Matheus Rossetto plays best game as Atlanta United player

Matheus Rossetto did only one thing wrong during Atlanta United’s 3-0 win over Orlando on Friday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

He misplayed one of his 46 passes.

No, he doesn’t remember which one.

Other than that, Rossetto agreed that it was his finest game as a member of the Five Stripes since joining the club before the 2020 season.

“Last year was really hard because of the pandemic,” he said through an interpreter. “That delayed my adaptation to the league and the team. The first semester of this year, I had a couple injuries, plus the coaching change made it difficult. Now, I’m trying to get better every day in training and show the coaching staff why I was brought to Atlanta.”

Rossetto excelled Friday in part because manager Gonzalo Pineda played him at his preferred position as a central midfielder, and not a defensive midfielder, and in part because he gave the Brazilian “total freedom.”

Rossetto completed 97.8 percent of his passes, which is in Darlington Nagbe territory. He put his only shot on goal. He had two tackles, won four of his seven duels and conceded only one foul as Atlanta United dominated the middle of the pitch.

A knock on Rossetto in past games is that he tends to be too conservative with his passes, too often moving the ball sideways or backward, instead of looking to attack. He completed 20 of his 45 passes in Orlando’s half, which is a sign that he was playing more aggressively.

It may be causation or correlation, but Rossetto said having another Brazilian, Luis Araujo, on the team, has benefited him.

“Yeah, it definitely helps,” Rossetto said. “He helps me with communication, both on and off the field. I spend time with him, and I’m also helping him with his adaptation to MLS and to Atlanta. He brings a lot of happiness to the team and that helps.”

The flowing, attacking soccer that Atlanta United played Friday was what Rossetto said he was told the team would play when he was being recruited by Vice President Carlos Bocanegra while at his previous club of Athletico Paranaense.

Rossetto should get a chance to contribute to it again in the team’s next game, against Cincinnati on Wednesday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The team remains thin at midfielder because of injuries to Amar Sejdic and Emerson Hyndman. Plus, Santiago Sosa is going to miss the next game because of yellow-card accumulation.

“The play here in MLS is a lot more intense compared to Brazil,” he said. “In Brazil, it’s more possession and playing the ball at feet and a little more ‘chill’ if you want to say that. It took me a while to adapt. Now that I’m playing consistently, I’m getting used to this style.”

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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