Atlanta United pummel D.C. United with 4-goal outburst

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:13 am

Jon Gallagher scored twice and Brooks Lennon had a goal with two assists as visiting Atlanta United FC won for the second time in three matches, 4-0 over lowly DC United on Saturday night in Washington, D.C.

- MLS on ESPN+: Stream LIVE games and replays (U.S. only)

Adam Jahn also recorded a goal with an assist and Emerson Hyndman added two assists for Atlanta (5-8-2, 17 points), which posted its highest-scoring game of 2020. D.C. United (2-8-5, 11 points), last in the Eastern Conference, dropped its third in a row and is 0-4-2 since winning at New York Red Bulls on Sept. 2.

Saturday's result also marked the third straight match and fifth time in six contests that D.C. has been shut out. The defeat also put more heat on coach Ben Olsen, who is reportedly on the hot seat.

After falling 2-0 at Chicago last weekend, Atlanta wasted no time in getting on the board Saturday night. Lennon's scintillating cross to the middle of the box was perfectly heel-kicked into the net by Gallagher in the fourth minute.

At the 41st-minute mark, Lennon was on the finishing end. After D.C. failed to clear, Lennon pounced and delivered a laser left-foot shot past United keeper Bill Hamid to make it 2-0.

Gallagher came through again in the 65th minute, this time via some nifty passing between Jahn and Hyndman. Consecutive touch-passes for those two put Gallagher in position to convert into what was essentially an empty net.

Jahn was then rewarded with his second goal of the season in the 70th minute for Atlanta, which won at D.C. for the first time in five tries.

D.C. had few scoring quality scoring chances on the night. It took just eight shots, none officially on target (despite holding almost 50 percent of the possession). D.C. finished the match with 10 men after defender Frederic Brillant picked up a straight red card for a rough tackle in the 85th minute.