Atlanta United’s Alec Kann: We are out of excuses

Because Atlanta United hasn’t scored a lot of goals this season, after it scored two world-class ones Friday at Orlando it would be easy for those to be the talking points.

Goalkeeper Alec Kann rightly was having none of that after the 3-2 loss to Orlando in Florida. With this team, as has been the case for the past year, when one thing works in a game, it seems that two more break. That’s in part why the team has won only two of its 16 games this season. They are tied with Miami for the fewest wins in MLS this season.

So Josef Martinez and Marcelino Moreno score, but Atlanta United’s defense lacked its fundamentals too many times.

The final result was an 11th consecutive game without a victory, extending a franchise-worst run.

“This is a results-based business,” said Kann, who finished with six saves. “We haven’t been getting the results the club expects. We are out of excuses. It’s on the players to get this right, and we’ve got to look ourselves in the mirror and make it happen on Wednesday.”

Even interim manager Rob Valentino, who has been a picture of positivity in his first 12 days in charge, was noticeably downbeat on Zoom after the defeat. He is 0-2-1, with games at Montreal on Wednesday and at Columbus on Saturday.

“They can be encouraged that two attacking players scored really nice goals, but ultimately it’s winning games,” he said. “We can talk as much as we want, but it comes down to winning games.”

Because there have been so few highlights this season, the goals should be noted:

Martinez’s goal in the 47th second set a franchise record for the fastest goal by the team in a league game, and tied the team record for a goal in any game. It was a right-footed shot from the top of the penalty box that slammed off the post and rolled back into the goal. The difficulty was high because Martinez one-timed the pass from Brooks Lennon. The technique, Martinez was able to keep the shot down despite being on the move and having turn slightly behind him to reach the ball, reminded one of his form during the 2018 season.

Moreno’s goal in the 66th minute was a bit of brilliance conjured from nothing. Moreno took the ball in a space about 30 yards from goal, took a dribble forward and unleashed a right-footed effort from 25 yards that arrowed through the box and into the goal’s upper-right-hand corner. It was reminiscent of Hector Villalba’s goal at Orlando in 2017, though it was hit on the other side of the field. It later was voted as the MLS goal of the year.

Highlights in Orlando. pic.twitter.com/JUsmlVPWSO
— Atlanta United FC (@ATLUTD) July 31, 2021

The other positive was Kann, who made numerous tough saves to keep Atlanta United in the game in the first half.

He was forced into action because of a few of the negatives in the game.

Valentino paired Erik Lopez and Mikey Ambrose, who was making his first start in a league game this season, together on the left side of the team’s formation in the first half. Orlando attacked that duo over and over in creating eight chances in the first 45 minutes. Orlando’s goal came on a header in the 43rd minute from a corner kick that wasn’t defended well by Lennon. Valentino was forced to take off Ambrose at halftime because of Orlando’s success down that side.

A failure to win headers would be a theme for Atlanta United.

Moreno’s goal gave Atlanta United a 2-1 lead, but Orlando equalized with another headed goal before finally taking the lead in the 87th minute on a headed goal by Nani.

“Unfortunately, it’s not a secret that we’re suffering on set pieces and aerial play in our own box,” Atlanta United fullback Ronald Hernandez said. “I think we have to be responsible, starting with me, and to be more concentrated in the next match because in the last games we’ve suffered various goals from set pieces and need to be more focused in the future.”

On each of the goals, an Orlando attacker was able to get away from an Atlanta United defender. On two of the goals, the player making the cross wasn’t adequately closed down by a defender.

“We need to find a way to win games,” Kann said. “It’s not going to be pretty. We might not play the most beautiful brand of soccer, but we need to find a way to get results, and we haven’t been doing that. Whether it’s box defending, taking our chances, making smart fouls, not conceding set pieces, those are the things you need to do to win games, and we didn’t do that tonight.”

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Atlanta United’s 2021 MLS schedule

April 17 Atlanta United 0, Orlando 0

April 24 Atlanta United 3, Chicago 1

May 1 New England 2, Atlanta United 1

May 9 Atlanta United 1, Inter Miami 1,

May 15 Atlanta United 1, Montreal 0

May 23 Atlanta United 1, Seattle 1