ATL Standard

Atlanta United emerged from the Leagues Cup break appearing well-rested and assertive, challenging the top team in the Western Conference for 75 minutes on Saturday night. Despite a competitive match, L.A. Galaxy scored two late goals to secure a 2-0 victory and maintain their lead in the standings.

The turning point came in the 67th minute when a foul on Atlanta United resulted in a penalty kick for L.A. Galaxy. Forward Joseph Paintsil took the shot, but Atlanta goalkeeper Brad Guzan made a crucial save, keeping the match scoreless at that moment.

“The penalty -- that’s when I felt the shift really go," said interim head coach Rob Valentino. "I thought for a good chunk of the game we were defending really well and then the penalty didn’t help. It obviously swayed momentum their way a little bit and then they got a goal about 10 minutes later after the penalty. I think that was a big momentum change."

Riqui Puig broke the deadlock in the 75th minute with assistance from new signing Marco Reus, who created space for Puig to score. Reus followed up his assist with his first MLS goal in the 84th minute, doubling Galaxy’s lead after initially having his shot blocked by Guzan but finishing off his own rebound.

In their retro kits, Greg Vanney’s team displayed dynamic play throughout. Early attempts by Gabriel Pec and Riqui Puig tested Guzan but did not result in goals.

Despite their loss, Atlanta United showed promise against top-tier teams this season, as evidenced by their earlier victory over Eastern Conference leader Inter Miami CF on May 29. The team exhibited intricate passing and strong defensive moments during Saturday's match.

Jay Fortune played pivotal roles in several near-goals for Atlanta United but faced challenges breaking through L.A.'s defense. Even though Guzan conceded two goals, he had an overall strong performance with six saves.

"I feel like we gave them the first one, or they didn’t have to earn it as much which is really disappointing because they defended so hard and aggressive for a good chunk of time," Valentino said.

Atlanta United struggled to capitalize on their opportunities despite creating several chances throughout both halves of play. Winger Xande Silva emphasized this point: “I think it’s pretty simple. In the first half we had the opportunity and needed to score and we didn’t score," he said. "Then in the second half they had the opportunity and scored."

New signings Alexey Miranchuk for Atlanta United and Marco Reus for L.A. Galaxy made their MLS debuts during this match.

Looking ahead, Atlanta United faces back-to-back away games starting with Charlotte FC at Bank of America Stadium on August 31 before returning home for matches against Nashville SC on September 14 and Inter Miami CF on September 18.

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