Atlanta United has four matches to fix little things and make playoffs

HARRISON, N.J. -- Atlanta United had a path open that, if navigated successfully, would have all-but secured a spot in the MLS playoffs.

Instead of taking nine points from playing three matches in eight days, including two at home, Atlanta United instead took just two. One of those points came from Saturday’s 2-2 draw at New York Red Bulls, a match that Atlanta United was winning in stoppage time. But, as captain Brad Guzan said after, matches aren’t just 90 minutes, they aren’t just 92 minutes. This one was 99, and Red Bulls scored an equalizer in the 97th minute.

Atlanta United didn’t play from start to finish in any of the three. Two points dropped. One point on the wrong side of the playoff line that could become three after Sunday’s match between Philadelphia and D.C. United. Atlanta United has four matches remaining.

Still, despite losing to Nashville in one of its worst performances this season, and tying Inter Miami with its own late goal, and the emotional swings of Saturday’s deflating draw, interim manager Rob Valentino said the team can do something special. He recognized that the “little things” that must be done to ensure victory against Red Bulls weren’t checked off, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be in the team’s next match at Philadelphia on Saturday.

“I believe that we’ve got something, that we can get something out of this and that’s what I have to keep preaching,” he said. “You speak it into existence, and we have to work on it. And that’s what we do every day. We show up every day with intent to work on things and get better. We’ll need some time to continue to do that right now. Time’s not on our side, so we have to really show up and do that work and get three points. That’s what it’s about.”

The rub is during the three-match stretch Atlanta United didn’t seem to learn lessons. It started slowly against Nashville, playing the worst 10 minutes of the season and falling behind 1-0. It played better in the first 45 minutes against Miami but fell behind 1-0.

Then came the Red Bulls, an opponent that Guzan said they knew they would have to be ready to match their intensity.

He didn’t feel they did and took it to a philosophical level, asking how those scenarios can truly be replicated in training. He answered his own question: They can’t.

“When the lights come on in the stadium, you gotta rise to the occasion,” he said. “We need to be able to count on guys and it’s frustrating, because you go into these moments with confidence. You go into these moments believing in the guys next to each other. They’re putting in an absolute shift, and with two minutes to go, we concede the goal like that.”

The first goal conceded started with a set piece and illustrated the “little things” that the team hasn’t done well this season and especially during the past three matches. A Red Bulls player won the aerial dual and headed it wide. John Tolkin reached the ball before Brooks Lennon and passed it to Dante Vanzeir, who beat Stian Gregersen to the near post to score.

“We’ve got to close that ball down and then you’ve got to stay with your markers,” Valentino said. “I’d have to look at it again, Stian (Gregersen) they run off of, you’ve got to stay with guys in those moments, those are critical moments, those are moments that we preach on like in those small seconds can you be really, really alert?”

The tying goal happened on another switch of play, this time by the Red Bulls to the back post. Pedro Amador may have been fouled by Dylan Nealis, who won the aerial dual by pushing into Amador’s back. Nealis’ header went back across goal. Derrick Williams tried to clear the ball but couldn’t get much on his clearance, sending it a few yards farther away. Julian Zakrewski beat Lennon to the ball and passed it back across the goal to Elias Manoel, who was a yard closer to goal than Gregersen, and one-timed the shot in the seventh minute of stoppage time.

“Derrick (Williams) held his hand up, he must’ve cleared his lines, and I get it, it’s the third game in a week and that’s one little detail,” Valentino said. “But yeah, unfortunate.”

For more content about Atlanta United

Follow me on Twitter/X @DougRobersonAJC

On Facebook at Atlanta United News Now

On Instagram at DouglasDavidRoberson

Atlanta United coverage on The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Southern Fried Soccer podcast can be found

Apple - https://apple.co/3ISD6Ve

Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3L8TN0C

Google podcasts - https://bit.ly/32KlZW3

If you are going to listen to the podcast for the first time, please follow it on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts ... and if you like what you hear, please give us a good rating so we can grow the show. If you have questions about the MLS team, you can email Doug Roberson at droberson@ajc.com, DM him on Twitter @dougrobersonajc or call 404-526-2527.

Stay up to date every day on breaking news, in-depth investigations, politics, sports, entertainment, food and dining and so much more by becoming a subscriber to the AJC. Go to AJC.com/start for a very special offer and unlock hundreds of original articles published daily on the refreshed AJC.com and the new AJC mobile app. Plus, access to our news alerts, subscriber-only events, AJC original shows, films and videos, newsletters, and so much more.

Atlanta United’s 2024 schedule

Feb. 24 Columbus 1, Atlanta United 0

March 9 Atlanta United 4, New England 1

March 17 Atlanta United 2, Orlando 0

March 23 Toronto 2, Atlanta United 0

March 31 Atlanta United 3, Chicago 0

April 6 Atlanta United 1, NYCFC 1

April 14 Atlanta United 2, Philadelphia 2

April 20 Cincinnati 2, Atlanta United 1

April 27 Atlanta United 1, Chicago 1

May 4 Minnesota 2, Atlanta United 1

May 7 Atlanta United 3, Charlotte Independence 0 in U.S. Open Cup