Atlanta United fell 4-3 to LAFC Friday night at Banc of California Stadium. Mo Adams scored the first goal of his Atlanta United career and Josef Martinez scored his 17th goal of the season.
Atlanta United saw a different line-up from last weeks DC United victory with Pity MartÃnez making his was back to the pitch and recently signed Mo Adams making his first ATL UTD start. Tonights Starting XI was Justin Meram coming in place of Dion Pereira on the left wing. The full XI: Brad Guzan (GK), Leandro González Pirez (DEF), Miles Robinson (DEF), Franco Escobar (DEF), Julian Gressel (DEF), Darlington Nagbe (MID), Eric Remedi (MID), Mo Adams (MID), Emerson Hyndman (LW), Josef Martinez (ST), Pity MartÃnez (RW).
Atlanta scored the game’s opening goal in just the 2nd minute when Julian Gressel whipped in a free kick from the right side. Franco Escobar met the ball at the back post and headed it across goal where it fell to Mo Adams, who fired a shot into the top right corner for the first goal of his Atlanta career in his first start.
LAFC leveled the match in the 33rd minute when Mark Anthony-Kaye slipped in Adama Diomande who then beat Brad Guzan with a right-footed shot at the near post. The home side took the lead in the 38th minute after a Carlos Vela cross was cleared by Miles Robinson but fell to Diego Rossi crashing the box and the Uruguayan drove a low shot past Guzan and into the net. Vela won a penalty and beat Guzan from the spot four minutes later. Diomande found Eduard Atuesta making a run in the box in the 45th minute and the LAFC midfielder turned and hit a hard shot from the edge of the six-yard box past Guzan.
Martinez pulled one back for Atlanta before the break to make it 4-2. Julian Gressel sent in a cross from the right side of the box to Martinez who blasted a right-footed shot into the net to extend his MLS scoring streak to eight straight matches, one shy of his own all-time MLS record.
Second-half substitute Justin Meram came on and made an instant impact as his run down the left side and subsequent cross deflected off LAFC defender Eddie Segura and resulted in an own goal to make the match 4-3.
Guzan made two diving saves in the final 10 minutes, stopping a low Lee Nguyen shot and then pushing a header past his left post, while Atlanta had several chances but could not find an equalizer.
Atlanta United (11-9-3, 36 points) returns to action Saturday, Aug. 3 against Los Angeles Galaxy at Mercedes-Benz Stadium (5 p.m. EST, FOX, Sports Radio 92-9 The Game).
