The 2017 Atlanta United FC season was the first season of Atlanta United FC's existence, and the ninth year that a professional soccer club from Atlanta, Georgia competed in the top division of American soccer. Atlanta played at Bobby Dodd Stadium for the first half of the season, then finished the season at the team's new stadium, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, once it was completed in September. The team was coached by Gerardo "Tata" Martino. Outside of MLS, Atlanta United participated in the 2017 U.S. Open Cup and the 2017 MLS Cup Playoffs, as well as various preseason competitions.
Atlanta qualified for the MLS Cup Playoffs in their first season, becoming the third-ever MLS expansion club to qualify for the playoffs in their inaugural season, and the first since the Seattle Sounders FC did so in 2009. The team was eliminated from the playoffs in the opening round by the Columbus Crew, losing on penalty kicks.
2017 marked the first year since 1981 that a first division American soccer team played in Atlanta following the Atlanta Chiefs' dissolving. It was also the first time that soccer had been played at Bobby Dodd Stadium since 2001, when the Atlanta Beat called the stadium home during the 2001 WUSA season.
Club
Squad No. Name Nationality Position(s) Date of birth (age) Previous club App Goals Goalkeepers 1 Brad Guzan GK Middlesbrough 15 0 25 Alec Kann GK Sporting Kansas City 20 0 32 Kyle Reynish GK New York Red Bulls 2 0 Defenders 2 Tyrone Mears RB Seattle Sounders FC 22 1 3 Michael Parkhurst (Captain) CB Columbus Crew 34 0 4 Greg Garza LB Tijuana 26 2 5 Leandro González Pírez CB Estudiantes 34 1 6 Miles Robinson (GA) CB Syracuse University 1 0 12 Bobby Boswell CB D.C. United 1 0 21 Mark Bloom RB Toronto 4 0 22 Mikey Ambrose LB Orlando City SC 10 0 26 Anton Walkes CB Tottenham Hotspur 23 2 27 Zach Loyd CB FC Dallas 1 0 Midfielders 8 Kevin Kratz CM Philadelphia Union 22 2 10 Miguel Almirón (DP) LW Lanús 32 9 11 Yamil Asad AM Vélez Sarsfield 33 7 13 Harrison Heath AM Orlando City SC 2 0 14 Carlos Carmona CM Atalanta 33 2 15 Héctor Villalba (DP) RW San Lorenzo 35 13 16 Chris McCann DM Wigan Athletic 26 0 18 Jeff Larentowicz (Vice Captain) DM LA Galaxy 35 1 20 Chris Goslin (HGP) AM Atlanta United Academy 0 0 24 Julian Gressel AM Providence College 35 5 28 Andrew Wheeler-Omiunu AM Harvard University 1 0 29 Jacob Peterson RW Sporting Kansas City 11 3 30 Andrew Carleton (HGP) RW Atlanta United Academy 2 0 Forwards 7 Josef Martínez (DP) ST Torino 22 20 9 Kenwyne Jones CF Cardiff City 17 2 19 Brandon Vazquez CF Tijuana 15 3 Players out on loan 23 Alexandros Tabakis GK Panathinaikos 1 0 31 Jeffrey Otoo FW Charity Stars 0 0 33 Romario Williams CF Montreal Impact 0 0
Results
Non-competitive
Friendlies
Carolina Challenge Cup
Competitive
Major League Soccer
League tables
Eastern Conference
Overall
Results summary
Results by round
Matches
MLS Cup Playoffs
U.S. Open Cup
Statistics
Top scorers PlacePositionNameTotal1FW Josef Martínez1901202MF Héctor Villalba1300133MF Miguel Almirón90094MF Yamil Asad70075MF Julian Gressel50166FW Jacob Peterson3003FW Brandon Vazquez1028MF Carlos Carmona2002DF Greg Garza200FW Kenwyne Jones200MF Kevin Kratz101DF Anton Walkes20013DF Leandro González Pírez1001MF Jeff Larentowicz100DF Tyrone Mears100Own Goals1001Total 70 0 5 75
