In front of 73,019 fans from a recently deceased bad sports town, Atlanta United broke a 23-year-old Atlanta curse by beating the Portland Timbers 2-0 to claim the two-year-old club’s first MLS Cup.
Atlanta looked stifled out of the gate, but still in control. As expected, the Five Stripes kept a large majority of possession but chances were difficult to come by. A cross from Franco Escobar nearly ricocheted off Josef Martinez into the goal but went wide. A cross to Miguel Almiron nearly resulted in the greatest goal in Atlanta United history but Jeff Attinella made the save of his life.