Atlanta United fell to Philadelphia Union 3-0 in Leg One of its 2021 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League Quarterfinal matchup Tuesday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Atlanta controlled play in the first half but was unable to break through for a goal while Kacper Przybylko scored twice in the second half to lead Philadelphia to the win.
From the opening kick-off, Atlanta dictated play with 60 percent possession and five shots on target; however, Philadelphia goalkeeper Andre Blake kept the score level. Jürgen Damm forced an extended kick save in the sixth minute after the right winger found space behind Philadelphia’s defense. Later in the half, Emerson Hyndman blasted a right-footed shot that again forced Blake to extend. But Atlanta’s best chance may have come in the 36th minute when Josef Martinez played Marcelino Moreno in on goal that forced Blake off his line to make another save.
With the score 0-0 after 45 minutes, Philadelphia took the lead in the 57th minute off a corner kick that found Przybylko at the far post. Brad Guzan originally came up huge to deny Przybylko on the previous play to force the corner, but the ensuing kick from Kai Wagner found its way through Atlanta’s defense before Przybylko slotted it home.
Przybylko doubled the lead on a counterattack in the 73rd minute. After miscommunication in the midfield, Philadelphia’s Leon Flach pounced on a loose ball and quickly played a give-and-go with Sergio Santos down the left side to get in behind Atlanta’s backline. Flach squared a ball to an unmarked Przybylko at the top of the 18-yard-box where he took one touch into the box before finishing to the left side of the net.
The Union added a third in the 86th minute on a counterattack. Philadelphia headed a Damm cross out of the box and immediately broke towards Atlanta’s goal. Santos found Przybylko who was sprinting down the left side, where he and Anthony Fontana were two-on-one with Guzan. Przybylko drew Guzan away from goal before finding Fontana to his right for a tap-in.
The second leg is scheduled for Tuesday, May 4 (8 p.m. ET, FS1/TUDN) at Subaru Park in Chester, Pennsylvania. Atlanta (1-0-1, 4 points) returns to action in league play Saturday against New England Revolution Saturday, May 1 (8:00 p.m. ET, CW69, atlutd.com/live, Star 94.1).
MATCH INFO
2021 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League Quarterfinals | Leg One
Philadelphia Union 3, Atlanta United 0
Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Atlanta, Georgia
STATS
Shots: 16-8 Atlanta
Shots on Target: 7-5 Atlanta
Corner kicks: 7-3 Atlanta
Fouls committed: 16-12 Philadelphia
Offside: 1-0 Philadelphia
Possession: 65-35 Atlanta
Passing Accuracy: 89-73 Atlanta
SCORING SUMMARY
PHI – Kacper Przybylko 57’
PHI – Kacper Przybylko (Leon Flach, Sergio Santos) 73’
PHI – Anthony Fontana (Kacper Przybylko, Sergio Santos) 86’
DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY
PHI – José Martinez (yellow) 6’
ATL – Emerson Hyndman (yellow) 47’
ATLANTA UNITED STARTING LINEUP
Brad Guzan ©; George Bello, Alan Franco, Miles Robinson, Franco Ibarra (Erick “Cubo” Torres – 68’); Santiago Sosa, Emerson Hyndman, Ezequiel Barco; Marcelino Moreno (Jake Mulraney – 57’), Jürgen Damm, Josef Martinez.
Substitutes not used: Ben Lundgaard, Mikey Ambrose, Anton Walkes, Jack Gurr, Erik Lopez,
PHILADELPHIA UNION STARTING LINEUP
Andre Blake; Oliver Mbaizo, Jack Elliott, Jakob Glesnes, Kai Wagner; Alejandro Bedoya ©, José Martinez, Leon Flach (Anthony Fontana – 77’); Jamiro Monteiro, Cory Burke (Sergio Santos – HT), Kacper Przybylko (Matt Real – 86’).
Substitutes not used: Matt Freese, Aurélien Collin, Quinn Sullivan, Stuart Findlay.
OFFICIALS
Jair Marrufo (referee), Kyle Atkins (assistant), Frank Anderson, (assistant), Rubiel Vazquez (fourth).
ATTENDANCE
17,533
TEAM NOTES
- Prior to the game, Concacaf announced that video review technology would be used for the remained of the 2021 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League (SCCL). Tuesday’s match between Atlanta and Philadelphia was the first SCCL match to feature the technology.
- Lisandro Lopez missed the game due to personal reasons.
- José Martinez will be suspended for the second leg due to yellow card accumulation.
