Atlanta opens 2023 MLS season over SJ Quakes

Atlanta United opens 2023 MLS season over SJ Quakes

Quakes show familiar lapses in defense for opening loss to Atlanta

The San Jose Earthquakes striker Cade Cowell (right) gets pass Atlanta United defender during the match on of a 1-2 win by Atlanta United on Saturday February 25, 2023. (Reuters)

2023.02.25 – The San Jose Earthquakes opened the 2023 MLS season with a decent match-up against Atlanta United.

San Jose hoped to open their regular season on the right foot but unfortunately faltered right at the finish losing against Atlanta 2-1.

For the Earthquakes Daniel De Sousa Brito started in net while Brad Guzan started for Atlanta.

An important debut was made as well in tonight game as Carlos Akapo made his first appearance for San Jose.

The Earthquakes in this match got off to as good of a start as a team could ask for as at the 12′ mark of the first half the offense struck gold.

The goal started off with Rodrigues crossing it beautifully to Cristian Espinoza who found Jeremy Ebobisse crashing the net who headed it home making it 1-0.

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2023.02.25 – (SJ Earthquakes vs. Atlanta United) Full Highlights!

The 2023 San Jose Earthquakes: Daniel; Miguel Trauco (Tanner Beason 85’), Rodrigues, Jonathan Mensah, Paul Marie (Carlos Akapo 61’); Jamiro Monteiro (Michael Baldisimo 85’), Carlos Gruezo, Jackson Yueill (C); Cade Cowell (Benji Kikanović 69’), Jeremy Ebobisse, Cristian Espinoza (Jack Skahan 85’).
Substitutes not used: Ousseni Bouda, JT Marcinkowski (GK), Daniel Munie, Tommy Thompson.

2023.02.25 – (SJ Earthquakes vs. Atlanta United) Full Highlights!

Watch this video on YouTube

2023.02.25 – (SJ Earthquakes vs. Atlanta United) Full Highlights!

Despite the good start just a minute after the goal Carlos Gruezo was handed a yellow card on a foul.

On the foul Atlanta was awarded a penalty shot which went wide.

At the end of the first half the score remained the same at 1-0.

The second half was closely played with Atlanta pushing to tie the match at one.

At the 85′ mark of the second half the Earthquakes made three substitutions putting in Tanner Beason, Jack Skahan, and Michael Baldisimo. While Miguel Trauco, Cristian Espinoza, and Jamiro Monteiro were taken off.

The 90′ mark had another yellow card given out to San Jose this time Benjamin Kikanovic was given the foul.

In the extra time was when Atlanta did their damage as at the 90′ +3′ Thiago Almada scored to tie the match up at one.

The 5-foot-7 winger from Argentina, who won the FIFA World Cup with his national team two months ago — become the first active MLS player to do so — fired from distance and struck the underside of the crossbar, getting enough of a deflection off the ironwork to allow the ball to bounce across the goal line in the third minute of extra time.

On the goal though Almada was also given a yellow card for excessive celebration.

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2023.02.25: SJ Quakes vs. ATL United (The Aftershock Post game)

Argentina’s World Cup winner Thiago Almada made a stunning start to the 2023 MLS season. The Atlanta United striker (center) celebrates his goal during a 2-1 win over the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday February 25, 2023. Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

2023.02.25: SJ Quakes vs. ATL United (The Aftershock Post game)

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2023.02.25: SJ Quakes vs. ATL United (The Aftershock Post game)

But Atlanta wasn’t finished. It pressed for the three points and moments before the final whistle, earned a free kick from outside of the box.

The yellow card did not deter Almada who instead scored another goal. He stepped up to take the free kick, and his strike found a corner of the net and off the fingers of Earthquakes goalkeeper Daniel, this time at the 90′ +9′ mark to give Atlanta the lead.

With that goal Almada put the game away as San Jose could not respond.

“I think we played pretty well in the first half. Our midfield was moving the ball well, we were finding Jebo [Jeremy Ebobisse]. I thought everyone was clicking on all cylinders. For the most part, as you all saw, we played well. It’s just that in the second half, we didn’t do what we needed to do. They just kept attacking and attacking, and eventually they broke through and got one goal, and then the second one.”

“Obviously it was a tough end result. The product of 90+ minutes, 97, 98 minutes, were good, but it is disappointing that the result did not happen for us. This is a tough place to play, the crowd pushed until the end, you could see the players push until the end, and I am proud of our group. I have zero doubt in the way that we are working, zero doubt in our group, who they are as people, and who they want to be as professionals.” said coach Luchi Gonzalez “I have no doubt in our potential, and this is about steps. This is a result that even a draw would have been something positive to take away from it. But I will take the most positive thing away from it, which is learning and building character. That is what I see in our locker room, our staff, and our players, but we have to get our head up high quickly, move forward, and prepare for the next game. I have zero doubt in this group. Congrats to Atlanta.”

Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023 – Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga.

Attendance: 67,538

Scoring Summary:

SJ (1-0) – Jeremy Ebobisse (Cristian Espinoza, Rodrigues) 12’

ATL (1-1) – Thiago Almada (Brooks Lennon) 90+3’

ATL (2-1) – Thiago Almada (unassisted) 90+8’

UP NEXT:

The Earthquakes will now return to San Jose to prepare for their home opener against Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Saturday, March 4, presented by Coca-Cola. Kickoff from PayPal Park is slated for 7:30 p.m. PT and will be streamed globally on MLS Season Pass (Apple TV), as well as on local radio via 810 AM The Spread (English) and 1370 KZSF (Spanish). The Quakes will host a 20-year celebration for the 2003 MLS Cup championship squad, and 10,000 fans in attendance will receive a 2003 replica jersey.