Editor’s note: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution opted not to attend the resumption of the MLS season in Orlando amid the COVID-19 pandemic. League safety precautions severely limit the AJC’s in-depth coverage of Atlanta United. The following report has been compiled from television broadcast and video conference interviews.
Though his team hasn’t scored in more than 300 minutes, including Thursday’s 1-0 shutout by mostly defense-less Cincinnati, Atlanta United manager Frank de Boer said he’s not worried about goals.
“If you have to take a striker off because you are down a man, it’s normal that you don’t score two or three goals,” he said.
Atlanta United was reduced to 10 men in the 26th minute because Jake Mulraney received his second yellow card and was sent off.
That, plus playing without Josef Martinez, who is out for the season, in tough conditions because of the 9 a.m. start time, also were factors.
But to be fair, playing with 11 men against a team that gave up four goals in its previous game and had the historically worst defense in the league last season, Atlanta United didn’t put a shot on goal to that point. Its first didn’t come until the 49th minute. It had three in total.
Cincinnati made it tough early by playing 11 men behind the ball. It was a similar tactic employed by the New York Red Bulls in last week’s 1-0 loss in the tournament’s first game. Still, in that game Atlanta United created several chances.
Scoring was made even tougher against Cincinnati in the 34th minute when de Boer decided to take off striker Adam Jahn and replace him with Edgar Castillo, who moved into the left wingback spot vacated by Mulraney.
“I think the other night we definitely created chances, enough good chances to score,” midfielder Jeff Larentowicz said. “I think today is a different situation. We get a red card, we have to take our forward off the field. Even in the last 20 minutes of the first half, I thought we were dangerous, but weren’t able to score a goal. It is frustrating. I think at times we find ourselves playing without a forward and creating through the midfield with Pity (Martinez) and (Ezequiel) Barco.”
Atlanta United’s last goal came, somewhat oddly, against Cincinnati on March 7 in a 2-1 win at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. It was scored by Emerson Hyndman in the 55th minute. It was quite good. Hyndman cut to his right and laced a shot into the near corner.
Since, Atlanta United was shutout by Club America 3-0 on March 11, and then Red Bulls four months later after a pause for COVID-19 and Cincinnati.
What to do?
Martinez isn’t coming back. The weather affects all teams.
So how can Atlanta United sort itself out before it plays a very tough Columbus team Tuesday night? The Five Stripes must win and get some luck or they will head home to Marietta much sooner than was expected. And once home, it seems likely that it won’t play again for at least a month because the tournament’s championship game is Aug. 11. The league hasn’t yet announced its post-tournament schedule.
That is a very long wait.
“Obviously, it’s a bit of a long shot, but that’s what we have to do,” Larentowicz said. “We have to win this next game. The Crew have shown to be a tough team, and we know it’s going to be a difficult game.”
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