Atlanta United defeat Toronto FC 3-1 per Associated Press
Miguel Almiron and Alexey Miranchuk each contributed a goal and an assist to help Atlanta United FC defeat Toronto FC 3-1 on Sunday, according to The Associated Press.
The victory at Mercedes-Benz Stadium moved Atlanta’s record to 9-18-6 on the season. For Toronto FC, the loss sealed elimination from Major League Soccer playoff contention for the sixth season, halting a run where the club had earned points in four of its last five matches.
Almiron and Miranchuk Lead Atlanta to Early Lead
Almiron opened the scoring for the hosts in the 22nd minute. He executed a give-and-go with Miranchuk before poking the ball through the legs of Toronto goalkeeper Luka Gavran for his seventh goal of the campaign and Miranchuk’s eighth assist. Cooper Sanchez extended the lead to 2-0 in the 40th minute after Almiron gathered the ball wide open along the left sideline, drove it along the end line, and found an unmarked Sanchez near the penalty spot for a straightforward one-touch finish.
Atlanta added a third goal shortly after halftime in the 51st minute. Miranchuk cleaned up a rebound off the post following a long-distance strike from Almiron. Toronto substitute Lewis Morgan pulled a goal back for the visitors in the 79th minute, but the late tally failed to spark a full comeback.
Toronto Remains Winless at Mercedes-Benz Stadium
The result continues Toronto’s winless run against Atlanta at Mercedes-Benz Stadium since October 2017. The club’s record at Mercedes-Benz Stadium stands at 0-5-5 since October 2017.
With the regular season concluding, Toronto heads to face playoff-bound Philadelphia on Saturday’s Decision Day. Atlanta travels to face the New York Red Bulls, with both Atlanta and the Red Bulls already sitting outside the playoff picture.