2023-09-24 04:42:02
ATLANTA (AP) — Argentine Thiago Almada contributed with a goal and a pair of assists as Atlanta United made its qualification for the MLS postseason official by crushing Montreal 4-1 on Saturday.
Portuguese Xande Silva scored his second goal in his seventh appearance for United, who took a 1-0 lead after 30 minutes.
Silva added an assist three minutes later, giving Almada his tenth goal of the campaign, making the score 2-0.
Montreal went into halftime trailing by just one goal. Ahmed Hamdi received a pass from Lassi Lappalainen in the 40th minute and scored for the first time this season.
It was Hamdi’s first goal with Montreal since scoring two in 2021, his rookie campaign.
Atlanta regained a two-goal lead in the first minute of the second half, thanks to Giakoumakis, who reached 15 goals on the season to reach the top of the scoring charts.
Almada provided a second assist in the 89th minute for Colombian Edwin Mosquera to score his second goal of the campaign.
United is undefeated in six games as host to Montreal, with only one draw. He reached 49 points in the Eastern Conference.
Montreal is eighth with 37, still in the playoff zone.
The New England Revolution also sealed its ticket to the postseason. Spanish Carles Gil scored his ninth goal of the campaign, in a 2-2 draw against the Chicago Fire.
New England also reached 49 points and occupies sixth position.
The leader of the East and of the entire MLS is Cincinnati, which beat Charlotte 3-0 on the day, reaching 62 points. Argentine Luciano Acosta contributed a goal and an assist.
St. Louis tied an MLS record, with 16 wins by a team in its inaugural campaign. They beat Minnesota 2-1.
In another match, Dallas tied 1-1 against the Columbus Crew, thanks to a goal from Colombian Jáder Obrian.
Additionally, the New York Red Bulls beat DC United 5-3; Sporting Kansas City beat the Houston Dynamo 2-1, and Los Angeles FC drew goalless with the Philadelphia Union.
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