Five things learned from Atlanta United’s draw with NYCFC

A club-record six Homegrown signees played, one Atlanta United 2 call-up scored, there were two good goals and two not-so-good goals allowed.

There was a lot to take from Atlanta United’s 2-2 draw with NYCFC on Wednesday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

The tying goal was scored by Atlanta United 2 short-term signing Nick Firmino in the 95th minute to extend the team’s unbeaten streak to seven matches, including two wins and five draws. It is in fifth place in the East, two points behind fourth-place Philadelphia.

ExploreMore AJC coverage of Atlanta United

Manager Gonzalo Pineda thinks his team should have won despite not playing well for stretches. There were many things to build upon from the draw for the season’s remaining 15 games.

“I just told the players I liked the competitive side,” he said. “I liked that we never give up, and never giving up is a signature of a championship team.”

Here are five things learned:

The young ones. Pineda had lineup decisions to make.

For various reasons, he was without attacking midfielder Thiago Almada, striker Giorgos Giakoumakis, centerbacks Miles Robinson and Luis Abram and midfielder Santiago Sosa. Luiz Araujo also wasn’t available because the team allowed him to go ahead and join Flamengo in Brazil after it purchased him for $10 million.

Still, there was enough depth and versatility in the remaining player pool that Pineda could have fielded a mostly experienced lineup.

Instead, he started four Homegrowns, wingers Caleb Wiley and Tyler Wolff, centerback Noah Cobb and midfielder Ajani Fortune. The game-day roster didn’t include a Designated Player for the first time since October 2020. It did include Firmino and Luke Brennan, two Atlanta United 2 players who signed short-term, four-day agreements to help fill the roster.

Pineda said there were two reasons for the decisions to bring up Firmino, who has scored eight goals in 14 appearances for Atlanta United 2, and Brennan: They deserved it based upon their play in MLS Next Pro, and the team needed them.

What they did. Wolff scored the first goal, his fourth this season and second in as many starts. Fortune got the assist after a nice combination with Wiley.

Wolff just missed scoring another goal in the first half when Wiley’s cross rolled across the top of his outstretched foot only yards from goal.

But the goal and pass-and-miss were examples of something that has been missing from Atlanta United’s offense: runs toward goal.

Wolff’s four goals this season total less than 10 yards. He makes runs toward posts and taps in passes. The goal against NYCFC was a low, hard shot toward the near post. Wolff had the shot because he made a run toward goal. It’s not something that Araujo would frequently do, which may be why Wolff already has scored one more goal than the former DP despite playing almost 1,000 fewer minutes.

The miss happened when Amar Sejdic created a turnover near midfield and played Wiley into space. He hit a perfect cross toward Wolff, who said he saw the pass late. Atlanta United was unlucky not to be ahead 2-1.

Fortune played well in his second consecutive start. He got into good spots to help Atlanta United break NYCFC’s pressure. He completed 93.3% of his passes and won possession twice. He was unlucky to inadvertently contribute to NYCFC’s second goal when a pass bounced awkwardly off his foot.

Cobb looked much more steady than in his two previous starts. Machop Chol came off the bench and made a dazzling run through NYCFC’s defense.

And then there were Brennan and Firmino.

“It’s better than I imagined, really,” Firmino said. “To come on for about 10 minutes, and then to score the game-tying goal as well. I’m very happy with the result.”

How do the Homegrowns keep it going? Sejdic and Brooks Lennon, two vets, said the Homegrowns need to continue to work hard to keep earning minutes.

“As a young guy, you want to come and show the coach that you’re ready, especially when guys are away on international duty,” Lennon said. “That’s why training had such a high intensity this past week, and we want to keep it at that ‘cause it’s really good to see you, and it makes everyone better.”

Lennon said it was gratifying for so many young players to get minutes.

“It shows that the organization has a great academy system that grooms Homegrowns to be able to make it to the first team; you want to see that,” he said. “Especially in Europe you see clubs like Liverpool and guys like Trent Alexander Arnold coming all the way through the academy to the first team. And you want to see that at Atlanta United.”

It may not be easy.

Abram likely will return for Saturday’s match at the Red Bulls. His inclusion will make it difficult for Cobb to earn minutes. Fortune won’t be available because he will be with Trinidad and Tobago preparing for the Gold Cup. Wiley and Wolff have turned into starters on the wings. The short-term agreements signed by Brennan and Firmino expire after Saturday’s match.

The goals allowed. Atlanta United gave up a goal within the first minute for the second time in four games. It started with a turnover near midfield, followed by a pass to winger Gabriel Pereira, who was able to get the ball onto his left foot and curl a shot into the lower left corner.

NYCFC’s second goal also came from a moment in transition, this time in Atlanta United’s defensive third when Fortune misplayed a pass and had the bad fortune for the ball to carom to Richard Ledezma, who passed to Pereira.

“It just kind of seemed like two situations that are very, like, we just, it just happens so, so easily to us sometimes,” Sejdic said. “And kind of unfortunate in some sense.”

Atlanta United’s defense limited NYCFC to three shots and three chances created. Still, Atlanta United has allowed the second-most goals (31) in the league. It leads the league in goals scored (37).

ExploreAtlanta United ties, extends unbeaten streak to seven

Upcoming transfer window. With Wolff’s improved play in place of Araujo and Pineda showing more trust in Fortune, it will be interesting to see what the team will do when the transfer window opens July 5.

It has one DP slot open. It also has two Senior slots open. If Wolff and Fortune, when he returns from the Gold Cup, continue to play well, will Pineda gamble on their potential and continue to play them or will Vice President Carlos Bocanegra go out and try to find players with more experience and proven histories in an attempt to improve the probabilities of competing for trophies?

For more content about Atlanta United

Follow me on Twitter @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 listening to us for the first time, please follow us on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcast ... 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.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has a special offer for Atlanta United supporters and listeners to this podcast. If you subscribe today, you will not only get unlimited digital access to the AJC and the Sunday paper for $2.30 a week but we are also throwing in a special limited-edition Atlanta United and Atlanta Journal-Constitution scarf. So sign up now at subscribe.ajc.com/utdscarf.

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 Atlanta United 1, New York City FC 1

April 15 Atlanta United 2, Toronto FC 2

April 23 Atlanta United 2, Chicago 1

April 29 Nashville SC 3, Atlanta United 1

May 6 Inter Miami CF 2, Atlanta United 1