April 7, 2021
Atlanta United defeated LD Alajuelense 1-0 Tuesday night at Estadio Alejandro Morera Soto in Leg One of its Round of 16 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League (SCCL) matchup. Despite playing the entire second half with 10 men, Ezequiel Barco scored the club’s first goal of the year to give Atlanta a crucial road win heading into the second leg. The result marked head coach Gabriel Heinze’s first win with the club and it also ended Alajuelense’s 25-match unbeaten streak dating back to November 2020.
Atlanta was reduced to 10 players after goalkeeper Brad Guzan was shown a red card in the 43rd minute for taking down Marcel Hernández in a one-on-one situation just outside of the 18-yard-box. However, Atlanta started the second half energized and forced a penalty within the first five minutes. In the 48th minute, Barco played George Bello down the left side into the box where the defender one-timed a low cross, which was ruled to have hit the outstretched arm of José Salvatierra. Barco took the penalty kick and slotted it to the bottom right corner, just under the arm of Alajuelense goalkeeper Leonel Moreira in the 50th minute.
Eighteen-year-old Rocco Ríos Novo, a goalkeeper for Atlanta United 2 who signed a Short-Term Agreement Monday, replaced Guzan to make his First Team debut. The dual-national Argentine made six saves in the second half to preserve the clean sheet, which also set the club’s single-match record in SCCL play. In addition to Ríos Novo, several players made their club debuts including Santiago Sosa, Franco Ibarra and Lisandro Lopez who all started.
After grabbing the breakthrough goal, Atlanta weathered an onslaught of pressure from Alajuelense’s attack, which took 13 shots and put six on frame in the second half. Atlanta defended well despite facing 21 crosses and seven corners in the final 45 minutes.
Amidst the action, striker Josef Martínez made his long-awaited return to the field since his season-ending injury in February 2020 when he entered as a substitute, replacing Lopez in the 67th minute.
Atlanta and Alajuelense face each other for Leg Two next Tuesday, April 13 at Fifth Third Bank Stadium in Kennesaw, Georgia (6:00 p.m. EST, FS1, TUDN, Sports Radio 92-9 The Game).
SUBSCRIBE to our channel!
#UniteAndConquer
By Atlanta United FC
