July 3, 2024 – Major League Soccer (MLS)
Atlanta United FC News Release
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Atlanta United fell 2-1 Wednesday night at Gillette Stadium. Giacomo Vrioni scored a first half brace for the hosts. Atlanta’s second-half comeback fell short after Daniel Ríos scored his fourth goal of the season to cut into the lead late.
Atlanta had the first scoring opportunity of the match in the second minute when Caleb Wiley played a low cross to the center of the box to Xande Silva, however the forward’s shot was deflected over the crossbar.
New England opened the scoring in the 11th minute through Vrioni. DeJuan Jones played the ball into space down the left side for Vrioni who dribbled toward goal and split a pair of Atlanta defenders before firing a left-footed shot inside the near post.
The hosts doubled the lead in the final minutes of the first half. Vrioni scored his second of the night in the 44th minute, finishing a cross from Noel Buck at the back post with a left-footed volley into the top corner.
Atlanta created a pair of chances in first-half stoppage time. Bartosz Slisz made a driving run down the center of the field and hit a powerful right-footed strike on target to force a diving save from Aljaz Ivacic. On the ensuing corner, the ball bounced to Jay Fortune in the box who’s volley forced another impressive save from Ivacic to keep the match 2-0 at the break.
In the second half, Atlanta continued to press for a goal and created another good scoring chance in the 67th minute. After a quickly taken corner kick, Wiley picked his head up and found an unmarked Luis Abram in the center of the penalty box, however the center back’s header was off target. In the 73rd minute, Silva led a counter attack and played Wiley down the left wing. Wiley took a few touches and fired a left-footed shot that Ivacic was able to touch off the crossbar and out for a corner.
After coming on as a second-half substitute late in the match, Ronald Hernández made an instant impact. He delivered a cross to the back post as the clock struck 90 minutes towards Ríos. The striker outmuscled his defender and headed the ball into the net for his fourth goal of the year and Hernández’s first assist of the season.
Atlanta United (6-9-6, 24 points) returns to action Saturday, July 6 when it travels to face Real Salt Lake at America First Field (9:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass, 92.9 The Game, La Mejor). All Atlanta United matches are available with an MLS Season Pass…
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