 – He showed good composure on the ball and often found himself on the edge of the Santos penalty area, but his last pass let him down.
RW: Saba Lobjanidze – 6/10 – He came close to opening the scoring with a well-taken free kick. Lobjanidze also picked up passes in dangerous areas in midfield but his touch let him down a few times.
ST: Daniel Rios – 6/10 – Rios was the man to watch in the first half despite Atlanta trying to prepare him to easily slot in with a few crosses into the Santos penalty area.
LW: Xande Silva – 6/10 – Like Lobjanidze, he also came close to finding success in the first half and made several runs in the middle of the pitch but was dispossessed several times.
What you are holding
SUB: Jamal Thiare (46' from Rios) – 6/10 – Couldn't get into any kind of rhythm before.
SUB: Matt Edwards (71' for Amador) – 6/10 – Holds his own at the back and helps play quick wide passes to the wing players.
SUB: Edwin Mosquera (71' for Muyumba) – 5/10 – Mosquera was trying to do too much after arriving.
SUB: Dax McCarthy (79' for Fortune) – 6/10 – He did well to take away his penalty attempt.
SUB: Nick Firmino (89' for Silva) – 6/10 – Eliminate his attempt to punish easily.
The manager
Rob Valentino – 7/10 – The interim manager is doing almost everything he can to set Atlanta up for success given the current state of their team. The team created a few real chances in the half with back passes but couldn't figure out how to break down the Santos defense in the middle.
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