Ezequiel Barco is taking home a jersey signed by all of the MLS All-Stars. Brad Guzan is taking a possible future as a broadcast journalist. Leandro Gonzalez Pirez said he was taking home everything, including a Diego Costa jersey. Josef Martinez said he’s taking home memories. Pity Martinez is taking home his first experience playing in the game.
Though Atletico Madrid defeated the MLS All-Stars, 3-0, Wednesday at Exploria Stadium, Atlanta United’s players had a good time in central Florida.
“You have to learn from those games and try to enjoy it,” Josef Martinez said. “You don’t know how many times it’s going to happen.”
The players were all smiles in the locker room after a rainy night. Jerseys were passed around to be signed. Name placards over the locker were taken down and signed. It was a packed, sweaty, slightly chaotic mess as journalists from various places in North America, South America and Europe crowded around players to discuss, among other things, the oddity that is an All-Star game.
Pity Martinez said the Argentina first division doesn’t have an All-Star game. But he said he enjoyed the experience.
“Everyone treats you very well,” he said. “It’s a great opportunity to play against a big team from Europe.”
As part of the uniqueness of the exhibition, Guzan wore a microphone for the 30 minutes he played as a starter. He later interviewed fellow goalkeeper Nick Rimando, whom Guzan called the GOAT (Greatest of All Time). Asked if he has a future as a broadcaster, Guzan said, “depends who calls me first. Fox. ESPN. We’ll see.”
Standing in front of Orlando City’s supporters, Guzan was booed loudly every time he made a goal kick or save. He finished with two. The first was easy. The second was much tougher because he was forced to dive to his right to palm away a low, hard shot from range in the 15th minute.
Josef Martinez came on for Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the 30th minute. Guzan also came out, replaced by Andre Blake, as part of the double substitution. Martinez, the MVP of last year’s All-Star game in Atlanta, came out in the 59th minute with Chris Wondolowski coming on. Martinez didn’t record a shot and didn’t get many touches.
Midfielder Pity Martinez and centerback Gonzalez Pirez joined Josef Martinez in the lineup to start the second half with the All-Stars trailing 1-0 after a goal by Atletico Madrid’s Marcos Llorente in the 43rd minute.
Pity Martinez was involved in the action early in the second half. He hit a nice diagonal pass across the field. The cross came back but he mishit his volley from about 16 yards near the 48th minute. He had a chance to tie the game in the 78th minute when he was left unmarked at the top of the penalty box. His shot sailed over the crossbar and into the supporters’ section. He finished with four shots, none on goal.
“It would have been nice to close the good game I had,” he said. “I thought I played pretty well. I had a couple of good chances. They all went high on me.”
Gonzalez Pirez stopped an attack with a slide tackle at the top of the penalty box in the 53rd minute and got into a tussle with Costa in the 77th minute. A foul was called against Costa. He stopped Costa again later in the half. They exchanged jerseys after the game. Gonzalez Pirez proudly pointed to the red-and-white striped top near his locker.
“It’s a pleasure for us to play against them,” he said.
Barco came on in the 73rd minute as a left midfielder with Pity Martinez drifting between playing underneath Wondolowski or beside him. Barco drew a foul near the top of the penalty box in the 78th minute. His well-taken, low free kick in the 80th minute was saved by Jan Oblak. Barco, who hasn’t played a full game since May 5 because he left for international duty with Argentina, returned, and suffered a knee injury, said he feels good and is ready to play 90 minutes. Atlanta United will host the L.A. Galaxy on Saturday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
“The minutes today were important,” he said. “I was able to play 30 minutes the other day against Los Angeles. Today was important. It’s going to help for what we have coming.”
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