ATLANTA — Julian Gressel scored from close range in the second half to seal an Atlanta United win over the Colorado Rapids 1-0 Saturday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. It was Atlanta’s first home win of the 2019 Major League Soccer season.
Atlanta (2-3-2, 8 points) struggled in attack for much of the game. The team went into halftime with just one shot on goal, a 35-yard effort from centerback Leandro González-Pírez. Players were visibly frustrated with Gressel and forward Gonzalo “Pity” Martínez exchanging heated words before walking off the field.
After the game, manager Frank de Boer was surprised to be asked if the offensive performance was concerning. De Boer blamed the lack of attacking fireworks on Colorado’s defensive strategy. He accused the Rapids of parking not one, but two busses.
“You always need two teams to try to play football,” de Boer said in his postgame press conference. “And we had only one team trying to win the game. So, that’s hard. In international football, and also here, when teams play like this, you know, you have to have a fantastic day. Even the big teams in Europe have problems with this kind of system if they park two busses in front of their own goal.
“The second half was much better, but it’s very difficult to play against this type of system. … If you score an early goal, they have to come out and then it’s an open game. But now, they still have the belief, they’re coming for the result, for one point, and maybe with a little bit of luck, three points. That’s why I think this victory tastes very sweet, because I think the team who deserved to win got the three points. Sometimes it’s not always the case.”
In the 75th minute, Colorado attempted to play the ball out of its defensive third. Nagbe stepped up to intercept a pass 35 yards from goal and dribbled through traffic into the penalty area. The chance was nearly lost due to a heavy touch, but Nagbe raced to the end line and fizzed a low pass across the face of goal. Gressel beat goalkeeper Tim Howard to the ball and scored from two yards.
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Gressel’s goal came four minutes after Atlanta made a double substitution: Martínez vacated for Héctor “Tito” Villalba, and midfielder Eric Remedi subbed on for left fullback Brek Shea. Atlanta immediately looked more dangerous after the change. Nagbe moved into Shea’s position on left flank. He and Villalba provided more dynamic play on the wing, which allowed the Five Stripes to break through.
“Play a little bit more attacking,” Nagbe said of his adjusted role after the game. “Essentially, provide support on the ball, but if I can get isolated, if Tito can get isolated, then for us to go on the attack.”
De Boer remained calm during his halftime talk, despite the difficult first 45 minutes.
“He said that when he played with Barcelona that [he played these types of games],” González-Pírez told reporters. “He said we have to keep patience, and do it and try and try and try, and we will find the scores. Finally we can find it.”
It was another tough night for Martínez, Atlanta’s blockbuster signing from River Plate. He took Atlanta’s first shot of the game, striking from distance and connecting with fans in the fifth row. The Argentine’s passes routinely missed their targets, and he still does not appear to be on the same page with his new teammates. The Five Stripes looked much better after Martínez’s exit, but that is in part due to the quality coming off the bench.
“Everybody brings different characteristics, for sure,” midfielder Jeff Larentowicz said. “Tito’s different from [Ezequiel Barco], Pity’s different from Julian. It’s something else, especially if you’re a defender and you’ve been playing for 75 minutes against a guy that does one thing and then you bring another guy on that does something else, that’s both dangerous.
“If I’m worrying about covering Barco with the ball at his feet and closing him down for 75 minutes, and then you bring Tito on and he runs behind me, that’s going to be tough.”
Martínez joined Atlanta after a short offseason, and he sustained a hamstring injury in March. De Boer explained his playmaker still is not fully fit.
“I think he has to get stronger, physically stronger, and then he can [improve],” the manager said. “He’s still, in my point of view, not 100 percent. That’s why I let him play, like, 66 minutes. He will come to that, and it takes time. But I’m convinced if he gets to 100 percent, we’re going to have a lot of fun with him.”
Colorado (0-7-2, 2 points) hardly threatened until Atlanta scored. After Gressel beat Howard, the soon-to-retire goalkeeping icon, the Rapids pushed forward. But aside from an 88th-minute free header from substitute Nicolás Mezquida, which was saved by Brad Guzan, they did not stress Atlanta.
“We know it wasn’t pretty,” Guzan said of the victory. “At the end of the day, nobody’s going to remember whether it was a pretty game. One-nil, 10-nil, a win’s a win.”