Atlanta United goalkeeper Brad Guzan hasn’t allowed a ball into the net in 482 minutes, the 10th longest shutout streak in MLS history.
If the Five Stripes shut out Toronto in today's regular-season finale at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Guzan will have the third-longest streak in league history, according to MLSSoccer.com.
Guzan, who joined Atlanta United this summer after spending the previous nine years playing in England, doesn’t seem too impressed.
“It’s not about, for a goalkeeper or for a defender, it’s not about records,” he said. “It’s about giving the guys in front of you a chance to win the game.”
Whether it has come from increased familiarity with manager Gerardo Martino’s tactics, experience of playing with each other, or Guzan himself, but Atlanta United’s defense has reached another level since he took over in net at Orlando City on June 21.
Eight of the team’s 12 shutouts have come with Guzan in goal, including seven in the past nine.
Stopping Toronto will be an accomplishment. Led by Sebastian Giovinco and Jozy Altidore, they lead the league in goals scored (72).
“If you keep a clean sheet it gives you a chance to at least get a point and hopefully go in with the players we have go and score some goals,” Guzan said. “That’s our job, to keep the ball out of the back of the net.”
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These charts appeared on mlssoccer.com earlier in the week:
Longest shutout streaks in MLS history.
Player Minutes Start End
Tony Meola (KC) 681 4/19/00 5/27/00
Donovan Ricketts (LA) 612 9/26/09 4/17/10
Nick Rimando (RSL) 567 5/29/10 7/17/10
Pat Onstad (HOU) 547 6/10/07 7/22/07
Jimmy Nielsen (KC) 546 3/9/13 4/20/13
Kevin Hartman (DAL) 531 5/1/11 5/28/11
Kevin Hartman (LA) 521 6/17/06 7/22/06
Nick Rimando (RSL) 511 8/7/10 10/2/10
Pat Onstad (HOU) 491 4/4/09 5/16/09
Brad Guzan (ATL) 482 9/16/17 current
Guzan has a goals against average of .62, which matches Kevin Hartman's 2010 record.
Year Player Team GP MIN GA GAA
2010 Kevin Hartman DAL 20 1755 12 0.62
2017 Brad Guzan ATL 13 1170 8 0.62
2010 Nick Rimando RSL 27 2430 18 0.67
2012 Michael Gspurning SEA 21 1845 15 0.73
2016 Zac MacMath COL 17 1530 13 0.76
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