Atlanta United defeated the Seattle Sounders 2-0 on Sunday night at Lumen Field behind goals on either side of halftime by Giorgos Giakoumakis.
Giakoumakis opened the scoring in the 11th minute when he rose for a towering header off a Brooks Lennon corner kick. The goal was the 11th of the season for the Greek international, who is in his first season in Major League Soccer after signing from Scottish giants Celtic.
Atlanta nearly doubled its lead in the 19th minute when Edwin Mosquera’s shot from the right side of the box sailed over the crossbar. Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei made a strong save a minute later when he kept out an attempt from debutant Xande Silva.
Frei came up big again in the 36th minute when he parried away a close-range effort from Giakoumakis.
The Sounders’ best chance of the first 45 minutes came on the brink halftime when an Albert Rusnák shot was deflected over the head of Atlanta United goalkeeper Brad Guzan but landed on top of the net.
Seattle had a chance in the 48th minute when Yeimar’s powerful header off a Nicolás Lodeiro corner kick was hit straight at Guzan.
Rusnák was inches away from equalizing in the 58th minute when his volley after a cleared corner kick went just wide of the far post.
Giakoumakis doubled the lead for Atlanta in the 65th minute when he headed in a cross from Thiago Almada.
Lodeiro had a chance to halve the deficit three minutes later when he had a chance on the right side, but his shot hit the post and went out for a goal kick.
Fredy Montero had another great chance in the 71st minute when he pounced on a turnover in Atlanta’s 18-yard box, but he pulled his shot wide.
THREE TAKEAWAYS
Back in action
The Sounders and Atlanta returned to MLS play following a monthlong break for Leagues Cup. Both Seattle and Atlanta did not advance to the knockout rounds and played their first match on Sunday in over three weeks.
Returns home
The match featured the return of former player and assistant coach Gonzalo Pineda, who left for Atlanta in summer 2021. Fellow former player Ozzie Alonso was on the matchday roster, and he was there to help pass the torch to Frei, who became the Sounders appearances leader (340) in the MLS era. Sunday also marked the first time back for former GM & President of Soccer Garth Lagerwey.Â
Loons loom
The Sounders head to Minnesota next Sunday (1:30 p.m. PT; FOX, Watch free on Apple TV) to take on Minnesota United in their second meeting of the regular season. Rusnák scored the match-winner in the 79th minute against the Loons on April 22 in a 1-0 win at Lumen Field.
