It’s safe to say that 2018 wasn’t the season Andrew Carleton was hoping for. The Powder Springs native got only a handful of opportunities and was punished by the team for MLS Cup for undisclosed reasons.

With the hype all but evaporated, Carleton has quietly had himself a strong preseason. He was the best player on the field in the reserves’ scrimmage against Cal State Fullerton and on Sunday put up a hat trick against a team that hasn’t been publicized. His three goals included this fantastic strike:

Even if your footage is from the stands...

Some goals just deserve to be shared.



Take a bow, @andrewcarleton7 pic.twitter.com/G1mIVCkt3y — Atlanta United FC (@ATLUTD) February 11, 2019

The rest of the highlights from that match can be seen here:

While you were sleeping,

we were working.



A chance to shine under the lights ✨ pic.twitter.com/mHZAjSoIPU — Atlanta United FC (@ATLUTD) February 11, 2019

Of course these teams aren’t the strongest of oppositions, but it’s nice to see the youngster looking confident and hungry. Hopefully 2018 was the reality check he needed to live up to his promising potential. With the pressure off his shoulders this season and a clean slate under a new manager, we look forward to seeing what he has in store.