Recap: D.C. bests Atlanta 3-2 with Benteke hat trick
D.C. United hobbled Atlanta United 3-2, thanks to Christian Benteke’s stunning hat trick, leaving behind a disappointed home crowd at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
The Five Stripes have been off form, particularly at home, where they’ve now lost three MLS matches in a row. The Benz isn’t quite the fortress it’s been for Atlanta.
The Black-and-Red, meanwhile, are having a moment. While D.C. United have lacked a solid identity with a rapidly changing cast of coaches in recent seasons; under Troy Lesesne’s watch, the team is thriving.
Lesesne isn’t afraid to praise his team, publicly calling out their successes, even those that don’t translate into wins. The Black-and-Red came into the match with Atlanta having heard their head coach praise their performance, a draw, with Jim Curtin’s Philadelphia Union, saying it “may have been our best performance of the year.”
Against Atlanta, D.C.’s morale was palpable, and the performance was tighter and more calculated than we’ve seen thus far. We’re watching United dial it in match-over-match, and the cumulative result is making us optimistic for what’s to come this season.
Atlanta got off on the front foot with a converted penalty. Thiago Almada easily lofted the ball in from the spot to give the Five Stripes an early lead in the 16′ after Christopher McVey’s unfortunate foul took down Atlanta’s leading goal scorer, Giorgos Giakoumakis, in the box.
The Five Stripes wouldn’t hold onto their lead for long. Aaron Herrera flung the ball up the wing to a waiting Jared Stroud. Stroud quickly found Benteke front and center in the box for a signature header in the 18′ to earn D.C. United the equalizer.
Herrera and Stroud have been indispensable in recent weeks. We are starting to see them develop a rhythm in the attack that’s enjoyable to watch, with crisp, well-timed passes and great service.
Benteke fed a good through ball to Ted Ku-DiPietro in the 40′, giving the homegrown a good chance. Ku-DiPietro quickly fired a shot at Brad Guzan, but the stalwart goalkeeper denied him in short order.
Where there’s one Benteke goal, there are usually more to come, and the veteran striker didn’t disappoint. Mateusz Klich and Stoud provided the service to a well-positioned Benteke in the box. A deflection ensured the ball found Atlanta’s net, outwitting Guzan in the 44′. Stroud has now provided four assists in the Black-and-Red’s last two matches.
Of course, Atlanta couldn’t hit the locker room without finding an equalizer. Unfortunately for the Black-and-Red, Matti Peltola accidentally tipped in a cross from Saba Lobjanidze to give the home team the equalizer in the 45′ + 2′.
D.C. United may have lost the lead before the halftime whistle, but not the will to fight for three points. The Black-and-Red emerged from the locker room, ready to close out their bout at Mercedes-Benz.
Kilch set up a brilliant corner kick right to Benteke, who tipped the ball in past a waiting Brad Guzan with ease in the 55′. Height certainly played in D.C.’s favor, allowing the veteran striker the room to capitalize on Klich’s clinical cross. This marks Benteke’s third MLS hat trick.
Having the lead for the second time, the Black-and-Red were keen to hang onto it and fought hard to ensure they would close out the match victorious. We would be remiss not to mention the efforts of Alex Bono and D.C. United’s backline in preserving the lead won by Benteke’s hat trick.
It came full circle for Garrison Tubbs, who made his MLS debut in the 82′, relieving Jackson Hopkins. Tubbs was signed to a homegrown contract in Atlanta and almost immediately traded to D.C. United.
Ultimately, Atlanta couldn’t find purchase against a focused Black-and-Red side, and a chorus of “boos” rang out as the final whistle sounded.
D.C. United returns home three points richer to face the New York Red Bulls in a midweek match on May 15.
Watch the highlights from Atlanta United FC vs. D.C. United
If you want to see those three Benteke bangers again, check out this short from MLS.
Box Score
Atlanta United FC: 2 Almada (PK) 16′, Peltola (OG) 48′
D.C. United: 3 Benteke (19′, 44′, 55′)
Lineups
Atlanta United FC: Brad Guzan, Luis Abram, Brooks Lennon, Noah Cobb, Caleb Wiley, Bartosz Slisz (Nicolas Firmino 86′), Tristan Muyumba (Xande Silva 61′), Saba Lobjanidze (Daniel Rios 74′), Thiago Almada, Edwin Mosquera (Dax McCarty 46′), Giorgos Giakoumakis
D.C. United: Alex Bono, Cristian Dájome (Conner Antley 46′), Lucas Bartlett, Matti Peltola, Christopher McVey, Aaron Herrera, Jared Stroud (Gabriel Pirani 73′), Mateusz Klich, Jackson Hopkins (Garrison Tubbs 81′), Ted Ku-DiPietro (Jacob Murrell 46′), Christian Benteke (Pedro Santos 87′)
Misconduct Summary
Atlanta United FC: Slisz 30′, Almada 45′ + 2′ , Giakoumakis 70′, Abram 75′
D.C. United: Dájome 38′, Antley 84′
(Atlanta’s second was scored in the second half.)
Kind of funny to see Atlanta’s fanbase tying themselves into knots over a poor run of form. Oh, you’ve had a bad couple of games? A couple of less than ideal seasons? That’s cute.
It is a city of fair weather losers. I lived there, I know first hand.
They booed Brett Favre off the field as a rookie. How did that work out?
Fake United!
In the long run? Seems defensible.
I liked a lot about the win, especially Benteke’s increasingly dominant headers, Hopkins’ continued growth and confidence, the team belief and resiliency, the backline continuing to show for each other consistently. It’s a good result.
It was also quite clearly, to my mind, a tale of two forwards. Benteke is just way more effective and dialed in than Giakoumakis, who I don’t know how many times the commentators said “couldn’t connect” with Almada.
I also think we were fortunate to get away with soup shape and lack of counter on the wings when we subbed off TKD and especially Stroud. It ended up with a win, and that’s nothing to sniff at on the night in that environment. This might be a tough bar to hold the team to as we play sides with functioning team shapes and forwards.
Sarah, you touched on something that I think is so critical about this DCU side–and so different from other teams United as put on the field. When we give up a goal, or go down a goal (especially early), the team seems completely unfazed. The attitude, the belief, the gusto, the willpower–whatever in the h*ll you want to call it–this team just doesn’t quit. The level of commitment and buy-in is just so damn strong. I continue to marvel at how many second balls everyone on this team wins. Lesesne is a magician.