The first thoughts to creep in after a heartbreaker like Atlanta United’s loss to FC Cincinnati at home is, “Dang, we’re back here again.”
But this loss wasn’t the end of the world, nor was it a complete travesty. It sucks, no doubt about it, but playing against the Supporter’s Shield leaders was always going to be a tough ask, regardless of whether it was at home or not. Here are a few quick thoughts on Atlanta United’s first loss since League’s Cup.
First, the team didn’t get blown out. Garth Lagerway said on 92.9 The Game this morning that they “went toe-to-toe with the best team in the league for 75 minutes.” He’s not wrong, though the Five Stripes did start looking a tad shaky around the 35th minute. Unfortunately, the subs didn’t quite have the impact everyone wanted, and Luciano Acosta and company capitalized on their control of the game. Edwin Mosquera, however, scored his first goal, and it was a beauty.
Atlanta United had opportunities, including a second goal that was called back for a foul in the box. And they did well bending, but not breaking, for most of the match. As chemistry amongst the new players begins to settle, it’s likely some of the mistakes from last night will be fixed.
Second, speaking of chemistry, it’s easy to forget that vital pieces of this team are brand new. While Muyumba has been a revelation in midfield, and Xande Silva has performed some absolute moments of brilliance, there were still a handful of instances where everyone simply wasn’t on the same page. Saba Lobjanidze also ended up in prime spots but barely received any service.
That’s unfortunate, but it’s also okay. After FC Dallas, a long break looms to be able to get this team rolling on all cylinders. Brute forcing the league leader was never an easy task.
Finally, Diego de la Torre mentioned in the post-match press conference that the team stopped playing their game. This piggybacks off the last point, but ultimately when Cincy made adjustments, Atlanta did not. This threw their whole balance off and they resorted to dribbling and hero ball instead of making quick passes and rapidly occupying the open spaces. At one point near the end of the match, there was a 40 yard gap in midfield that no player occupied, which means the options are to either send the long ball, or play the dangerous pass and risk a bad turnover.
Ultimately, while a loss sucks, this one hurts a bit less. There are still plenty of positives to take away. Other results also helped out Atlanta in the standings, too, so it’s time to look forward to the away match at Dallas and attempt to scrounge back some points.