It's time for round 2 of the Atlanta United Goal of the Year bracket! After a tightly-contested Round of 16, only eight goals remain in the hunt for best Atlanta United goal this year –– and YOU get the deciding vote. So which one will survive and advance to be named the year's best Atlanta United goal? We shall see.
Click here to see the first round results, and make sure to get your vote in below!
Matchup #1
Julian's sumptuous volley vs RSL
Julian's volley against RSL cruised through the first round, taking home nearly three quarters of the vote against Josef Martinez's goal against D.C. United to clinch the career hat trick record. This was a crucial match, coming off a West Coast road trip during the dog days of the final stretch of the regular season. Julian Gressel stepped up in a big way, taking a cross down off his chest and firing an unstoppable half volley off the bounce and past the goalkeeper's outstretched hand and into the side netting.
Josef sets the single-season goal record
Julian faces another historic Martinez moment in round 2, with Josef's single-season goal record taking 62% of the vote in the first round against Kevin Kratz's free kick stunner vs. Montreal. This one came from a night no Atlanta United fan will ever forget. With the game on the line, Josef Martinez goes into enemy territory and chips the Orlando City goalkeeper to break the single-season goal record.
Matchup #2
Tito's long-range stunner
One of the most dominant first-round winner was this Tito Villalba long-range special, which took 83% of the vote against Josef's lethal snapdown header versus NYCFC. Perhaps the snub of the year in the MLS Goal of the Year vote, Tito's vicious curling first-time effort against San Jose sparked one of the best comebacks the league has ever seen.
Josef's winning header
Tito faces a goal from the very same game, with Josef's last-gap winner against the Quakes squeaking through the first round in one of the tightest votes of the first round. With nearly 1,000 votes cast, only 29 votes separated this effort from Miguel Almirón's top-corner blast in the team's home opener. But Atlanta United's incredible comeback against San Jose was only worth one point until this, with Miguel Almirón and Josef Martinez combining with nearly the last touch of the match to steal a crucial result in San Jose.
Matchup #3
Josef's opener vs the Red Bulls
The goal that started one of the biggest wins in team history. Josef Martinez took home 75% of the vote against Barco's top-corner blast against Orlando in the first round 1. Jeff Larentowicz's cross was perfect over the head of the Red Bulls defender, and Josef Martinez was as clinical as ever to take the lead over New York in leg one of the Eastern Conference Final.
Miggy's unstoppable run against Orlando
The moment a convincing win became a route. One of Miguel Almirón's signature moments at Mercedes-Benz Stadium this year, shrugging off the Orlando City defender effortlessly before smashing home through the legs of the goalkeeper. It was good enough to beat out Franco Escobar's postseason blast versus the Red Bulls in one of the first round's tightest contests, taking home 51.5% of the vote.
Matchup #4
Tito ices the victory over Red Bulls
One of the most emotional moments of the season, the goal that all but clinched Atlanta United's MLS Cup berth. Tito Villalba's swerving effort left the Red Bulls goalkeeper with absolutely no chance. It faced a tough challenge in the first round with Josef Martinez's volley versus NYCFC, but showed how strong a candidate it is with 75% of the vote.
Miguel's free kick stunner
After an away goal from NYCFC, Atlanta United's postseason run was in danger of falling apart before it got started. But Miguel Almirón restored the team's advantage with this unstoppable looping free kick over the wall and in the top corner. The sensational free kick took 61% of the vote in the first round against one of the team goals of the season in Tito's tap-in versus the Union.
For the full Round of 16 results, click here.