Disciplinary record No. Pos. Name MLS MLS Cup U.S. Open Cup Total 2 DF Tyrone Mears 2 2 3 DF Michael Parkhurst 4 4 4 DF Greg Garza 2 2 5 DF Leandro González Pírez 10 1 1 11 1 7 FW Josef Martínez 4 4 8 MF Kevin Kratz 1 1 10 MF Miguel Almirón 4 4 11 MF Yamil Asad 7 1 7 1 14 MF Carlos Carmona 8 1 8 1 15 MF Héctor Villalba 4 4 16 MF Chris McCann 1 1 1 18 MF Jeff Larentowicz 6 1 7 19 FW Brandon Vazquez 1 1 1 1 22 DF Mikey Ambrose 1 1 24 MF Julian Gressel 4 4 25 GK Alec Kann 3 3 26 DF Anton Walkes 2 2 4 Total 64040005006904
Player movement
In Per Major League Soccer and club policies terms of the deals do not get disclosed. No.Pos.PlayerTransferred fromTypeUSFee/notesDateSource 23 GK Alex Tambakis Panathinaikos Transfer US Free January 25, 2016 — MF Junior Burgos Atlanta Silverbacks Transfer US Free February 2, 2016 31 FW Jeffrey Otoo Charity Stars Transfer Non-US Undisclosed June 1, 2016 30 MF Andrew Carleton Atlanta United Academy Transfer US Signed as a Homegrown Player (HGP) June 9, 2016 16 MF Chris McCann Wigan Athletic Transfer Non-US Free June 26, 2016 9 FW Kenwyne Jones Cardiff City Transfer Non-US Free July 15, 2016 15 MF Héctor Villalba San Lorenzo Transfer Non-US $2.5 Million (DP) July 22, 2016 20 MF Chris Goslin Atlanta United Academy Transfer US Signed as a Homegrown Player (HGP) October 6, 2016 19 FW Brandon Vazquez Tijuana Transfer US Undisclosed December 2, 2016 10 MF Miguel Almirón Lanús Transfer Non-US $7.5 Million (DP) December 5, 2016 8 MF Kevin Kratz Philadelphia Union Trade Non-US Received in exchange for 2020 fourth round draft pick December 11, 2016 13 MF Harrison Heath Orlando City SC Trade US Received in exchange for 2019 fourth round draft pick December 11, 2016 3 DF Michael Parkhurst Columbus Crew Trade US Received in exchange for GAM December 11, 2016 33 FW Romario Williams Montreal Impact Trade Non-US Received in exchange for 2018 third round draft pick December 11, 2016 27 DF Zach Loyd FC Dallas Expansion Draft US Free December 13, 2016 22 DF Mikey Ambrose Orlando City SC Expansion Draft US Free December 13, 2016 25 GK Alec Kann Sporting Kansas City Expansion Draft US Free December 13, 2016 21 DF Mark Bloom Toronto FC Trade US Received along with GAM in exchange for Clint Irwin December 13, 2016 18 DF Jeff Larentowicz LA Galaxy Transfer US Free December 14, 2016 29 MF Jacob Peterson Sporting Kansas City Transfer US Free December 21, 2016 6 DF Miles Robinson Syracuse University Draft US Free January 13, 2017 24 DF Julian Gressel Providence College Draft Non-US Free January 13, 2017 2 DF Tyrone Mears Seattle Sounders FC Trade US Received in exchange for GAM January 24, 2017 5 DF Leandro González Pírez Estudiantes Transfer Non-US Undisclosed; Used TAM January 26, 2017 1 GK Brad Guzan Middlesbrough Transfer US Free; Used TAM January 26, 2017 14 MF Carlos Carmona Atalanta Transfer Non-US Free February 6, 2017 28 MF Andrew Wheeler-Omiunu Harvard University Draft US Free February 10, 2017 32 GK Kyle Reynish New York Red Bulls Trade US Received in exchange for 2018 fourth round draft pick March 1, 2017 31 ST Bryan Róchez Orlando City SC Waivers US Free March 17, 2017 7 ST Josef Martínez Torino Transfer Non-US $4.5 Million (DP) March 21, 2017 12 DF Bobby Boswell D.C. United Trade US Received in exchange for 2019 third round draft pick August 8, 2017
Draft picks
Draft picks are not automatically signed to the team roster. Only those who are signed to a contract will be listed as transfers in.
