Luiz Araujo’s first goal for Atlanta United a bit of brilliance

The brilliance of Luiz Araujo’s first goal for Atlanta United in Wednesday’s 4-0 win against Cincinnati didn’t show up in the box score but probably will grow more mythical with every remembrance.

Taking the ball about 50 yards from goal, Araujo was surrounded by five defenders within 15 yards, including three within three yards.

With his back to the goal and a defender tugging at the No. 19 on the back of his shirt, Araujo spun to his left and away from the first pack. Then, with a burst that made the journalists watching gasp, which is what would happen when Miguel Almiron would do something similar, Araujo pushed the ball past another defender and simply ran away from the group. While dribbling. As he reached the penalty box another Cincinnati defender tried to close him down. No matter. All that was left was a blue-and-orange wake. Araujo opened his hips and slotted a shot into the left corner to give his team a 1-0 lead in the fifth minute.

Brilliance.

“It’s like an automatic thing for me to just turn and go,” he said. “Speed is one of my characteristics and I just went for it.”

The first goal came in Araujo’s fifth game. He almost added a second but was denied.

Credit: MLS

4-0 win was the Atlanta's sixth in seven games and moved it into at least seventh place, above the playoff line for the first time since May 23.

“I’m very happy to score my first goal in this shirt,” Araujo said. “I was working very hard to get this first goal. I came close in the first four games, but it wouldn’t go in.”

Teammate Josef Martinez said that Araujo’s goal reminded him of those scored by Almiron, who was sold by Atlanta United to Newcastle following the 2018 season.

“I’m so happy because he deserves a lot,” Martinez said. “Today, he made a beautiful goal. He’s a good guy, so congrats to him. I know he’s kept going with the pressure.”

While the goal was created by individual excellence, manager Gonzalo Pineda said that it was partially because of tactics worked on by the team.

Pineda recognized that if he could get Araujo on the right or Barco on the left matched up on a centerback, it likely would work in Atlanta United’s favor. To do that, during the training sessions the wingbacks, Brooks Lennon and Jake Mulraney, worked on staying back during the build-up to attacks to force Cincinnati’s wingbacks to move higher up the field in anticipation of those threats. Their moving up would then create pockets of space for Araujo or Barco in Cincinnati’s half.

That is what happened on Araujo’s goal. Edgar Castillo moved higher up the field toward Lennon, who was near midfield. The first defender Araujo spun away from was midfielder Florian Valot. The defender that Araujo pushed the ball past to get into the penalty box was centerback Ronald Matarrita.

“It was amazing,” Pineda said. “It was amazing because it’s something that we prepared. He was isolated in that little pocket. And that’s where he can show what he can bring to the team, which is explosive player that can go on the dribble, and obviously coming inside to take shots. I think it’s a very dangerous player that is going to score many goals for this franchise.”

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