Atlanta win another title, capture US Open Cup
Atlanta United players celebrate with the trophy after defeating Minnesota United 2-1 the US Open Cup soccer final on Aug 27 in Atlanta. (AP)
to secure his first win of the season as the Canadian upset Russian ninth seed Karen Khachanov 4-6, 7-5, 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 to reach the second round of the US Open.
Dominic Thiem’s latest bid for Grand Slam glory came to an abrupt end at the US Open when he fell to unseeded Thomas Fabbiano 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 in a shock first-round exit, the biggest upset of the men’s competition so far.
The fourth-seeded Austrian’s blistering serve yielded 14 aces but it was not enough to overcome the 30-year-old Fabbiano, whose fearsome forehand helped him save nine out of the 10 break points he faced.
Naomi Osaka was given a testing workout by Anna Blinkova as she began the defence of her US Open title but the world number one’s power and shot making ultimately proved too much as she prevailed 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-2.
The unseeded Blinkova raced into a 4-1 lead in the first set and a shock appeared to be in the works but Osaka cut down her errors to win five straight games and take the opener.
The tenacious Blinkova refused to back down, however, saving a match point on Osaka’s serve in the second before breaking her to set up a tiebreak, which the Russian won when Osaka sent a return into the net.
The 21-year-old Japanese responded by looking to her box and mimicked putting a gun to her head and pulling the trigger.
Osaka stayed composed in the third, however, breaking Blinkova to take a 3-1 lead before sealing the first-round win with a blistering forehand that caught the line.
Wimbledon champion Simona Halep snapped a string of early US Open exits with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 victory over American lucky loser Nicole Gibbs to reach the second round.
The Romanian fourth seed, who fell at the first hurdle in New York the last two years, looked to be heading for yet another early exit but came out firing after losing the second set to Gibbs.
Former champion Sloane Stephens was stunned by Russian qualifier Anna Kalinskaya 6-3, 6-4 in the first round after an inconsistent display during which she was unable to find any sort of rhythm.
The American 11th seed, who triumphed here in 2017, fought off two match points but on the third was caught out of position behind the baseline when the Russian ripped a backhand that clipped the net chord and landed in.
Teen sensation Cori “Coco” Gauff lived up to the hype surrounding her US Open debut, battling back to beat Anastasia Potapova 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 in a backand-forth thriller.
The outlook appeared bleak for the 15-year-old American when she was broken to open the second set but Gauff broke back in the next game to seize the momentum and ultimately level up the contest in front of a supportive crowd. ATLANTA, Aug 28, (AP): They climbed atop podium in the center of the field, hoisted a trophy above their heads, and began bouncing up and down with feverish passion.
For Atlanta United, celebrating never gets old – though it is becoming routine.
Atlanta claimed its third title in less than nine months, holding off Minnesota United 2-1 in the final of the US Open Cup on Tuesday night.
Atlanta United jumped out to a 2-0 lead just 16 minutes into the game as Pity Martinez scored a goal and set up an own-goal by Minnesota with a nifty pass.
In the end, the home team barely managed to hang on. Minnesota United scored in the opening minutes of the second half and really turned up the pressure when Leandro Gonzalez Pirez was sent off with a red card, forcing Atlanta to finish the game with 10 players.
With the clock winding down, Michael Boxall had a chance to tie it but sent the ball over the crossbar with a shot from right in front. He collapsed to the turf, holding his hands over his face in disbelief.
In a matchup of teams that entered Major League Soccer together as expansion franchises in 2017, Atlanta United added to its trophy haul. They captured
Naomi Osaka, of Japan, returns a shot to Anna Blinkova, of Russia, during the first round of the US Open tennis
tournament on Aug 27 in New York. (AP)
American Alison Riske recovered to beat twice Grand Slam champion Garbine Muguruza 2-6, 6-1, 6-3 and set up a second-round clash with another major winner Jelena Ostapenko.
Riske was her own worst enemy at the outset, committing 15 unforced errors and four double faults in a shaky the MLS Cup last December, and then added the Campeones Cup with a victory over Mexican champion Club América two weeks ago.
Now, Atlanta has its first title in the 105-year-old US national competition, a victory that ensures a return trip to the CONCACAF Champions League in 2020. United was eliminated this year by eventual champion Monterrey in the quarter-finals.
Atlanta United becomes the first MLS team to qualify for the continental competition and joins five other teams that already claimed spots: América, UANL, Cruz Azul and León from Mexico’s Liga MX, as well as Jamaican squad Portmore United. Ten spots are still to be determined, including four more teams from MLS.
In the 10th minute, Atlanta United jumped ahead after Martinez passed off to Gonzalez Pirez sprinting into the area on the right side. He tried to return it back in front, but the ball deflected off Chase Gasper and took a wild bounce over the head of leaping goalkeeper Vito Mannone, who couldn’t quite reach it. first set, but settled down and finished with 39 winners to the Spaniard’s 24.
Russian Andrey Rublev used a steady stream of power from the baseline to upset eighth-seeded Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, 6-7(5), 7-6(7), 7-5 reach the second round.
Canada’s rising
talent Bianca Andreescu
Atlanta added to its lead in the 16th. Justin Meram loped in off the left side, suddenly accelerated past a defender and passed in front to Martinez, who fired it past Mannone to give the home team a 2-0 lead.
It was a frustrating night for Atlanta star Josef Martinez, who has scored in an MLS record 12 straight games. He had two goals waved off by offside calls, had another chance thwarted by Mannone’s acrobatic save, and failed to control a pass that was delivered to him all alone in front of the goal.
After being dominated over the first 45 minutes, Minnesota United made a game of it.
Just over a minute into the second half, Kevin Molino passed into the area and Robin Lod was able to get it past Guzan with a side kick that caught the far post and ricocheted into the goal.
Cheered on by a small contingent of Loon supporters in the corner of Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Minnesota pressed for the tying goal. The visitors caught a huge break in the 74th when Gonzalez Pirez grabbed at a player breaking into the clear and received a red card.
Atlanta United was able to hold on, setting up something that has become most familiar.
A trophy celebration. was cheered to a 6-2, 6-4 victory over 17-year-old American Katie Volynets in the first round on a noisy Court 10.
The 15th seed kept her 413th ranked opponent on the run with superior net play and fended off four of five break points in a gritty defensive performance in front of her supporters. GUANGZHOU, Aug 28, (RTRS): Defending champions Kashima Antlers were held to a frustrating 0-0 draw with Guangzhou Evergrande in the first leg of their Asian Champions League quarter-final in China on Wednesday.
Ryohei Shirasaki went closest to claiming an away goal for the Japanese side, who won the title for the first time last year, only to hit the crossbar with two minutes remaining, leaving the tie delicately poised ahead of the second leg in Kashima next month.
Hot and humid conditions at Guangzhou’s Tianhe Stadium hampered both sides, with an entertaining opening half hour giving way to more measured performances as the game wore on.
Brazil-born striker Elkeson was making his first appearance for Evergrande in the Asian Champions League since returning to the club, where he won the continental title in 2013 and 2015, from Shanghai SIPG.
Yet his influence was limited against a well-drilled Kashima defence, which gave little away despite the quality of Guangzhou’s attack.