Not Josef Martinez. Not Miguel Almiron. Not Hector Villalba, Pity Martinez or Ezequiel Barco did what Thiago Almada did for Atlanta United on Saturday.
Almada scored two goals - one in the 93rd minute and the second in the 99th (four seconds into the 98th minute to be precise) -- to lift the Five Stripes to a 2-1 season-opening victory against San Jose in front of a stunned and then overwhelmed crowd at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Almada became just the second player in the previous 27 years of Major League Soccer to score a game-tying and game-winning goal in stoppage time, according to MLS stat provider. It was also the franchise’s first-ever win when trailing after the 75th minute.
“Very happy for this victory, the effort from the team,” Almada said. “It was important to win at home, the first game of the season so we’re very happy for the victory and it was due to everyone on the squad.”
Almada’s first goal came after a corner kick that was passed from Brooks Lennon to Almada, who was uncovered. He received the ball about 22 yards from goal. He took a touch, and then the ball appeared to get stuck between his feet. Almada continued and struck it with his right foot through a crowd of San Jose players. It ricocheted off the bottom off the cross bar and into the goal.
Almada ran down the field toward the team’s supporters and lifted up his jersey to reveal a white T-shirt upon which, written in black letters, was “Fuerte Apache,” which is the name of his neighborhood in Buenos Aires.
The announced crowd of more than 67,000 weren’t the only ones who were stunned.
“I kind of blacked out, to be honest with you,” teammate Andrew Gutman said. “I didn’t believe it went in and then I kind of just ran around and I looked behind me and Thiago has his shirt off and everyone’s going crazy. With 70,000 people screaming like that, it’s a cool feeling so it was a great win for us.”
Almada’s second goal was a free kick from about 25 yards. He put it over San Jose’s wall of four players and into the upper right corner of the goal.
This time, Almada ran to the opposite corner of the field. Up came the jersey to again show the message.
“My Dad was here today, but the celebration was for the people in my neighborhood who always support me,” he said. “There’s a restaurant there, helping people who don’t have food to eat. I dedicate today to them, my family, my Mom and little sister who are there.”
“I cannot say, you know, anything more than that he’s a fantastic kid with a great mentality,” manager Gonzalo Pineda said of Almada. “And what I love is his humility. When we start to talk in the locker room, the first thing I say was about Thiago, his goals and he said it’s our the whole team, the whole effort of everyone. And I think that it speaks for itself.”
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Atlanta United’s 2023 MLS schedule
Feb. 25 Atlanta United 2, San Jose Earthquakes 1
March 4 vs. Toronto FC, 7:30 p.m.
March 11 at Charlotte FC, noon, Fox
March 18 vs. Portland Timbers, 7:30 p.m.
March 25 at Columbus Crew, 7:30 p.m.
April 1 vs. New York Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m.
April 8 at New York City FC, 7:30 p.m.
April 15 at Toronto FC, 7:30 p.m.
April 23 vs. Chicago Fire FC, 4:30 p.m., FS1
April 29 at Nashville SC, 1:30 p.m., Fox
May 6 at Inter Miami CF, 7:30 p.m.
May 13 vs. Charlotte FC, 7:30 p.m.
May 17 vs. Colorado Rapids, 7:30 p.m.
May 20 at Chicago Fire FC, 8:30 p.m.
May 27 at Orlando City SC, 7:30 p.m.
May 31 vs. New England Revolution, 7:30 p.m., FS1
June 3 at Los Angeles FC, 10:30 p.m.
June 10 vs. D.C. United, 7:30 p.m.
June 21 vs. New York City FC, 7:30 p.m.
June 24 at New York Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m.
July 2 vs. Philadelphia Union, 4 p.m., Fox
July 8 at CF Montreal, 7:30 p.m.
July 12 at New England Revolution, 7:30 p.m.
July 15 vs. Orlando City SC, 7:30 p.m., FS1
Aug. 20 at Seattle Sounders, 10:30 p.m.
Aug. 26 vs. Nashville SC, 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 30 vs. FC Cincinnati, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 2 at FC Dallas, 8:30 p.m.
Sept. 16 vs. Inter Miami CF, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 20 at D.C. United, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 23 vs. CF Montreal, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 4 at Philadelphia Union, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 7 vs. Columbus Crew, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 21 at FC Cincinnati, TBA
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