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Atlanta United: Big road win shows potential moving forward

By Conner Burks

ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 05: Members of Atlanta United pose for a team photo before the game against New York Red Bulls at Bobby Dodd Stadium on March 5, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 05: Members of Atlanta United pose for a team photo before the game against New York Red Bulls at Bobby Dodd Stadium on March 5, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images) /
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Atlanta United went on the road Saturday night to play the Columbus Crew. The Five Stripes came away with their first road win in over two months in a 2-0 shut out.

Playing away from home in the MLS has proved to be a daunting task for any team in the 2017 season and Atlanta United is no exception to this.

Atlanta came into Saturday’s match with a 2-5-3 road record, which was still good enough for tied for the 4th most road wins in the league…with 10 other teams.

There are still four teams who have yet to put a road W in the win column, and one, the Houston Dynamo, would make the MLS playoffs were the season to end today.

In fact, of the seven MLS matches on Saturday evening, the Five Stripes were the only away squad to take home a win.

We had already seen it twice this season, United being able to beat teams at home but not on the road. They did it against the Chicago Fire and New York City FC.

After a 3-1 home victory against Columbus on June 17th many thought Saturday’s match may yield the a similar result to the Fire and NYCFC away matches.

Well, those who thought that were wrong.

On paper, it could’ve appeared the game went the Crew’s way with 58 percent possession, 12 shots and eight corner kicks. Atlanta with only 42 percent, eight shots and three corners.

But when the final whistles blew the only stat that mattered was in the Five Stripes favor, 2-0. This was just the second time all season United didn’t allow a goal on the road, the first a 0-0 tie with the Seattle Sounders.

Héctor Villalba netted both of Atlanta’s goals, but was pulled after his second due to cramping. The forward voiced not wanting to come out for substitution to head coach Tata Martino, but up 2-0 Tata did not want to risk it.

Clearly frustrated with not getting a chance at his first career hat trick, Villalba didn’t stick around to chat with the media after.

This win is huge for the Five Stripes as it’s just their third win away from Bobby Dodd all season, and one that comes against a team very much in the playoff hunt.

United’s two previous road wins came against Minnesota United and Real Salt Lake, the last and second-to-last place teams in the league.

The win gave Atlanta three points, enough to jump past Columbus into the fifth spot in the Eastern Conference.

With a win over the San Jose Earthquakes on the Fourth of July, Atlanta United would move up to fourth, moving past Orlando City SC.

With a confidence boost from a road win, something they hadn’t seen since April 22nd, currently having a spot in the playoffs and the recent return of Josef Martínez the sky seems to be the limit for this first year club.

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