In this city, we don’t chase nostalgia. We chase trophies. And he knows what it takes to lift them.
Tata Martino's return to Atlanta United is official. The first ever manager the club had, Martino's two-year tenure was full of thrilling highs and shiny silverware.
This time around will be a new journey, as Martino rejoins the club in a different phase of its existence. As the 5-Stripes look forward towards a new season and new opportunities, let's take a look back at some of the best moments of Tata Martino's first stint with the club.
For 17s that have been there from the jump, let this serve as a walk down memory lane. For newer 17s, hopefully this will better familiarize you with El Profe:
5. Sept. 13, 2017 — MLS Regular Season: Atlanta United 7-0 New England Revolution
Kicking it off with Atlanta United's biggest win in club history. It was just the second match the 5-Stripes played in Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and it was an absolute goalfest. Josef Martínez had a hattrick, and the 5-Stripes had five different goalscorers on the evening.
Two red cards by the Revolution in the first half meant Atlanta United never took their feet off the gas. What's even more remarkable, Martino's side didn't allow a single shot and put 22 up themselves. A staggering 70 percent of their shots on target found the back of the net in a ruthless display.
4. March 18, 2017 — MLS Regular Season: Atlanta United 4-0 Chicago Fire
Bobby Dodd Stadium, the first place Atlanta United called home, was a sight to behold. The passion of the 17s was on full display, with large stands of bleachers full of rowdy and proud fans. The Chicago Fire were on the receiving end of that energy, as the 5-Stripes trampled over the visitors 4-0 in their first ever win at home.
Martino's side, just three matches into the regular season, were already clicking in attack. They had come off scoring six goals in the match prior, and they were able to take that firepower to the Fire. Martínez, a common denominator in the goalscoring in Atlanta United's first few seasons, had two second-half goals after drawing a red card early on in the match. With the numbers advantage, the 5-Stripes saw the match through thanks to additional help from a Héctor Villalba strike and an own goal.
3. May 16, 2018 — MLS Regular Season: San Jose Earthquakes 3-4 Atlanta United
In the eyes of many, this is one of the craziest matches Atlanta United has played to this day. It started off with adversity for the 5-Stripes, who fell behind 2-0 in the first half. Villalba fired back with an unbelievable, first-time longshot that curled past the keeper.
But San Jose kept the pace, extending their advantage to 3-1. Chris Wondolowski thought he had a fourth until video review called the goal back. As it turned out, about 90 seconds prior to San Jose's fourth, they had committed a handball in their box on the other end, stifling what was a dangerous cross in the direction of three Atlanta United attackers in the box. A controversial decision to look so far back in the run of play, the correct call was made, and Martínez dispatched the penalty kick in the 70th minute.
Still trailing, the 5-Stripes needed more magic and got it just three minutes later from a young Miguel Almirón. Martínez carried the ball into the box and was brought down with a tackle. Though the official didn't make the call, the ball fell right to a well-positioned Almirón, who took a touch and buried a strike into the bottom left corner.
The final swing came from none other the deadly combination of Almirón and Martínez. The Paraguayan's cross found the head of the Venezuelan, and Martínez had his second of the night in the 95th minute to secure a wild 4-3 victory.
Though it can't move much higher on this list since the stakes weren't as high in a regular season match, this fixture is iconic in its own right. A chaotic and contentious affair where the 5-Stripes showed their clutch gene.
2. Nov. 25, 2018 — MLS Cup Eastern Conference final, first leg: Atlanta United 3-0 New York Red Bulls
According to Trasnfermarkt, Atlanta United led the Eastern Conference on 19 matchdays during the 2018 season. But Martino's team had to prove themselves worthy of the title in the MLS Cup Playoffs. The first leg of the Eastern Conference final was just that: proof. Possession was even split, but the 5-Stripes took their chances when they mattered.
During the earlier Eastern Conference semifinal bout with the other Big Apple side, NYCFC, Atlanta United saved their best performance for the first leg. What was different and so impressive about the Eastern Conference final matchup was that the 5-Stripes didn't waste any more time. They scored just over 30 minutes into the first leg and never looked back. Martínez, Franco Escobar, and Villalba tacked on goals, and Red Bulls had a goal disallowed on the way to a 3-0 victory.
Atlanta United's second was a thing of beauty: a well-weighted through ball from Almirón, a searching squared pass by Julian Gressel back across the face of goal and a thumped finish from Escobar. Villalba's stoppage time goal to add a third shouldn't go underappreciated either. The left footed strike seemed to hover just above the turf as it soared inside the left post.
The crowd at Mercedes-Benz Stadium was extra special for this one, 70,000 strong for Atlanta United's first ever Eastern Conference Finals appearance. On the broadcast, shots of goal celebrations were impaired by flying limbs of celebration. In retrospect, that convincing victory against the Eastern Conference No. 1 seed may have been the moment where the 17s truly believed the 5-Stripes could go onto win it all.
1. December 8, 2018 — MLS Cup Final: Atlanta United 2-0 Portland Timbers
What else was it gonna be at the No. 1 spot? Atlanta United's triumph in the MLS Cup Playoffs in 2018 was the first time the club conquered the league. Tata Martino led his team through a playoff charge against two highly touted New York sides, but the last matchup was different. A championship was on the line. Portland Timbers were in the middle of an upset run to the MLS Cup Final after finishing as the No. 5 seed in the regular season.
The match itself was, above all, a tense affair. Martino, after being named MLS Coach of the Year, led his side to a cagey 2-0 victory. Goals from Martínez and Escobar came in the middle 30 minutes, and big saves from Brad Guzan down the stretch preserved a clean sheet and a win.
Timbers proved the worthiest opponent of Atlanta United's trophy run in the final match, but Tata's side held it down through a tumultuous match. Michael Parkhurst's instinctual sliding challenge flicked the ball onto Martínez for the opening goal in the 39th, and Guzan made maybe his best save of the night a few moments later after a point-blank header.
The final goal of the night was about as romantic as it gets. Almirón swung a set-piece into the box, Martínez flicked it on, and Escobar met it at the back post with a sliding strike. By the end of the match, the train horn sounded, players sprinted onto the pitch, and Atlanta United lifted MLS Cup.
It was a spectacle for the city of Atlanta, the first professional sports championship the city had won in over two decades, and Tata was at the heart of it. His tactics, a wing back setup that allowed the 5-Stripes to change shape quickly based on the game condition, gave his side the upper hand. And what a moment to have in front of the home fans at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. In just the second year of the club's existence, Martino had led Atlanta United to a playoff run that inspired a city and captured their hearts with a championship win.
