Atlanta United went ahead 1-0 on a goal from Miguel Almiron. That goal in the 2oth minute of Saturday’s match against Nashville SC was the first goal for Atlanta United in three matches. It has been a long time since Atlanta United was ahead in a match. The goal was Almiron’s third of the season.
FINAL SCORE: Atlanta 1, Nashville 1. At least it’s a point.
“We are not happy with one point. We want to beat the team in front of us,” Atlanta United manager Ronny Deila said after the match. “We have to accept the level we are at right now, and go from there.”
Something had to give.
The Five Stripes came into the Saturday afternoon match having not scored a goal in their previous three matches. That three-game string includes consecutive 3-0 losses at the Philadephia Union and Orlando City FC. To make matters worse, Atlanta has only won two of their six home matches, and both of their victories were by a single goal.
Something had to give.
Emmanuel Latte Lath was back in the starting lineup after missing the Orlando match for excessive yellow cards. Defender Derrick Williams was also back after missing the past two road matches with an injury.
Something had to give.
Atlanta United went into halftime with a 1-0 lead despite Nashville SC having a slight advantage in possession (53%-47%). Nashville, however, would tie the game on a set-piece goal from defender Daniel Lovitz in the 65th minute. The score could have easily been 2-1 or 3-1 in favor of Nashville if not for two huge saves by Atlanta’s 40-year-old goalkeeper Brad Guzan.
The match closed with a pair of double-substitutions by Deila that put striker Jamal Thiare and defender Matt Edwards into the fray. Almiron and Latte Lath were the players they replaced in the 86th minute.
Four minutes of stoppage time resulted in neither team earning a solid shot at a goal.
After the match, Brooks Lennon, now the all-time assist leader in Atlanta United history after his pass found Almiron in the first half, was clear about what his team needs to continue to do: Stay Positive.
“We have to take one game at a time,” said Brooks. “We have to stay focused.”
What’s Next: Atlanta United will be in Soldier Field to face the Chicago Fire on Saturday, May 10. The Five Stripes have not played well on the road this season, only managing a draw at Cincinnati in four matches.
What’s New: The plans to expand the Atlanta United practice facility in Marietta continue. Fresh renderings (below) of the project were made available to the media on Saturday.
