Despite road loss, Atlanta United confident goals will come

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Atlanta United has taken 43 shots, put 13 on target, and created 31 chances in its past two games.

It scored one goal.

It earned one point.

Sunday’s game at Miami epitomized the team’s frustrations on offense. After dominating Cincinnati a week ago only to end with a 0-0 draw, it again dominated the opponent with 23 shots, six on target, and 12 chances created, only to lose 2-1 at DRV PNK Stadium.

“What else can I do?” manager Gonzalo Pineda asked. “We can continue playing offensively and try to create the chances. I mean, this is a better problem to have, not being clinical, when you create too many chances, rather than not even creating at all, and then begging for a set piece or a counterattack or something like that. In order to create goals, I think we just need to be better.”

The team works on finishing during training. Pineda could be heard Wednesday demanding the players put the ball in the net at the end of one session during training. During a session Friday, the team worked on one- and two-touch passing designed to move the ball through an opponent’s line. That work was evident in the first and second half as the team moved the ball from left to right against Miami’s packed defense.

But it now has scored just two goals in its past four games, and one came in the final seconds against D.C. United.

“There’s a little bit of frustration when we’re not able to finish the chances that we’re creating, but I think there would be more frustration if it was the opposite, if we weren’t creating anything, if we weren’t playing better than the opponents and we didn’t have those chances at all,” said striker Ronaldo Cisneros, who scored Atlanta United’s goal Sunday. “But I think you’ve seen we are creating them, we have been playing better than the opponents and you know that that’s all we can really focus on.”

ExploreSeason-long issues result in Atlanta United losing at Miami

The team had two penalty claims denied against Miami. Pineda said he thought the second, when Brooks Lennon was knocked down in the box by Noah Allen, was a penalty but said he wasn’t going to argue with referee Jair Marrufo. The first instance came in the first half when Marcelino Moreno was knocked down in the box.

Pineda said he thinks the offense will improve as players return to health. Luiz Araujo, one of the team’s three Designated Players, isn’t yet 90-minutes fit. He came on to play the final 28 minutes. He took two shots, putting neither on goal, and didn’t create a chance. The team is also missing Josef Martinez, who will be out several more weeks after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his right knee. Cisneros started with Jackson Conway the backup. Dom Dwyer, who scored two goals against Chattanooga in Wednesday’s 6-0 victory in the U.S. Open Cup, didn’t travel to Miami because he was experiencing leg soreness.

Cisneros played well. In addition to his goal, he had another good chance in the first half that was saved, and he put a header wide in the final seconds.

“Forward is a position that is used to having a lot of pressure,” Cisneros said. “It’s a position I’ve played for a long time. So I know how to manage that pressure in my own way. But in the short time that I’ve been in MLS, I’ve noticed that Atlanta is a team that wants to be a protagonist in all of its matches. And it’s a team that opponents have a lot of respect for when they play against. So the only thing I can do is continue working trying to help this team in ways that I can try and help with goals and assists.”

Conway, who was supposed to have started for Atlanta United 2 in its match Saturday, came and had one good opportunity, but a poor first touch resulted in it being wasted.

“I think this thing will change,” Pineda said. “With the amount of chances we’re creating, I think we’re going to score way more goals.”

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Atlanta United’s 2022 MLS schedule

Feb. 27 Atlanta United 3, Sporting KC 1

March 5 Colorado 3, Atlanta United 0

March 13 Atlanta United 2, Charlotte 1

March 19 Atlanta United 3, Montreal 3

April 2 Atlanta United 1, D.C. United 0

April 10 Charlotte 1, Atlanta United 0

April 16 Atlanta United 0, Cincinnati 0

April 24 Miami 2, Atlanta United 1

April 30 at Montreal, 4 p.m., BSSO/BSSE

May 7 vs. Chicago, 6 p.m., BSSO/BSSE

May 15 vs. New England, 1:30 p.m., ESPN