In a matchup with a history of producing cinematic battles, Atlanta United's defeat to San Jose was on the plainer side of things. The 5-Stripes fell 2-0, conceding a goal in each half in a match where they never truly got a hold of playing the protagonist role.

What happened: It was a chaotic start to a fixture that has seen plenty of chaos over the years. Just a minute in, Enea Mihaj put in a close tackle inside the box that nearly gave San Jose a penalty kick. 

Earthquakes were aggressive with their press early on, forcing Atlanta United to be precise in picking out weak spots to move the ball forward. They came out firing, putting 4 shots on goal inside the first 10 minutes. The 5-Stripes were feeling the pressure for the better half of the first 20 minutes until Emmanuel Latte Lath earned a corner on a counterattack. Steven Alzate's longshot from a resulting second corner soared wide.  

In the 24th minute, San Jose's mounting pressure paid off. Earthquakes intercepted a back pass, and Preston Judd got on the end of an ensuing cross with a...