Atlanta United turned from utter frustration and disappointment to the thrill of ecstasy on a dime thanks to two stunning goals from Thiago Almada in its 2023 MLS opener to beat the San Jose Earthquakes 2-1 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium Saturday night.
Here are some thoughts.
- First things first, before we talk about what transpired on the field, it’s worth singling out the 67,000ish fans in attendance that created an electric atmosphere at the Benz. The buzz leading up to kickoff was intense and San Jose’s manager Luchi Gonzalez even commented unprompted after the game that it affected the match.