With the match against visiting Portland scoreless in the 25th minute Atlanta United winger (or is he a midfielder?) Caleb Wiley, fresh off a two-goal, one assist performance in Charlotte last week, went on a run and found a perfect through ball from Thiago Almada for his third goal of the season.
The run of play Wiley has been on had United manager Gonzalo Pineda at a loss for words for a moment during the postgame press conference. When asked to describe Wiley’s play of late, Pineda said, “Ooh, where to start. I hoped that those two goals he scored against Charlotte put a little more confidence and belief in himself, and today he showed that he’s doing that.
“I think you still haven’t seen the full package of Caleb Wiley, I still think he has many things to prove out there and I hope this is the season where he has a lot more goals and assists.”
Pineda added that everything starts with the defending side and how the team is beginning to have confidence and belief in what they are doing with the pressure on the ball.
He said they want to win the duals in the middle of the field, “And I felt we won most of those,” Pineda said.
And when Wiley wasn’t scoring he was assisting on a goal. His pass to Giorgos Giakoumakis for a header that would be the Greek forward’s first ever goal for United put their team ahead 3-0 in 59th minute.
Wiley was named MLS Player of the Week and to the Major League Soccer’s Best XI last week and looks to be in good shape to remain on the list the way he played Saturday night.
Long time no see
The two teams haven’t played since MLS Cup 2018 when Atlanta United won the league title. Portland looked to have gone ahead early in the second minute of play following a wonder-goal by midfielder Eryk Williamson was disallowed. The match remained scoreless until Wiley’s goal. Alamada’s free kick rocket of a goal gave the home side a 2-0 advantage at halftime.
How many were there to bear witness
Saturday night matches have routinely done well at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium gate and Saturday night’s match was no different with 42,648 announced as the attendance.
Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
What’s Next:
Atlanta United will travel to Ohio to play the Columbus Crew Saturday, March 25. Then the Five Stripes will return home to host the New York Red Bull Saturday, April 1. Both matches are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. first kicks.