Atlanta United lost 5-1 to Chicago Fire Wednesday night at SeatGeek Stadium. Brandon Vázquez scored his first goal of the season in MLS play.
The Fire took the lead in the fourth minute from a corner. Nicolás Gaitán delivered an out swinging ball that met the head of Francisco Calvo and drifted into the left side of the net. Chicago doubled its lead in the seventh minute when C.J. Sapong buried a low shot into the bottom right corner.
Chicago was awarded a penalty in the ninth minute after Leandro González Pirez was ruled to have committed a handling infraction and was subsequently sent off for denial of an obvious goal-scoring opportunity. Gaitán converted the penalty in 13th minute. Sapong scored his second of the night in the 37th minute and the Fire added one more goal before the half in the 44th minute through Fabian Herbers.
Atlanta pulled one goal back from a penalty kick that was awarded after Miles Robinson dispossessed Przemyslaw Frankowski in the defensive third, dribbled around Fransico Calvo and made a long run into the box where he was brought down by Frankowski. Vázquez stepped to the spot and drilled a shot into right side of the net for his first goal of the year and the second of his career.
Atlanta United (9-7-2, 29 points) returns to action Sunday, July 7 against New York Red Bulls at Mercedes-Benz Stadium (2:00 p.m. EST, FOX, Sports Radio 92-9 The Game).
