Thiare, Miranchuk step up for Atlanta United with other stars struggling

“He’s so important,” manager Ronny Deila said. “Maybe he’s disappointed that he didn’t start, but he put the team in front of himself, and then he goes (and) he’s so dangerous.”

Thiare has caught fire after beginning the season with eight consecutive scoreless matches. The goal marked his third in Atlanta United’s past four matches — all of the goals have come as a substitute — tying him with Miguel Almiron for second most on the team.

His surge has helped mask the recent lack of contributions from typical attackers Almiron and Emmanuel Latte Lath, who both are suffering through scoring droughts.

Almiron has not found the back of the net in five matches, while Latte Lath has not scored in nine. Deila said he needs to see consistency out of the Five Stripes’ two stars, but noted the team has their backs as they fight through the struggles.

Until they return to form, players such as Thiare are helping to pick up the slack.

“It’s so important,” Saba Lobjanidze said of players who come off the bench. “Because in the second half, it’s key. Bench players, they have energy, so much energy.”

Maintaining energy throughout the entire 90 minutes was a focal point for the Five Stripes entering the match. Having played Sunday, they appeared fatigued in the second half Wednesday — with players doubled over, trying to catch their breath — but Thiare’s late energy was enough to secure the win.

The 32-year-old brings a relentlessness to the pitch. He frequently throws his body on the line, heads balls that others ignore and runs full speed, as illustrated on his go-ahead goal. Thiare, who declined to speak with media members after the match, aggressively got in front of Orlando’s defenders and was ready to fire when Lobjanidze chested him the ball.

“Jamal just never lets up,” Brad Guzan said. “When you have someone up top that’s doing that, especially after (Latte Lath), who puts in a shift, and then he comes on and keeps it going. As a back line, as a defender, you’re saying, ‘What I thought was going to (be) maybe 20 minutes of a break here, it’s gonna be even more relentless pressure.’”

Thiare’s goal was one of three Atlanta United scored, as Alexey Miranchuk and Bartosz Slisz joined him on the stat sheet.

Miranchuk’s scoring opportunities have dipped since switching from an attacker to a central midfielder, but he created openings for his teammates. Miranchuk earned an assist on three of the Five Stripes’ past seven goals.

Slisz is one of the beneficiaries of Miranchuk’s assists, and he took full advantage.

Slisz attempted two shots in Atlanta United’s past two matches, and both were on target. It marked the first time in his career he notched a goal in consecutive matches.

Deila praised the midfielders for their abilities to run and steal possessions. However, there is still an aspect of Atlanta United’s game he aims to improve, aside from surrendering four goals in two matches.

He wants the Five Stripes to unleash a killer mentality every time they take the pitch.

“I want to see warriors, and I want to see the characters,” Delia said. “We have to start to believe in ourselves, start to be more killer. Need to start to get out of your skin, start to show who we are. … Take our fantastic fans with us. Days like today, that’s things you’re going to remember the rest of your life.”