The Atlanta United went on the hunt for three points against visiting Chicago Fire and found them after an egg-cellent 3-0 Easter win.
The result improves the Five Stripes’ record to 3-2-0 and bumps them up to sixth in the Eastern Conference with nine points in five games.
With everyone back from international duty, it’s a mostly full-strength eleven for Atlanta United with one small change. Noah Cobb gets his second consecutive start for the Five Stripes at right center back alongside the more experienced Derrick Williams who has started every game this season.
Atlanta didn’t start the game as dominant as it has in previous games, but it still managed to create several chances in the first half. The Five Stripes kept peppering Chris Brady’s goal with attempts in the first 45 minutes with 15 shots to Chicago’s 4 and 2.5 xG to the Fire’s 0.2.
Just as the half was coming to a close, Giorgos Giakoumakis put away the opener after a cross by Saba Lobjanidze. The goal for 1-0 is the Greek’s fifth this season and his 22nd in MLS.
For Atlanta United, there was good news and bad news. The good is that it took a 1-0 lead into halftime. The bad is that Giakoumakis seems to have been playing through a knock from the first half. As a result, he had to be subbed off and replaced by Thiare.
Buuuuuuuut then there was good news again as Thiare opened his Atlanta United account with a towering header. With a very special birthday goal, the 31-year-old Senegalese striker doubled the Five Stripes’ lead in the 65th minute.
Matters only got worse for the visitors as Carlos Teran was sent off with a straight red after a nasty challenge on Edwin Mosquera in the 84th minute.
Atlanta United made the numbers advantage count late into stoppage time as Thiare scored his second of the night to seal the three points. With that, the match ended 3-0 to the Five Stripes.
The Atlanta extended its perfect home form this season and earned a second consecutive home clean sheet. It still looks like some of the players have to gain more understanding of their teammates’ movements and tendencies, but overall it seems like the right pieces are in place. Now, the team has to prove itself away from home.
Atlanta United travel to the Big Apple for a match against New York City FC on Saturday as the team searches for its first road point of 2024.
What did you think of the game? Let us know in the comments and fill out your player ratings below.
[…] we play (at home), three points are the only way,” defender Noah Cobb said after Atlanta’s 3-0 win over Chicago Fire FC on Sunday. “Especially at home with the support that we had (during the game), we felt it from the very […]
Disappointingly disappointed with Slisz so far. He hasn’t had great outings with us to this point (including an uninspiring preseason showing) and yesterday was just another meh performance. He may be better defensively than what we had before and he can be a good disruptor when he isn’t getting beat on a run, but his poor decision-making and giveaways really expose the weakness we still have in the midfield. Muyumba still seems to have to play double-duty on ball recoveries deep in our own half, which impacts his chance to move the attack forward starting closer to the middle of the park.
I think the reason we aren’t seeing as much of an issue though is because our new CB combos have been sublime. Williams and gregersen, now Williams and Cobb… they’re putting Miles and Abram to shame.
All he did was run 5 miles on tired legs, control the midfield while everyone else bombed forward, and provide outlets for anyone. He’s a new mini-Nagbe so I guess I should get used to fans underestimating his value similarly.
Agree. Slisz had multiple solid outings prior to this. Yesterday he looked tired, but he has been really solid prior. Our improvement defensively is heavily attributed to he and Williams.
Considering we didn’t even HAVE a real 6 before him, I guess yeah, anything is going to be an improvement.
I guess we just aren’t watching the same stuff. Maybe I’m only watching the bad and others are just watching the good. I did forget to add some grace for his international duty.
But he has made some of the most head-scratching passes on the team so far – short-passing directly to a white jersey in our half more than once this weekend, it I remember correctly. He reminds much less of Nagbe (who is incredibly clinical, like Muyumba) and more of Franco (except he knows the difference between a silly foul and a smart one).
AU sits at 6th in the table, but moves up to 4th on points per match. This team is a contender again.
I’m looking for a measurable test for road performance. To date we have seen a trip into the home ground of the best team in the league, where they never lose. We competed and lost 1-0. Then there was the TFC match vs the 2s. Not a great sample to be honest.
I continue to be surprised at how different Guzan looks this year. Clearly he was not back last hear, but he looks great this year.
Thought Xande struggled a bit this game except that beautiful pass to Saba.
Really solid game from Cobb. Looked closer to preseason form.
Saba had a fantastic game with constant pressure on both sides of the ball. I swear that our right side, with Lennon and Saba, is the hardest running and highest stamina right wing in the league.
Also thought Wiley had a quietly solid game.
Spot-on take.
Silva looked bad before the assist because he lost every one-on-one he attempted.
Good on Pineda for keeping Cobb in the starting XI instead of automatically slotting in Abram.
Derrick Williams was a beast (Miles who?)
Lennon and Saba both must scare the heck out of other teams as the come up the wing looking to cross.
We might have a backup striker now.
Williams has been a fantastic addition so far. Surprising that he bounced around prior to this given his solid play. Then again, DC and LA have not been a model of success the past several years.
Watched 15-20 minutes of the Galaxy game Saturday and was baffled to see Miguel Berry start for them. Nothing changed from his time with us. Jogs around in small circles applying very little valuable pressure with his head on a swivel and not coming close to the ball. Actual benefit brought to the 11 was next to none. Guess LA and Atlanta see players very differently (note LA looked pretty solid beyond Berry).
Lennon’s cross into the box for the goal was a beauty
It was Gressel-to-Josef-esque.
I was critical of Cobb last match. In fairness, he was much better yesterday. His distribution was quiet good.
[…] Thiare scores birthday brace in Atlanta United’s 3-0 win over Chicago Fire […]
Is it just me or languages barriers are truly effecting this team. I recall Saba and Almada in the box struggling to find out who would take it. Naturally in the position, it was suited for Almada but still. To my understanding, Saba doesn’t speak Spanish and Almada doesn’t speak, well, whatever Saba speaks.
Is it just me or languages can and really are affecting this team?
That’s just you…
Soccer transcends language barriers, that’s one of the best parts of the sport 😉
Fair