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Photo: Earl Gardner
Brenden Aaronson, 18, stole the show in Atlanta on Sunday night as the Philadelphia Union clinched their first point of the season with a 1-1 draw against reigning Major League Soccer champions.
Many chances for Philly were spoiled in the match, but the one that mattered most was aggressively converted by Aaronson, who made his MLS debut. Just at the half-time, the Union premises were heading towards the opposing goal with an eye for a shot. When he tore it between the defender 's legs, the ball deviated and Atlanta goalie Brad Guzan was completely frozen. He fell to the floor, disgusted, as the balloon rolled over the net and Aaronson was running.
For a moment, it seemed that the monumental goal would also be a winner on the road.
Atlanta made a substitution on the bottom line and took possession of the ball after falling 1-0, but chances continued to be lacking at the target or finding Andre Blake's gloves. It was only in the 67th minute when Ezequiel Barco started playing that the home fans finally had something to celebrate. After a ball came out of the box on the right, Atlanta prepared for another service ahead of Blake. Everyone was scored except a final runner at Barco, who found himself free between Alejandro Bedoya and Haris Medunjanin and buckled his head in the back panel. The Blake dive was not reached and the hosts immediately reversed the trend.
From there, Philly's defense was on his heels and defending center after center. The most useful player in the league, Josef Martinez, opened the scoring on a big goal and some extra chances forced Blake to take the lead, but the score remained tied. Cory Burke had the best chance of the Union for the second period, when he sprinted to the bottom line and tried to play Fafa Picault in the back. Guzan picked him up and killed the room. Medunjanin also took a dangerous free kick just over the bar in the 92nd minute.
David Accam was finally replaced by Burke in trouble in the 88th, but did not impact as quickly. The draw is the first result of the Union against Atlanta United.
Aaronson looked wise beyond his years in the first period, but his teammates did not help him. First on the 5th minute, he made his way through the traffic and rolled the ball into the penalty area for Warren Creavalle, who stopped and did not go to the penalty box. failed to get shot in the space. Still in the 40th, Aaronson picked up a gift in the middle of the field and played a precision ball at the height of a Picault barely. The attacker took a big hit and rounded Guzan, only to feel the shot and send a dribbler towards the goal. He was exploited in Guzan and another chance went to beg.
Just after Creavalle's bluff in the 5th, Picault found himself in front of the net and placed one in a balloon over the frame. The same thing happened to Burke later in the half when a slippery center hit him in space and he made it navigate the crowd. Union manager Jim Curtin, who has chosen to keep Burke despite two injuries and a few tired touches, may be able to consider the empty opportunities as a missed opportunity. It was the story of the game until a teenager saved the day.
Martinez has tightened the crossbar at close range and has scored only one goal this season after breaking the 34-goal record in 2018. Of the six shot attempts from the Union, only three were framed. The visitors completed 177 precise passes against the 580 Atalanta and earned a corner.
Three points
Aarsonson is special. Marco Fabian is obviously not going anywhere at # 10, but can you really get Aaronson off the bench after a night like Sunday? He was laid down and comfortable, clean and impressive. Age has nothing to do with it. The child can play and just about every supporter of the Union will want to see him more.
Creavalle? Attack? It's one thing to place Creavalle in the starting lineup for tactical reasons, but what if he is not at all comfortable in the attack? Once, he opened up in space to pass backwards and once again he was not able to get shot in 18. An attacking midfielder should not commit one of these things. Curtin seemed to notice and under-execute Derrick Jones halfway, so that's it.
Mark, Medunjanin, mark! It was the same story with Medunjanin after this one, which was again in the spotlight of Atlanta's equalizer. He did not need to clear the ball. He did not have to win the head. He did not even have to jump. He just had to do Something. Staying still and watching a 5ft 5 inch Barco launch is just not acceptable. If you can not count on his pace of work late in the matches, he is eliminated. He did good things but another failure was the star.
The queues
Philadelphia cream: Andre Blake, Ray Gaddis, Jack Elliott, Auston Trusty, Kai Wagner, Haris Medunjanin, Alejandro Bedoya, Warren Creavalle (Derrick Jones 46 '), Brenden Aaronson (Ilsinho 74'), Fafa Picault (David Accam 88 '), Cory Burke.
Unused submarines: Matt Freese, Mark McKenzie, Anthony Fontana, Olivier Mbaizo.
Atlanta United: Brad Guzan, Leandro Gonzalez Pirez, Miles Robinson, Michael Parkhurst (Brek Shea 58), Jeff Larentowicz (Andrew Carleton 79 '), Darlington Nagbe, Eric Remedi, Julian Gressel, Pity Martinez, Hector Villalba (Ezequiel Barco 67' ), Josef Martinez.
Unused submarines: Alec Kann, Mikey Ambrose, Brendon Vazquez. Romario Williams.
Summary of the notation
PHI – Brenden Aaronson (47 ')
ATL – Ezequiel Barco (70 ')
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