Though some of Atlanta United's supporters may still be fuming over roster choices made by manager Gerardo Martino in Wednesday's 1-0 loss to Chicago in the U.S. Open Cup, he and the team don't have time to analyze because the league schedule is about to re-start.
After enjoying a short break for the World Cup, MLS gets going again this weekend with the marquee game being Atlanta United hosting Portland on Sunday. It is the game that will follow the day’s World Cup coverage in what is considered a coveted TV spot.
The Timbers are unbeaten in their past eight matches. Atlanta United leads MLS with 33 points and will need more from whomever Martino starts than the team got on Wednesday from a group of mostly reserves.
“The team will turn their attention to Sunday,” goalkeeper Alec Kann said. “We’re in a good position for the Supporters’ Shield. We dropped the ball, here. We missed a good opportunity here to stake our claim on this tournament and make a run, but we’re still in great shape in the league, and we’ll push forward on Sunday.”
It’s not that Atlanta United played poorly against Chicago. It produced more shots (14 to 11) and more possession (58.5 percent). But fielding a roster that included just three typical starters in defender Leandro Gonzalez Pirez, fullback Mikey Ambrose and midfielder MIguel Almiron, the team failed to replicate the swashbuckling style that has it leading the league in goals (33) and a favorite to take the MLS Cup, which is the only trophy remaining to win after Wednesday night’s elimination.
“They are two different competitions, so whatever happened tonight started and ended tonight,” Martino said. “We know we have to get back to playing in the league. What happens on Sunday, hopefully, is just a continuation of how we played against Columbus.”
Martino implied on Wednesday that of the many results from the loss, one is those players who were in the lineup may not get too many more chances with the senior team because of the dearth of opportunities.
“Now, being knocked out of this competition, we lose the opportunity to see what they could have done in at least one more game against Louisville FC,” Martino said.
Martino was speaking of Brandon Vazquez, Miles Robinson, Andrew Wheeler Omiunu, who made his first start with the senior team, Andrew Carleton, Romario Williams, Sal Zizzo and even Hector Villalba, who was one of last year's standouts who is mostly used as a sub this season.
“We understand in league play, it’s a little more difficult for those guys to get on the field,” Martino said.
Using starters more frequently may placate a few of the Atlanta United fans who took to social media to vent over the starting 11 as well as which subs were used against the Fire. Pointing out a ticket for Wednesday’s game was one of the 18 in the season package, they didn’t think fielding reserves against a full-strength Chicago side was worthy of their money.
“We knew we had that opportunity,” Gonzalez Pirez said. “I think we took it seriously. That’s why we played the way we did and with the guys that we did. Unfortunately, we couldn’t make it happen. We thought we had an opportunity to go far in this tournament, and that’s what we tried to do. As I said, now we just have to think about this game on Sunday, focus on the league, and the opportunity we have in the league.”
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