Atlanta’s Gill still has ‘so much more work to do’ after MLS debut

Syndicated reporting provided by Stats Perform and reviewed by the SoccerNews editorial team.

Atlanta United midfielder Adrian Gill insists “there’s so much more work to do” after making his MLS debut.

The 20-year-old started and played the full 90 minutes in Atlanta’s 2-1 win over the New York Red Bulls last weekend, a key milestone in his return from injury.

Gill suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in 2023 while representing Barcelona’s youth academy La Masia, and had to undergo two surgeries.

The American’s football career was in doubt, but after representing Atlanta’s second team earlier this year, Gill was able to make his first-team debut.

However, despite achieving an important milestone, Gill remains ambitious ahead of Atlanta’s trip to Minnesota United.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve been dreaming about this,” Gill said after the match.

“Coming here and getting a new opportunity and finally getting to debut, start, play 90 [minutes], it’s incredible.

“I think they give me the freedom to learn how to play the six again, remember what it’s like to play a 90-minute game and [have been] very supportive in everything I do.

“If I mess up, they’re supportive and [have] helped me to get to this point. But obviously, there’s so much more work to do, so we’re not finished at all.”

— Atlanta United FC (@ATLUTD) August 17, 2026

Minnesota’s MLS struggles continued over the weekend as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Real Salt Lake.

The stalemate saw the Loons drop to ninth in the Western Conference, occupying the final play-off spot.

Minnesota United – Joaquin Pereyra

Joaquin Pereyra scored the 89th-minute equaliser for Minnesota in their 1–1 draw at Real Salt Lake on Saturday.

Pereyra has been involved in each of Minnesota’s last five non-penalty goals (two goals, three assists), as the last time the Loons scored from open play without him involved was on May 10.

Miguel Almiron has contributed to a goal in four straight regular-season matches (three goals, one assist), one off the longest streak of his MLS career (five straight from April-May 2018).

Almiron could become the second Atlanta player to record multiple streaks of five regular-season games with a goal contribution after Josef Martinez (three times).

MATCH PREDICTION – MINNESOTA UNITED WIN

Minnesota are winless in eight straight regular-season matches (D5 L3), though the Loons have drawn three in a row.

This is Minnesota’s second-longest regular-season winless run after a nine-match stretch without a victory in June-July 2024 (D2 L7).

Atlanta won each of their first two visits to Minnesota. The Five Stripes have won three straight road matches against a single opponent in all competitions twice, winning their first five visits to Orlando from 2017 to 2019 and winning three in a row at D.C. United from 2020–22.

Atlanta will play at Minnesota for the first time in 3063 days, since a 1–0 victory in March 2018.

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