ATLANTA, GEORGIA—The first Colombian soccer player to be signed by Atlanta United has vowed to do everything to help the team advance to the playoffs in the ongoing 2022 Major League Soccer season. Edwin Mosquera told reporters that he decided to sign with Atlanta United to help the team advance further and achieve great things in MLS.
“I’m here to contribute to the team,” Mosquera said. “So I’m willing to do whatever, whatever’s needed of me to try and help the team, and hopefully we can make the playoffs,” Mosquera added. Mosquera, a winger who signed an Under-22 player contract on July 12 is expected to play for Atlanta Unied on its home game against the Seattle Sounders on Saturday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Atlanta United head coach Gonzalo Pineda said he plans to utilize Mosquera as a winger because his pace can threaten defenses. “He’s the type of player that can unbalance any back line because of his pace, because of his ability to win one-on-ones, because of his ability to run in behind,” Pineda said. “And also he can be on both sides. So I think that’s something that probably we really didn’t have before,” Pineda added. According to reports, Atlant United to win its next games since they are only four points below the playoff line.
The 21-year-old has made a total of 55 first division appearances in Colombia, Brazil, and Argentina. Born in Quibdó, Colombia, Mosquera joined Independiente Medellín in 2016 at the age of 15, later joining the First Team in 2019 and making 40 total appearances for the club.
He made his debut in the Colombian first division on April 28, 2019, in a 1-1 draw against Alianza Petrolera, and his first start in the next match, a 2-1 win against Atlético Huila. He made 18 league appearances in his first season in 2019. In 2020, Mosquera made 16 appearances, including seven in Copa Libertadores, making his debut in the competition on Feb. 19, 2020, against Atlético Tucuman.
After making six appearances for Medellín to start the 2021 league season, he was loaned to Juventude of Brazil’s Série A in May, where he made one appearance before returning to Medellín in October of 2021. Mosquera was loaned to Aldosivi of the Argentine first division in January of 2022, where the winger made 14 appearances this season and recorded four assists.
