Atlanta United 4, Herediano 0 | 2019 Concacaf Champions League Recap

Atlanta United FC vs. Herediano - Game Highlights

Highlights: Watch the best moments of Atlanta United FC 4-0 victory over Club Sport Herediano #SCCL2019 #ATLvCSH

Posted by Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League on Thursday, February 28, 2019

Josef Martinez scored a goal in each half to help lift Atlanta United to a convincing 4-0 win over Herediano in the second leg of the Concacaf Champions League Round of 16 at Fifth Third Bank Stadium Thursday night.

Atlanta, which rallied from a 3-1 loss in the first leg last week in Costa Rica, won 5-3 on aggregate and will face Monterrey in the next round, one of three MLS-Liga MX showdowns in the quarterfinals.

It took Josef just 47 seconds to open his account, pouncing on a Brek Shea cross that a Herediano defender fumbled and the Venezuelan talisman slammed home from the edge of the six-yard box.

Julian Gressel then leveled the aggregate in the ninth minute, taking a pass from Ezequiel Barco and slotting a low shot inside the far post.

Josef had his brace in the 63rd minute with an easy-as-you-like tap-in of a Shea cross.

Leandro Gonzalez Pirez put the game away in the 83rd minute, latching onto a Barco cross and snapping his header over Herediano goalkeeper Daniel Cambronero.

Goals

• 1’ — ATL — Josef Martinez
• 9’ — ATL — Julian Gressel (Ezequiel Barco)
• 63’ — ATL — Josef Martinez (Brek Shea, Eric Remedi)
• 83’ — ATL — Leandro Gonzalez Pirez (Ezequiel Barco)

Lineups

Atlanta United (3-4-3): Brad Guzan – Leandro González Pirez, Miles Robinson, Michael Parkhurst – Brek Shea, Darlington Nagbe, Eric Remedi (Jeff Larentowicz 88’), Julian Gressel – Ezequiel Barco, Josef Martinez (Romario Williams 81’), Pity Martinez (Hector Villalba 70’)

CS Herediano (4-5-1): Daniel Cambronero – Omar Arellano (Mynor Escoe 45’), Keyner Brown, Pablo Salazar, Keysher Fuller – Jimmy Marin, Randall Azofeifa, Luis Diaz (Gerson Torres 64’), Heyreel Saravia, Esteban Granados (Gerardo Lugo 72’) – Jose Guillermo Ortiz

Three Things

THE BIG PICTURE: What a difference a week makes. In Heredia, Atlanta looked offensively disjointed and made stunning defensive miscues. Back at home (sort of), they were clinical early and managed the game well.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH
: Josef set the tone inside the opening minute, providing the needed early jolt to his team and putting the shellshocked visitors on their heels. Oh, and he also
honored his former teammate
with his solo celebration.

MAN OF THE MATCH: Shea deserves props for a solid shift, but Martinez gets the nod for scoring twice and lifting his team up in their first must-win game of the 2019 competitive season.

Next Up

• ATL: Sunday, March 3 at D.C. United (6 pm ET | ESPN, TSN2, WatchESPN)