The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Break starts with a win

Atlanta United enjoy man advantage for almost 60 minutes.

- By Doug Roberson droberson@ajc.com

Playing without their usual goalkeeper, but with a man advantage for almost 60 minutes, Atlanta United defeated San Jose 4-2 on Tuesday at Georgia Tech’s Bobby Dodd Stadium.

Atlanta United (9-7-3) head into the two-week break for the Gold Cup with 30 points and in fourth place in the Eastern Conference. They are three points behind third-place NYCFC and one point ahead of Orlando City. Both those teams play tonight.

A goal by San Jose’s Tommy Thompson was offset by one from Carlos Carmona in the 55th minute. Josef Martinez gave Atlanta United a 2-1 lead with a header in the 65th minute, but Chris Wondolowsk­i equalized less than a minute later on a volleyed shot.

Anton Walkes scored the winning goal on a header in the 82nd minute. It came on a corner kick and was Atlanta United’s first goal on a set piece in league play this season. It was Walkes’ first goal this season.

Martinez added another in the 89th minute on an assist from

Miguel Almiron. Martinez leads Atlanta United with nine goals. Almiron has seven assists.

The team announced before the game that goalkeeper Alec Kann is out 6-8 weeks after suffering a quad injury in last week’s

2-0 win at Columbus.

Kann has started all 20 of the team’s games this season across all competitio­ns.

Kyle Reynish got the start Tuesday. He hadn’t started, or played, in a game since 2014 while with Chicago. Brad Guzan, who signed with Atlanta United in January, likely won’t join the team until late July-early August because he is with the U.S. men’s national team in the Gold Cup.

Thompson opened the scoring inthe secondminu­te following an Atlanta United turnover.

It was his first goal and ended any chance of the Five Stripes posting their third consecutiv­e shutout.

Atlanta United played the fifinal 58 minutes with a man advantage after fullback Kofi Sarkodie received his second yellowcard in the 32nd minute. Both cards were issued when he was trying to stop Yamil Asad. The fifirst cameon a two-footed tackle that easily could have been a red card.

Atlanta United broke through when Carmona tapped in a header by Martinez that was knocked down by goalkeeper David Bingham.

The header come off a cross from Greg Garza. It was the 18th cross that Atlanta United had attempted in the game. It was Carmona’s second goal this season.

Atlanta United took a 2-1 lead on a header by Martinez in the 65th minute offff another cross by Garza. It was a bullet of a shot that blew over Bingham’s head. It was Martinez’s eighth goal, tying him with Hector Villalba for the team lead.

As they have done several times this season, Atlanta United quickly allowed a goal. This time, Wondolowsk­i hit a left-footed volley from a tight angle to tie the score at 2 in the 66th minute.

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