Christian Benteke scored a hat trick as Atlanta United dropped a third straight home decision in MLS play, falling 3-2 on Saturday evening at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Atlanta’s winless streak in league play now sits at six matches.
Gonzalo Pineda’s starting XI was unchanged from last Saturday’s loss to Minnesota United. Xande Silva, a second-half substitute on Tuesday in the U.S. Open Cup, was held out of the starting lineup presumably with an eye toward Wednesday’s contest at FC Cincinnati.
Atlanta found the scoreboard first in the 14th minute after Giorgos Giakoumakis was brought down inside the box. After confirmation by Video Review, Thiago Almada took the spot kick and got Alex Bono to guess the wrong way to make it 1-0.
D.C., though, leveled in the 19th through Christian Benteke, who headed a wide cross past Brad Guzan to make it 1-1 on a goal that was checked for a possible handball in the buildup but ultimately stood.
In the 44th minute, Benteke scored again. The D.C. striker connected on another header behind poor last-ditch defending from Atlanta to put his team ahead.
But Atlanta scored early in the 2nd half behind an own goal, as Saba Lobjanidze’s attempt caromed off a D.C. defender and into the net to put things level at 2-2.
Benteke completed his hat trick moments later, though, as he was given enough space for yet another headed goal as D.C. took a 3-2 lead in the 55th.
Atlanta looked to have designs on equalizing once more in the 67th minute as they put together a brilliant counter-attack, but Giorgos Giakoumakis’ shot inside the box was off target as the chance went begging.
In the 84th minute, Atlanta was awarded a free kick right at the edge of the box as former Five Stripes homegrown Garrison Tubbs was whistled for a foul, but Thiago Almada’s effort found the D.C. wall.
And that was essentially that, as Atlanta failed to tie the match and were unable to build off Tuesday’s U.S. Open Cup Round of 32 victory.
As always, let us know what you think — rate the players and leave your thoughts about the match below. (If you’re having trouble viewing the form on a mobile device, click or tap here.)
#PinedaOut
0 to the idiot in the supporter section that pegged Bono in the back of the head after the game. Hopefully it doesn’t lead to some closed door games.
It’s a 10 from me
I wish I could give negative numbers to Pineda and Mosquera.
Add Lennon to that. The number of negative passes or crosses to nobody was infuriating.
Lennon couldn’t mark a garden gnome.
#Pinedaout