In front of the largest crowd of the season, against
the most talented opponent in their four year history,
in the biggest game of the season thus far, the
Atlanta Silverbacks played their best game of the
season, and still went down in heartbreaking fashion
as the Dallas Burn sent the 'Backs out of the US Open
Cup via two goals by Antonio Martinez.
The Burn started most of their first team with Matt
Jordan in goal, Steve Morrow in the back, and Eddie
Johnson up top. Jason Kreis started the game on the
bench. For Atlanta, Judah Cooks got the start at
defensive midfield, and Jon Akin was out due to an
injury in practice the day before. Also, newly signed
striker Tony Kuhn (who has tallied one goal and one
assist in two appearances), was not allowed to play
for Atlanta as he had already appeared for another
side (Memphis Express of the PDL) during the Open Cup.
In the 3rd minute, Brian Piesner made a nice run down
the left wing and found striker Velko Iotov unmarked
in the left half of the box, but Iotov's one touch
shot curled over the bar. The Burn would control play
for the next few minutes while the 'Backs sat back a
bit while their MLS foes failed to mount any kind of
scoring opportunity. Around 15 minutes, Atlanta began
to posses the ball and began to attack Jordan's goal
furiously. In the 18th, the 'Backs sent the large
crowd into a frenzy when Nate Hetherington was able to
force a turnover in the box and managed to drop the
ball back to Iotov for a low drive into the right
corner. After the goal, the 'Backs would play their
best soccer of the season for the remainder of the
half.
In the 20th, a Piesner cross fell to a tightly
marked Hetherington at the top of the box, but the
feisty midfielder managed a decent shot that was poked
away by a diving Jordan. Hetherington missed a golden
opportunity in the 23rd when John Barry Nusum's cross
fell to the feet of an onrushing Hetherington at the
penalty spot, but the half volley went wide of the
left post. The 'Backs continued to dominate the match,
holding the ball well in midfield and thwarting
Dallas' occasional attacks from Johnson and Cerritos.
In the 31st, Gilbert Jean-Baptiste did well by
stealing the ball from a Dallas player close the right
corner flag and dribbled into the box, from a tough
angle, Baptiste blasted a shot across the goalmouth
that missed the far post by inches.
In the 38th, Piesner was involved yet again when he stole the ball
from O' Brien on the right side and dribbled unmarked
into the 18 yard box, an onrushing defender forced the
former Burn player to use his weak foot and a right
footed shot curved comfortably outside of the far
post. In the 41st, defender Jason Annicchero one a
Piesner corner in the air, but his header fell
directly into Jordan's hands. In the final few minutes
of the second half, the Burn finally began to pick up
their play, but they failed to test 'Backs goalkeeper
Bryheem Hancock and the half ended with Atlanta on top
1-0. With Atlanta only 45 minutes away from victory,
the Burn knew that they would have to improve their
play in the second half. An Atlanta side that now had
great confidence in the home locker room had dominated
them.
In the 50th, a diving Hancock saved a curving 25-yard
free kick from Cerritos. Cerritos continued to wreak
havoc on Atlanta's defense when he won a header in the
box, but his flick missed the right left post. In the
55th, Cerritos exited the game in favor of Bobby
Rhine. Also, MLS superstar Jason Kreis entered in
favor of Johnson who made little impact on the match.
In the 63rd, fan favorite Jordy Broder entered the
match in favor of Hetherington, and Byron Mitchell
replaced a tiring Iotov. In the 64th, a Dallas header
off a corner beat Hancock, but Piesner saved the ball
off the line. In the 67th, just after a nasty
collision at the top of the box between Mitchell and
Antonio Martinez, Cooks ran onto the ball and beat a
defender into the box, then he found Nusum who was
dragged down by a Burn defender, but referee Robert
Mann allowed the two sides to play on.
Jordan did well in the 68th he dove to punch a free kick out of the
area just before Baptiste could get to it. The Burn
began to push forward furiously thereafter but the
Atlanta back-line of Annicchero, James Wall, Baptiste
and Alan Woods continued to thwart the Burn. But in
the 83rd, Dallas finally drew even. The play began
when a fatigued Atlanta defense failed to pick up
Martinez on a short corner, and he dribbled unmarked
into the box before unleashing a low shot that took a
lucky bounce off a Silverback and ended up in the back
of the net. Regulation ended with the score still tied
at one, and the two teams entered two 15 minutes
periods of golden goal soccer.
One would have expected the 'Backs to fold after
giving up after coming so close to victory already.
But they dominated the overtime as Jordy Broder moved
up top alongside Nusum, who was having a brilliant
match, beating Burn defenders left and right. Just
five minutes into the overtime period, Mitchell forced
a turnover and broke down the right sideline and beat
a Burn player into the box where a hard low cross just
skipped over the feet of a diving Broder. Joselito
Vaca's 25 yarder in the 100th sailed comfortable over
the right upper 90. Atlanta missed a great opportunity
in the 102nd when Broder's 25 yard blast was pushed
away by Jordan and fell to the feet of Nusum from 8
yards out. But Jordan made an unbelievable reaction
save from the ground and somehow the game remained
tied.
In the 103rd, 'Backs sub Ryan Leib sent a
beautiful curling cross into the box that found the
head of a diving Piesner, but the attempt went well
wide of the left post. On the ensuing counter-attack,
Dallas notched the winner with Ronnie O' Brien finding
Martinez in the exact same spot in which Martinez
netted the equalizer. But there would be no lucky
deflection on this shot as Martinez sent a spectacular
shot into far post upper 90, leaving Hancock with no
chance and the Burn had escaped with a 2-1 victory.
It must be said that Atlanta deserved to win this
match, and they were unlucky not to do so. They had
more opportunities, more of the ball and played with
more heart. But in the end, they didn't have the legs
to win the match. Hopefully, Atlanta will take
something out of this match. After all, they did
dominate an MLS team and proved to themselves what
they can do on the pitch. Now they must take this
newfound confidence into Milwaukee for a substantial
test against one of the best sides in the A-league.
Man of the Match: Brian Piesner
Piesner gets the award for spectacular work on the
left flank. It must be said that you couldn't tell
which side was from the MLS due to Atlanta's play and
Piesner was a large reason for this, as he beat Burn
winger Ronnie O'Brien on numerous occasions.
Lineups
Atlanta Hancock, Annicchero, Wall, Woods, Baptiste,
Heatherington (Broder, 63rd), Piesner, Parra (Leib,
83rd), Cooks, Iotov (Mitchell, 63rd), Nusum
Dallas - Jordan, Suarez, Bonseu, Morrow (Bussey,
78th), Rodriguez (Olivares, 71st), Deering, O'Brien,
Vaca, Martinez, Johnson (Kreis, 55th, Ceritos (Rhine,
55th)
Stats
Atlanta Dallas
Shots 16 13
Saves 3 6
Corner Kicks 3 7
Fouls 21 22
Offside 4 0
Scoring
18th- Iotov (Heatherington)
83rd- Martinez (Bussey)
103rd- Martinez (O'Brien)
Cards
37th- Annicchero
45th- Deering
66th- Broder
81st- Parra
84th- Wall
85th- Cooks
88th- Martinez
90th- Rhine
