Atlanta United eliminated in Concacaf quarterfinals after 1-0 win in Leg 2

ATLANTA — Atlanta United required a gargantuan effort on offense and defense to advance past C.F. Monterrey.

Trailing 3-0 in aggregate goal count after a dismal first leg of the Concacaf Champions League quarterfinals, Atlanta got one back late in the second leg at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Wednesday night. That wasn’t the enough for Atlanta to advance to the semifinals in its first champions league appearance. Atlanta United won the match 1-0 but lost 3-1 in aggregate goal total.

Monterrey, an affiliate of Mexico’s top-tier Liga MX Clausura, has won the tournament three times in the club’s history. One Major League Soccer club, Sporting KC, remains in the 2019 edition of the competition after New York Red Bulls and Houston Dynamo were eliminated on Tuesday night. The last MLS team to win the competition was LA Galaxy in 2000.

Atlanta United hadn’t won a match in a Concacaf or MLS match since facing C.S. Herediano in the first round of the tournament. 

“A win is nice, of course, we needed to score three goals in the end,” manager Frank de Boer said. “Against one of the best teams in middle America, we can be proud of the performance.”

Atlanta scored in the 77th minute on a close-range shot for forward Josef Martinez. Off a throw-in, left full back Mikey Ambrose passed to Josef Martinez, who found Darlington Nagbe near the middle of the pitch roughly 19 yards away from the goal. Nagbe passed back to Josef Martinez, who had snuck behind Monterrey’s back line. He took one touch before firing a right-footed shot into the net.

There were plenty of early chances for Atlanta United, which logged six total shots in the first half. Gonzalo “Pity” Martinez fired four attempts, including one in the match’s second minute. A run that started on a pass to Julian Gressel parallel to Atlanta’s right touchline made its way to Josef Martinez in front of goal near the top of the 18-yard box. Josef Martinez’s hesitation and extra touch didn’t give him a clearer look, but Pity Martinez fired a one-time shot that missed its target.

Josef Martinez had Atlanta United’s first shot on goal in the ninth minute. Ezequiel Barco delivered a well-placed pass to last season’s Golden Boot and MLS MVP recipient, but the close-range tap-in was saved by C.F. Monterrey’s diving goalkeeper, Marcelo Barovero.

Atlanta United desperately needed offense in the first half to attempted to close its 3-0 aggregated goal deficit didn’t score but didn’t concede any goals either. Atlanta dominated with 60.5 percent possession in the first half against a C.F. Monterrey squad that was content with any result that would prevent a 3-0 loss to force penalty kicks.

Atlanta went searching for a lift, still tied 0-0, when de Boer subbed on Hector “Tito” Villalba for Pity Martinez in the 65th minute. Atlanta United also subbed on Kevin Kratz and Florentin Pogba. That match was Pogba’s Atlanta United debut.

Nagbe had a clear look and narrow miss off target in the 75th minute, and Atlanta appeared to score a second goal after the 80th minute. Though the train blared and pyrotechnics ignited, referee Henry Bejarano waved if off after calling a foul before the shot.

Center back Leandro Gonzalez Pirez was not part of Atlanta United’s 18 active players after receiving a second CCL yellow card in the first leg, suspending him for the series.

Rayados was coming off a 1-1 draw against Tigres in Liga MX Clausura play. The club in the No. 3 team in the league table after 10 matches this season.