St. LOUIS -- Jay Fortune flitted around City Park’s very warm field in Atlanta United’s 1-1 draw against St. Louis like a spark floats around a fire on Saturday.
A tackle on one side, followed by a pass to a teammate on the other. A recovery, glance up to see if there was a pass downfield, followed by a pass backward to let teammates reset their positions. An interception and then a break forward. A shot hit with such force that a nearby photographer said it caused St. Louis’ goal to vibrate for several seconds. It was arguably Fortune’s best match with Atlanta United, coming in his second start this season.
Fortune helped extend Atlanta United’s unbeaten streak to three under interim manager Rob Valentino, its road unbeaten streak to four, and above the playoff line in the East.
“I think it was the first start for me in a while and my biggest thing is to just do the best that I can,” Fortune said. “I want to try and make it difficult for the other midfielders around me and they’ll do the same for me. Also trying to make Rob’s decision difficult on a match day just so that my name is always in the rotation to start on the weekend.”
Fortune has trained well enough and played well enough in 11 previous appearances to earn starts. But he’s been competing with veterans Tristan Muyumba, Dax McCarty and Bartosz Slisz. Fortune got the start against St. Louis because the match was the team’s third in eight days, Slisz is with Poland in the Euros, and McCarty started Wednesday’s match at D.C. United and last week’s match against Houston at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Fresh legs were needed.
Valentino said he has had many conversations with Fortune about his role and the fact that he was doing what he needed to try to get a start. Fortune pushes in a respectful way, he said.
“He was big,” Valentino said. “I think that he is always nipping at the heels of these guys and that’s the best thing about having the roster that we have and having a team is that you want competition, this is the competition we want, that these guys know that this kid is right on their heels and he deserves an opportunity.”
Atlanta United will host Toronto on June 29. McCarty will be rested. Slisz may be back from the Euros because Poland has already been mathematically eliminated from advancing out of its group. Fortune and Muyumba interacted well against St. Louis. If one ventured forward, the other usually stayed back to defend the middle of the pitch. When McCarty came on in the 61st minute as part of a formational and tactical change, Fortune and Muyumba stepped forward as dual attacking midfielders. Atlanta United regained lost momentum and scored on Daniel Rios’ penalty follow-up in the 71st minute.
“I think playing alongside Tristan, not one of us is a full-on six but at the same time we’re always willing to do the work for each other,” Fortune said. “Sometimes with Dax, he’ll sit a little more and that allows one of us to venture on forward, but we work well together. As long as one person was in the middle of the field at all times it allowed the other one to be a little bit free and I think Tristan and I provide different dynamics going forward.”
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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
May 11 D.C. United 3, Atlanta United 2
May 15 Cincinnati 1, Atlanta United 0
May 18 Atlanta United 1, Nashville 1
May 21 Atlanta United 0 (5), Charleston 0 (4) in U.S. Open Cup
May 25 LAFC 1, Atlanta United 0
May 29 Atlanta United 3, Miami 1
June 2 Charlotte 3, Atlanta United 2
June 15 Atlanta United 2, Houston 2
June 19 Atlanta United 1, D.C. United 0
June 22 Atlanta United 1, St. Louis 1
June 29 vs. Toronto, 7:30 p.m.
July 3 at New England, 7:30 p.m.
July 6 at Real Salt Lake, 9:30 p.m.
July 9 vs. Indy Eleven in U.S. Open Cup
July 13 at Montreal, 7:30 p.m.
July 17 vs. NYCFC, 7:30 p.m.
July 20 vs. Columbus, 7:30 p.m.
July 26 vs. D.C. United in Leagues Cup, 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 4 vs. Santos Laguna in Leagues Cup, 4 p.m.
Aug. 24 at L.A. Galaxy, 10:30 p.m.
Aug. 31 at Charlotte, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 14 vs. Nashville, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 18 vs. Miami, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 21 at Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 28 at Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 2 vs. Montreal, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 5 vs. Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 19 at Orlando, 6 p.m.
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