Goals from Darlington Nagbe, Josef Martinez and Julian Gressel lifted Atlanta United to a 3-1 victory over New England Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on the final day of the MLS regular season.
The victory means Atlanta United (18-12-4) finished the season with 58 points, clinched second place in the East and set up a showdown with the Revs in the first round of the playoffs on Oct. 19 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
It wasn't a comfortable win. Atlanta United's defense was shaky throughout the first half, but the attack seemed to be more in sync than in previous games with numerous chances created, punctuated by the first two goals, each of which were assisted by Gressel. He then scored the third.
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Martinez, whose goal was followed by a kneel-down celebration in front of the retiring Michael Parkhurst, finished the regular season with 27 goals, losing the Golden Boot and single-season scoring record of 31 he set last year to LAFC's Carlos Vela, who finished the season with 34 after scoring a hat-trick against Colorado on Sunday. Parkhurst entered the game in the 79th minute, with the chant "Michael Parkhurst" echoing around the stadium.
Brad Guzan and D.C. United's Bill Hamid tied for the league lead in clean sheets (14).
Manager Frank de Boer made a couple of interesting choices with the starting 11. First, Josef Martinez decided that he was healthy enough to start. He missed the previous two games because of injuries to his ankle and knee. Second, de Boer benched Pity Martinez in place of Ezequiel Barco. It was the first time Martinez hadn't started since July 21 against D.C. United, a streak of 11 consecutive league games. It was Barco's first league start since Aug. 23 at Orlando. The rest of the lineup: Guzan in goal with Franco Escobar, Miles Robinson and Leandro Gonzalez Pirez as the centerbacks. Jeff Larentowicz made his second consecutive start at defensive midfielder with Nagbe. Gressel and Justin Meram were the wingbacks with Emerson Hyndman, Barco and Josef Martinez up front.
Atlanta United needed less than four minutes to grab a 1-0 lead when Gressel's cross found Nagbe on a late run into the box. His one-timed shot casually rolled into the lower left corner. It was Nagbe's second goal and Gressel's 11th assist this season. Josef Martinez was also given an assist, his third this season.
It was a stunning turnaround because two minutes earlier Guzan bailed out Atlanta United's defense when he stopped Cristian Penilla in a one-on-one. Atlanta United had tried to play New England offside, but Escobar was a step slow, which left Penilla onside and through onto Guzan, who reached behind him as Penilla dribbled past and touched the ball just enough to disrupt the effort.
Penilla wasn't done. He was played through after a heavy touch by Escobar and this time put a shot past Guzan, instead of trying to dribble past him, in the eighth minute to the game at 1.
Escobar continued to struggle. First, he gave away a free kick in a dangerous spot. Near the end of the half he was beaten to the end line, but the subsequent cross rolled harmlessly across the goal.
Atlanta United grabbed a 2-1 lead in the 49th minute on a goal from Martinez after an unbelievable 50-yard pass from Gressel into the space between New England's last line and goalkeeper Matt Turner. Martinez ran onto the ball, took a dribble and beat Turner.
Gressel increased the lead to 3-1 with a right-footed shot off the left post in the 57th minute. It was his sixth goal of the season.
This article was written by Doug Roberson, AJC.com.
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