If Atlanta United is going to play for the U.S. Open Cup championship it's going to have do something Tuesday that it has done just twice in the past three months in a place almost 3,000 miles away: win an away game.
Atlanta United will play at Orlando Tuesday in the semifinals of the U.S. Open Cup. Atlanta United is 0-6 in its last away games in the league. It won June 18 at Columbus in the U.S. Open Cup. Before that, it won just once outside of Mercedes-Benz Stadium when it defeated Vancouver, 1-0, on May 15 at BC Place in British Columbia. It has been outscored 17-8 in those losses during that span.
If things don’t change at Exploria Stadium in front of 20,000 Orlando City supporters, Atlanta United’s pursuit of its second major trophy will likely be over when it’s so close to achieving its goal.
“It’s crucial that we are 90 minutes focused,” Atlanta United manager Frank de Boer.
De Boer said Atlanta United began planning a week ago for this game. The game is sandwiched between last week's game against the L.A. Galaxy, which Atlanta United won, 2-0, and Sunday's game against NYCFC, which Atlanta United needs to win to keep pace with Philadelphia for first in the East.
What de Boer can’t plan for are the little lapses, or odd moments, that have resulted in Atlanta United’s road woes and subsequent 3-8-0 record. Its nine points are the fewest of the seven teams above the playoff line in the East. Orlando is 5-6-1 at home this season, but is 0-2 against Atlanta United in the past two seasons at home.
The doldrums started with not being able to take advantage of a 10-man Red Bulls team, with New York scored in the 65th minute to hold on for a 1-0 win. It continued with Real Salt Lake scoring in the 94th minute for a 2-1 victory. Toronto started poorly and ended poorly. Chicago blew out Atlanta United with five goals in the first half. Seattle outplayed Atlanta United. LAFC scored four goals in 12 minutes in the first half.
De Boer said the team had a meeting about a month ago, which would have been just before or after the loss at Chicago.
The consistent theme is those lapses in focus that have been consistently punished.
“I think those conversations are constant,” Atlanta United goalkeeper Brad Guzan said. “It’s not one thing that’s being said. Sign of a good team is being able to perform on the road, perform at home. Our goal is to be a good team.
“Even when you are top of the table and things are going well, it’s a constant conversation of understanding the challenge away from home and accepting that challenge and finding a way to get the job done.”
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