After back-to-back 1-0 wins against Alajuelense to advance to the quarterfinals of the Champions League, manager Gabriel Heinze and fullback Brooks Lennon of Atlanta United said the best thing that’s happened so far is that the team has played meaningful minutes.
Playing for a new manager, with a new system and new players, it takes time to understand what is wanted, what should be done and what will happen when it is done. Atlanta United is learning those lessons.
“We have to improve in everything,” Heinze said. “But you can’t improve or look to improve without playing. So what we need to do is play, make mistakes, and correct them.”
With the wins, Atlanta United will get at least two more chances to learn when it plays either Philadelphia or Saprissa in the next round of the Champions League. It’s the third consecutive year that the team has advanced past the Round of 16. Within MLS, only the L.A. Galaxy have matched that feat in the current format of the Champions League.
But first, Atlanta United must turn its focus to MLS, which starts Saturday with a game at Orlando. Atlanta United didn’t impress last year in the league, failing to make the playoffs for the first time in four seasons.
“Playing these two competitive games before our first MLS game is so good mentally for us and physically as well,” Lennon said. “To play in real, meaningful games and to qualify for the next round is big-time for us. It definitely helps a lot. Where other MLS teams are playing friendlies, which aren’t as competitive as these games. We are happy to play these games in Champions League this year.”
The attacking soccer that was promoted with the hiring of Heinze has yet to develop. The team’s two goals -- one from a penalty kick in the first game -- have come from nine shots on goal. It has created 16 chances in the two games. The first half of Tuesday’s game -- a lot of passing with only two chances created and no shots on goal -- much more resembled one under previous manager Frank de Boer than Heinze.
And that’s OK.
Consider more circumstances: The final 47 minutes of the first game were highlighted by Atlanta United playing with only 10 men. It scored soon after it went down to 10 men and needed only to protect that lead. The first 45 minutes of the second game came against an opponent that was more focused on not giving up a goal than it was on playing soccer. And Atlanta United needed only to protect its one-goal advantage. Scoring wasn’t necessary.
When looking at first half of the first game and the second half of the second game, when soccer was played because Alajuelense was attempting to attack, Atlanta United looked solid. It created nine scoring chances in the second half of the second game and four in the first half of the first game.
Credit: Atlanta United
Ezequiel Barco was a catalyst in both games. He created one chance in the first half of the first game and three in second half of the second game after he was moved by Heinze from wing into central midfield.
“Ezequiel gives me the possibility to play him in two positions,” Heinze said. “After that I would debate with you if he is better off in one position or another.”
It will be interesting to see where Heinze plays Barco on Saturday against Orlando. The team’s offense looked much better against Alajuense on Tuesday when Barco was moved inside. But, at that point, as Lennon pointed out, Alajuelense needed to score, and that created some space for the Five Stripes to exploit. It did when Barco intelligently beat an offside trap to run onto a pass from Marcelino Moreno. Barco rounded the goalkeeper. The ball rolled into Jurgen Damm’s path, and he shot it into an empty net in the first minute of stoppage time.
“When a team is down or up, whatever it may be, the tactics are going to change a little bit,” Lennon said. “We adjusted in the second half and finally got a goal. I know it was a late goal, but it was great to score one. We continue to add those stats to our team and building off these performances.”
On defense, Atlanta United posted consecutive shutouts. The backline of George Bello, Miles Robinson, Anton Walkes and Brooks Lennon combined for 10 tackles and allowed one shot on goal Tuesday. Rocco Rios Novo, signed to a four-day contract Tuesday, earned his second consecutive win that included a reflexive kick-save in the final minutes.
Heinze said that the shutout should be credited to the entire team.
“I think it’s the totality of all the lines that sustains the defense,” Heinze said. “And today we could have also received a goal.”
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