Miguel Almirón Curler Starts Atlanta United's 3-0 Win Over CF Montréal as Embolo and Galoppo Pile On

Some goals need a slow-motion replay before you appreciate them. Miguel Almirón's opener at Stade Saputo on Wednesday night looked great at full speed: a curling left-footed strike from outside the box that kissed the inside of the right post and set the tone for a very comfortable evening in Quebec.

Atlanta United beat CF Montréal 3-0, with Almirón's 22nd-minute goal followed by close-range finishes from Giuliano Galoppo just before halftime and Breel Embolo on the hour. Montréal actually held more of the ball, but Atlanta took twice as many shots and turned the night into a clinic in doing more with less.

Atlanta Come Out Hot

The 5-Stripes started like a team that had watched a lot of film and liked what it saw. Embolo was flagged offside after slipping in behind in the second minute, Almirón fired high and wide in the fourth, and by the sixth minute Elías Báez, Galoppo and Paulo Díaz had all let fly in the same frantic sequence. Atlanta United's own recap said those five shots in the opening 15 minutes were the most the club had managed in that window all season.

Montréal's one real response came from Alexis Sánchez, who forced Lucas Hoyos into a save from distance in the 17th minute. Five minutes later, Atlanta struck. The club described the move as starting with Alexey Miranchuk on the right before switching to Báez on the left, and Báez laid it off for Almirón, who bent his finish into the bottom right corner via the post.

Galoppo tested Sébastian Breza from outside the box in the 26th minute, and Atlanta piled on corners without a second goal until the 41st minute, when a set piece turned into a pinball machine. Díaz clipped a cross to Embolo, whose header was saved by Breza, and the rebound dropped to Galoppo, who tapped it in from very close range. Atlanta went to the locker room with a 2-0 lead built on efficiency, not the ball.

The Third Goal Kills It

Montréal made a change at the break, sending on Efraín Morales for Dawid Bugaj, and kept more of the ball. It did not matter. On the hour, Miranchuk won the ball with a high press and flicked a backheel to Jay Fortune, according to Atlanta's recap. Fortune fed Almirón, whose shot was saved by Breza, and the scramble in front of goal left Embolo with the simplest of finishes into the bottom left corner from very close range. Per the club, it was Embolo's second goal for Atlanta and his first from open play.

Atlanta thought they had a fourth in the 75th minute, but it was chalked off after Almirón's cross struck Miranchuk's hand on its way in. Almirón later needed treatment after a hard challenge and was replaced by Fafà Picault in the 83rd minute as head coach Tata Martino emptied the bench.

The only nervy moments arrived in stoppage time, when, per Atlanta United, Hennadii Synchuk and Olger Escobar each hit the crossbar for Montréal. Neither went in, and Hoyos and the Atlanta defense held the clean sheet.

Who Starred

Miguel Almirón scored the opener, took three shots, put two on target and had his effort saved in the buildup to the third goal. According to Atlanta, the start also tied him with Josef Martínez and Miles Robinson at 111 MLS regular-season starts for the club.

Alexey Miranchuk did not score or assist, but Atlanta United credited him with an indirect hand in all three goals. His backheel on the third was the type of thing you show to youth players to explain what vision looks like.

Giuliano Galoppo led everyone with four shots, two on target, and was in the right spot for the rebound on the second goal.

Breel Embolo had three shots, two on target, and rounded out a big night for Atlanta's front three.

Elías Báez picked up the assist on the opener, which Atlanta said was his sixth of the season, tying Miranchuk and Almirón for the team lead.

Sébastian Breza made three saves for Montréal, but two of them turned into rebounds that Atlanta finished.

The Turning Point

The 41st minute settled the match. Montréal had survived a busy spell and were heading for the break only a goal down, still very much in the contest. Instead, Breza could only parry Embolo's header, Galoppo tapped in the rebound, and a 1-0 deficit became a 2-0 hole. Montréal had to chase in the second half, which left space for Atlanta's press to create the third.

Stats That Matter

• Shots: Atlanta 18, Montréal nine.
• Shots on target: Atlanta 6, Montréal 2.
• Possession: Montréal 51.6 percent, Atlanta 48.4.
• Interceptions: Atlanta 14, Montréal seven.
• Successful tackles: Atlanta 14, Montréal eight.

What It Means

Atlanta United improved to 8-6-15 with 30 points, and their recap described the win as keeping the club's playoff hopes alive. It was a fifth straight league match without a road loss, after wins at Minnesota United and Portland and draws at Inter Miami CF and D.C. United. It also completed a season sweep after Atlanta beat Montréal 3-1 at home in May. The win came four days after a 3-1 home loss to FC Cincinnati, and Atlanta return home to host Inter Miami on Saturday.

Montréal slipped to 6-6-17 with 24 points after a third loss in four matches. The club does have a trophy to play for, though: Montréal host Forge FC in the Canadian Championship final on Oct. 21, with a chance to lift the Voyageurs Cup for the sixth time, per the club. Before that, they visit the Seattle Sounders on Saturday.

The Closing Take

This was Atlanta at their most clinical. They did not need the ball to dictate the match; they needed a few moments of quality, and Almirón, Miranchuk and Embolo provided them. It was the soccer equivalent of a heist movie crew walking out of the vault without setting off a single alarm. Whether a late push to the postseason is possible remains to be seen, but on the road, the 5-Stripes have figured something out.

Stats from ESPN's match data. Additional details as reported by Atlanta United and CF Montréal.