That’s how you strike up a match now. The host team opened the score after just 21 seconds of play on Wednesday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, so fans who were late to their seats might not have seen the early action of the match between Atlanta United and New York City FC. On the kickoff, a long ball started the first possession.
Following some effort on the right flank by Atlanta United, Tristan Muyumba passed the ball to Saba Lobjanidze, who ran diagonally inside the box. The striker Daniel Ríos, who was positioned a few feet above the penalty spot, received a short pass from the winger. Ríos made a one-touch strike with enough force to send the ball beyond the goalkeeper of New York City FC.
With Lobjanidze’s help, the goal occurred at the designated time of 0:21, making it the fastest goal in club history. Josef Martínez’s record versus Orlando City in 2021 was surpassed by a significant margin of 26 seconds with that milestone. For Ríos, the Liga MX side on loan, it was his sixth goal of the year. In the last eight Major League Soccer games for the 5-Stripes, the striker has now assisted on seven goals.
