Atlanta United’s home struggles continue in loss to Chicago Fire FC

Atlanta United hasn’t tasted victory at Mercedes-Benz Stadium since August, and that streak continued Saturday night as Chicago Fire FC defeated United 3-2.

The Five Stripes now hold a 4-10-6 home record, one of the league’s worst.

However, the first five minutes of the match painted a different story. Atlanta notched a goal in the fourth minute, the earliest of the season for the Five Stripes. Captain Miguel Almirón found defender Tomás Jacob for the assist in transition. It was also the earliest any Atlanta defender has found the net in any competition in club history.

Atlanta United manager Gerardo Martino noted this week that when his squad scores first, the result is typically better, but that was not the case.

Atlanta’s first goal looked similar to the first half last outing against Inter Miami CF. United attackers again and again marched into the opposition box, but they were unable to connect to create as many serious scoring opportunities as there could have been. Martino felt the Five Stripes played their best half of soccer, holding No. 2 Inter Miami — and Lionel Messi — scoreless before giving up a goal just before halftime and conceding a quick brace to Messi.

United didn’t take long to fall back into form against Chicago. The Fire equalized in the 30th minute after a defended corner was lobbed straight to Fire midfielder Anton Salétros at the top of the box, who controlled the volley and struck it cleanly.

Then Chicago capitalized on two mistakes from United goalkeeper Lucas Hoyos. First, Anzor Mekvabishvili scored unassisted after stealing a goal kick. Later in the 60th minute, Philip Zinckernagel scored a free kick that was set up in the goal area because Hoyos scooped up what looked to be a goal-attempt deflection but was ruled a back pass.

Breel Embolo scored a header off Jacob in the 67th minute — his third for the Five Stripes — but United could not find the equalizer. Embolo even had a big chance a couple of minutes later but missed it wide.

United (8-17-6) is on the brink of postseason elimination. While it remains mathematically alive — for the time being — it hasn’t moved from No. 14 in the Eastern Conference for weeks, and the gap to the play-in has grown to eight points.