Round Selection Player Position College Status 1 2 Miles Robinson DF Syracuse US 8 Julian Gressel MF Providence College Non-US 3 46 Andrew Wheeler-Omiunu MF Harvard US 4 68 Alex Kapp GK Creighton US
Loan in
No.Pos.PlayerLoaned fromUSStartEndSource4DF TijuanaUSDecember 23, 2016December 31, 201711MF Vélez SarsfieldNon-USJanuary 12, 2017December 31, 201726MF Tottenham HotspurNon-USJanuary 26, 2017December 31, 20177ST TorinoNon-USFebruary 2, 2017March 20, 201733ST Charleston BatteryUSJune 28, 2017July 2, 2017
Out Per Major League Soccer and club policies terms of the deals do not get disclosed. No.Pos.PlayerTransferred toTypeUSFee/notesDateSource — GK Sean Johnson New York City FC Trade US Received GAM & TAM December 11, 2016 — GK Clint Irwin Toronto FC Trade US Received Mark Bloom & GAM December 13, 2016 — DF Donny Toia Orlando City SC Trade US Received Orlando's 2017 first round draft pick December 13, 2016 — MF Junior Burgos Reno 1868 Option Declined US Free December 16, 2016 31 FW Bryan Róchez Nacional Waived US Free August 22, 2017
Loan out No.Pos.PlayerLoaned toStartEndSource23GK Charleston BatteryJanuary 26, 2016November 30, 2016May 24, 2017End of season–MF Tampa Bay RowdiesFebruary 2, 2016November 30, 201631FW Charleston BatteryJune 2, 2016November 30, 2016March 2, 2017End of season30MF Charleston BatteryJuly 13, 2016November 30, 20169FW CentralJune 24, 2016December 31, 201615MF TijuanaJuly 29, 2016December 31, 201616MF Coventry CityAugust 2, 2016December 31, 201633FW Charleston BatteryMarch 2, 2017End of season13MF Sacramento RepublicJune 30, 2017July 31, 2017
Non-player transfers
AcquiredFromForSourceDiscovery rights for Miguel Almirón Seattle Sounders FC$50,000 in GAMAdditional international roster slot – 2017 & 2018 Colorado Rapids2017 second round draft pickDiscovery rights for Greg Garza Columbus CrewGAM$75,000 in TAM San Jose EarthquakesAdditional international roster slot – 2017
Honors
Weekly / Monthly
MLS player of the month Month Player Stats Ref March Josef Martínez 3 GP, 5 G September Josef Martínez (2) 7 GP, 9 G
MLS team / player / coach of the week Week Team of the week Player of the week Coach of the week RefStarterBench2 Miguel Almirón Greg Garza Josef Martínez Josef Martínez Gerardo Martino3 Greg Garza (2) Josef Martínez (2)6 Héctor Villalba Miguel Almirón (2)8 Miguel Almirón (3)11 Julian Gressel12 Miguel Almirón (4) Miguel Almirón13 Miguel Almirón (5) Leandro González Pírez Julian Gressel (2) Miguel Almirón (2)16 Miguel Almirón (6) Gerardo Martino (2)17 Leandro González Pírez (2) Josef Martínez (3)18 Michael Parkhurst19 Josef Martínez (4)20 Brad Guzan21 Héctor Villalba (2)27 Miguel Almirón (7) Leandro González Pírez (3)28 Miguel Almirón (8) Josef Martínez (5) Yamil Asad Josef Martínez (2)29 Yamil Asad (2) Leandro González Pírez (4) Jeff Larentowicz30 Michael Parkhurst (2)31 Carlos Carmona32 Jeff Larentowicz (2) Brad Guzan (2)
MLS goal / save of the week Week Goal of the week Save of the week Ref3 Josef Martínez12 Miguel Almirón13 Héctor Villalba16 Miguel Almirón (2)27 Greg Garza28 Kevin Kratz32 Brad Guzan33 Brad Guzan (2)
Annual
Honor Player Ref MLS All-Star Game Miguel Almirón Greg Garza Michael Parkhurst MLS Best XI Miguel Almirón Josef Martínez MLS Rookie of the Year Julian Gressel MLS Newcomer of the Year Miguel Almirón MLS Goal of the Year Héctor Villalba MLS Save of the Year Brad Guzan
References