Atlanta United thrashed the Los Angeles Galaxy 3-0 — although the Five Stripes only scored one goal of their own — in front of 72,548 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday night, the largest regular season crowd in MLS history.
Two own goals cursed the Galaxy, and without the legendary Zlatan Ibrahimovic up top, who was serving a one-game suspension, the team went cold in attack.
The Galaxy nearly got on the board in the fifth-minute with an early push from forward Uriel Antuna. Antuna got through the Atlanta defense but All-Star goalkeeper Brad Guzan made a great sliding save just inside the box.
In the 23rd, Pity Martinez attacked LA out wide and Galaxy defender Dave Romney’s slide attempt to cut out his cross only sent the ball into the back of his own net.
1-0 @ATLUTD!
It goes down as an own goal, but Pity is making things happen. #ATLvLA pic.twitter.com/my47BOkRbW— Major League Soccer (@MLS) August 3, 2019
Galaxy forward Favio Alvares had a chance to tie it with a great strike from right outside the box, but the shot just missed.
Los Angeles could not catch a break and suffered another own goal in the 43rd minute.
Giancarlo Gonzalez attempted basically the same sliding save on a cross only to send it past Galaxy keeper David Bingham. Gonzalez simply stole the goal from Atlanta’s Josef Martinez as he was in a great spot and was most likely going to score anyway.
Another own goal from the Galaxy and it's 2-0 @ATLUTD. #ATLvLA pic.twitter.com/hGyS4DmXL6
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) August 3, 2019
Pity almost got the first intended goal with a quick strike in the 64th minute, but Bingham made his fourth of six saves.
Josef eventually got his goal in the 72nd by way of penalty kick, which tied an MLS record for nine-straight games scored in.
That man again.@JosefMartinez17 ties his own MLS record with a goal in 9 consecutive games! #ATLvLA pic.twitter.com/SrTz7LChUZ
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) August 3, 2019
The Five Stripes have now won three of their last four matches while scoring an impressive 13 goals.
Los Angeles has now been shut out in three consecutive road matches and will have one more stop on their road trip, that coming on Sunday, Aug. 11. They will have a chance to bounce back on the road against a struggling D.C. United squad that's won just two games since mid-May.
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