Atlanta United 3, D.C. United 1: Man of the match

Hector 'Tito' Villaba watches the ball going towards the goal for the third goal of the team, Atlanta United beat the DC United on the first home team of the 2018  MLS season on March 11, 2018 in Atlanta Ga.

Credit: Miguel Martinez

Credit: Miguel Martinez

Hector 'Tito' Villaba watches the ball going towards the goal for the third goal of the team, Atlanta United beat the DC United on the first home team of the 2018 MLS season on March 11, 2018 in Atlanta Ga.

My choice for Atlanta United’s man of the match is Hector Villalba following Sunday’s 3-1 win against D.C. United at Mercedes-Benz on Sunday:

HECTOR VILLALBA

Striker

Why? Playing as a striker instead of on the right side of the midfield, he scored a goal in the 75th minute and had two assists on goals by Josef Martinez in the 24th minute and Miguel Almiron in the 73rd minute.

Villalba was in a fantastic mood in the locker room after the game, singing the “San Lorenzo” song as he got dressed. San Lorenzo is his former club in Argentina, and also the area where he grew up.

“It didn’t feel that much different,” Villalba said about the formation switch. “We just worked on it. Coach (Gerardo Martino) walked us through it and told us what to do this week. That’s really all it was.”