The determined way Atlanta United played in its 4-2 win against Cincinnati on Sunday is much more what Ronny Deila said he envisioned when he was named manager before the season.
The team broke an eight match winless streak in tying its season high for goals.
The Five Stripes (3-7-5) will host Orlando (7-2-6) Wednesday in a pivotal match, because a win would give the team its first streak this season, as well as a positive send-off before its six consecutive road matches.
“I think there has been a lot of changes during the last weeks to find the right way to play, to get the best out of every player and the best out of the group,” Deila said. “And I think we are close to seeing some good patterns on offense and defense.”
The positives Deila hopes to see Wednesday include creating big, or high percentage, chances. He said the team created a season high eight goals against Cincinnati. Deila said more were created because there was more movements in attacking spaces. That might have been a product of the team playing with only one defensive midfielder, Bartosz Slisz, and two more attacking midfielders, Jay Fortune and Alexey Miranchuk.
“There’s good legs in that midfield, technique and creativity, and now also we get goals, and that’s also important,” Deila said.
Slisz said he likes to play as a single pivot.
From those big chances, Atlanta United scored two goals from set pieces for the first time this season — one in transition and the other from established play. All four goals were shots from only a few yards in front of Cincinnati’s goal.
“It’s good variation,” Deila said. “We need to keep on validating what we’re doing. We need to keep on being direct. We need to be that. And we need to be killers inside the boxes. That’s really, really positive.”
Among the areas Deila wants to see improvement against Orlando are pressing higher up the pitch and keeping more possession, particularly in the first 15 minutes of the second half. Atlanta United has a minus-10 goal difference this season during that period. Orlando’s is plus-1 from minutes 46-60.
Deila said the consistent poor starts at the beginning of the second half continue to stump him. He said it could be fitness, it could be changes the opponent makes. Deila said he might need to consider making more halftime subs instead of waiting until the 60th minute, which is when he typically tries to make a change.
“It’s become a mental thing, of course, when this happens so many times,” Deila said. “Football is not life and death. Go out there, enjoy themselves and work and be together. And if you do that, I think we can see another team in the beginning of second halves, as well. Hopefully that happens tomorrow.”
Good news on top of good news for Slisz
After Slisz scored against Cincinnati, he used the ball to pantomime being pregnant. He said Tuesday he did so because his wife is pregnant with their first child.
“It was special, and I’m happy that I could celebrate at our stadium, also with my wife at the stadium,” he said Tuesday.
Slisz’s second bit of good news is that he was called up into the Poland national team for its friendly match against Moldova on June 6 and a World Cup qualifier against Finland on June 10. Slisz, 26 years old, has made 15 appearances for Poland.
Other Atlanta United players who have been called up are centerback Luis Abram (45 appearances) by Peru for World Cup qualifying matches against Colombia on June 6 and Ecuador on June 10, and centerback Efrain Morales (4 appearances) by Bolivia for matches against Venezuela on June 6 and against Chile on June 10.
Other players expected to be called up include Miguel Almiron (Paraguay), Alexey Miranchuk (Russia) and Saba Lobjanidze (Georgia).
Atlanta United has a match scheduled at NYCFC on June 12.
“We’re going to see how it’s going to look because it’s gonna be really difficult to do it because the travel to play is like 14 hours, so it’s not easy but we’ll see,” Slisz said of playing for Poland on June 10 and Atlanta United on June 12. “Now, we have to just focus on tomorrow’s game.”
Injury updates
Fullback Brooks Lennon has recovered from his hamstring strain and is available for selection against Orlando, Deila said Tuesday.
Lennon has made 10 appearances, with two assists. Saba Lobjanidze played right wingback Sunday against Cincinnati and notched his fifth assist on Jay Fortune’s goal.
Centerback Stian Gregersen (quadriceps) and midfielder Tristan Muyumba (knee) are unavailable.
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Atlanta United’s 2025 schedule
Feb. 22 Atlanta United 3, Montreal 2
March 1 Charlotte 2, Atlanta United 0
March 8 Atlanta United 0, New York Red Bulls 0
March 16 Miami 2, Atlanta United 1
March 22 Atlanta United 2, Cincinnati 2
March 29 Atlanta United 4, NYCFC 3
April 5 Atlanta United 1, Dallas 1
April 12 New England 1, Atlanta United 0
April 19 Philadelphia 3, Atlanta United 0
April 26 Orlando 3, Atlanta United 0
May 3 Atlanta United 1, Nashville 1
May 10 Chicago 2, Atlanta United 1
May 14 Atlanta United 1, Austin 1
May 17 Philadelphia 1, Atlanta United 0
May 25 Atlanta United 4, Cincinnati 2
May 28 vs. Orlando, 7:30 p.m., Apple
May 31 at Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m., Apple
June 12 at NYCFC, 7:30 p.m., Apple
June 25 at Columbus, 7:30 p.m., Apple
June 28 at Miami, 7:30 p.m., Apple
July 5 at D.C. United, 7:30 p.m., Apple
July 12 at Toronto, 7:30 p.m., Apple
July 16 vs. Chicago, 7:30 p.m., Apple, FS1
July 19 vs. Charlotte, 7:30 p.m., Apple
July 26 vs. Seattle, 7:30 p.m., Apple
July 30 vs. Necaxa, Leagues Cup
Aug. 2. vs. Pumas in Orlando, Leagues Cup
Aug. 6 vs. Atlas, Leagues Cup
Aug. 9 at Montreal, 7:30 p.m., Apple
Aug. 16 at Colorado, 9:30 p.m., Apple
Aug. 24 vs. Toronto, 5 p.m., Apple
Aug. 30 at Nashville, 8:30 p.m. Apple
Sept. 13 vs. Columbus, 7:30 p.m., Apple
Sept. 20 vs. San Diego, 4:30 p.m., Apple
Sept. 27 at New England, 7:30 p.m., Apple
Oct. 5 at LAFC, 10:30 p.m., Apple
Oct. 18 vs. D.C. United, 6 p.m., Apple
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