After his electric game-winning goal against Seattle a week ago, Andrew Gutman jokingly told reporters postgame not to expect him to do anything like that again anytime soon. With Atlanta United trailing Cincinnati 2-1 late at TQL Stadium, Gutman proved himself wrong and found the back of the net to give the Five Stripes the equalizer in the 81’.
The goal proved to be a milestone as the 20,000th goal ever scored in the history of Major League Soccer.
The 2-2 result would hold through the final whistle despite a few strong chances for both clubs, and while it looked bleak for much of the second half, Atlanta United heads home with a point in hand, keeping their playoff hopes alive with 10 games remaining in the regular season.
United does drop to 13th in the Eastern Conference standings with the draw, but as Mike Conti pointed out on 92.9 The Game’s Full-Time Report, they are just four points out of the 7th and final playoff spot. His counterpart Jason Longshore, while crediting the effort to fight back for the draw, said that Gonzalo Pineda’s club can’t rely on ties the rest of the way if they hope to make the postseason.
“Where you are at this point in the table and this point in the season, you’ve got to start turning some of these into wins,” he said while expressing his belief that this match truly could’ve gone either way and lamenting some mistakes that cost Atlanta the two additional points that a win would’ve given them.
The most glaring mistake of the match was a breakdown while defending a corner kick that could’ve very well been called an ‘own goal’ on Juan José Purata.
A few clutch saves from Atlanta United goalkeeper Rocco Ríos Novo kept the result from going the other way as well, including a point-blank save in the 87’.
Next up for Atlanta United is a must-win match at home against the New York Red Bulls on Wednesday. The match and all things Atlanta United can be heard on 92.9 The Game!
