JuanJo Purata agreed Tuesday that Atlanta United is showing a fight it didn’t consistently show last season.
The MLS team bounced back from the worst loss in franchise history two weeks ago at Columbus with another franchise first: a 1-0 win Saturday against an aggressive Red Bulls team. It was the first time the Five Stripes defeated the Red Bulls in a regular-season match.
“That is something that (manager) Gonzalo (Pineda) has been telling us,“ Purata said. “That has to be our essence, our DNA. And I think with our good football and those fights, we are going to achieve good things as a team.”
Purata played a key role – and showed his fight – in the win against the Red Bulls with a key block of a close-range shot late in the game.
Atlanta United may need more of that in Saturday’s game against NYCFC on the small-ish pitch at Yankee Stadium.
Purata hadn’t yet joined Atlanta United when it played there last season. The teams drew 2-2 to make Atlanta United’s record 1-4-2 in regular-season matches in the Bronx.
Purata said he’s been told the field is small. That, and NYCFC’s form, make them tough, according to Pineda. NYCFC is 2-0-0 at home this season.
Atlanta United used two different drills Tuesday to start preparing for the field and maintain its aggressive spirit.
In the first, a 40-yard by 40-yard square boundary was placed on one of the pitches. Within the square, pairs of poles were placed in the ground to represent gaps in NYCFC’s defense. Two teams of 10 squared off, with two more players who could play for whichever team had the ball. Points were earned for connected passes between the poles.
In the second, the team played seven-on-seven on a small field. Regulation goals were on either end, and a line was drawn across the middle of the field. The only way a goal would count is if all six players (not counting the goalkeeper) were on the attacking side of the midfield line. Pineda wanted the players to feel like they were in a compact space and to compete for duels.
Purata said winning those, which it did against the Red Bulls, will be key against NYCFC.
“The second balls, I think, every everyone did a great job winning those battles,” he said. “Defensively, we were so good. All of the team. And I think that if we keep that, we can get another win.”
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Atlanta United’s 2023 MLS schedule
Feb. 25 Atlanta United 2, San Jose Earthquakes 1
March 4 Atlanta United 1, Toronto FC 1
March 11 Atlanta United 3, Charlotte FC 0
March 18 Atlanta United 5, Portland 1
March 25 Columbus 6, Atlanta United 1
April 1 Atlanta United 1, New York Red Bulls 0
April 8 at New York City FC, 7:30 p.m.
April 15 at Toronto FC, 7:30 p.m.
April 23 vs. Chicago Fire FC, 4:30 p.m., FS1
April 29 at Nashville SC, 1:30 p.m., Fox
May 6 at Inter Miami CF, 7:30 p.m.
May 13 vs. Charlotte FC, 7:30 p.m.
May 17 vs. Colorado Rapids, 7:30 p.m.
May 20 at Chicago Fire FC, 8:30 p.m.
May 27 at Orlando City SC, 7:30 p.m.
May 31 vs. New England Revolution, 7:30 p.m., FS1
June 3 at Los Angeles FC, 10:30 p.m.
June 10 vs. D.C. United, 7:30 p.m.
June 21 vs. New York City FC, 7:30 p.m.
June 24 at New York Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m.
July 2 vs. Philadelphia Union, 4 p.m., Fox
July 8 at CF Montreal, 7:30 p.m.
July 12 at New England Revolution, 7:30 p.m.
July 15 vs. Orlando City SC, 7:30 p.m., FS1
Aug. 20 at Seattle Sounders, 10:30 p.m.
Aug. 26 vs. Nashville SC, 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 30 vs. FC Cincinnati, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 2 at FC Dallas, 8:30 p.m.
Sept. 16 vs. Inter Miami CF, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 20 at D.C. United, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 23 vs. CF Montreal, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 4 at Philadelphia Union, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 7 vs. Columbus Crew, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 21 at FC Cincinnati, TBA
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