A look into what Atlanta United’s Decision Day triumph meant to the club

Atlanta United’s regular season is a wrap, and through a series of spectacularly fortuitous results and the team’s most explosive first 20 minutes of the season, the Five Stripes are through to the playoffs! Rob Valentino and Brad Guzan said it best when they explained that all eyes have to look toward this Montreal game on a quick turnaround, but let’s take a moment to revel in what actually happened down in Orlando on Decision Day. The players deserve it, the staff deserve it, and the fans deserve it, because if you’re not taking any joy from a result like last night’s…why? Here’s a more in-depth look at the whirlwind of feelings that the Five Stripes endured in Orlando at Inter & Co Stadium.

We all know how the stage was ultimately set for the Decision Day clash, and regardless of how the 90 minutes played out, 2024’s version of the final day of the regular season was going to be emotional. Atlanta had to travel away to the home of a historic, bitter rival – whether it’s felt that way recently or not – and achieve a win. Prior to Decision Day, the Five Stripes had won 3 matches away from home all season and snagged a total of 15 points. The jarring aspect of that number is the fact that Atlanta’s home record has only yielded them 22 points this season. In fact, some of Atlanta’s more inspiring performances this season have actually been on the road; take a look back at the 3-1 win over Messi’s Inter Miami and the 1-0 gritty performance over a stubborn Charlotte. Perhaps that bodes well for a playoff pathway that will see Atlanta United on the road, barring one possible game at home vs none other than Miami. But I digress.

Besides the necessary win, Atlanta also needed help from some mixture of Montreal, Philadelphia, and D.C. United. Montreal, forever useless, didn’t help, but Philadelphia was eliminated thanks to an early second half own goal. The final piece fell as Charlotte mollywhopped D.C. United 3-0, which left only Atlanta to seal their own fate. As we spoke with Rob Valentino and players last night, Mike Conti pointed out a stat that noted Atlanta United’s probability of making the playoffs prior to opening whistle was approximately 10%.

“Ain’t that some shit,” Rob Valentino replied.

Rob went on to explain that he ultimately found out that other results had gone Atlanta’s way just prior to the final whistle, all while handling the roller coaster of emotions stemming from the (correct) VAR decision that ruled off Orlando’s equalizing goal going into stoppage time.

“I was pissed,” he exclaimed about the team giving up the second goal. “I was still pissed after the review.”

Meanwhile, Saba Lobjanidze was standing by the ref explaining that the ball struck Duncan McGuire’s hand and because he was an offensive player, the positioning of his arm didn’t matter. “He didn’t really listen to me,” Saba told me, laughing, “but he made the right call.”

Saba – who was absolutely beaming and clearly still coming off the adrenaline – then explained that he also had no idea of the other results, but during a pause in play just before the final whistle, he looked over at the bench and saw Xande Silva trying to calm everyone down. He said he felt then that all they had to do was see the game out.

Both he and Derrick Williams also praised Rob’s abilities as a motivator, and someone who wears his emotions on his sleeve. When asked what Rob’s prematch speech was, Saba laughed again and replied “Just fucking win.”

Derrick Williams, for his part, had a front row seat to the ill-fated second Orlando goal. He described his feeling that he thought they’d be going for the header, but then the ball came down and pinged around a bit before McGuire poked it to the back of the net.

“I felt it hit me,” he said about the chaos of the ball in the box. “But I asked Duncan McGuire if it touched (his arm) and he said ‘Yeahhh.'” The veteran defender then went on to describe his reaction at the final whistle, saying he had no idea until he looked over at the bench and they were all screaming and celebrating.

And celebrate they did, and rightfully so. It felt like a cup win? Yeah, actually, and it was by far the most emotion I’ve seen from Atlanta United players and staff all season. For all the games this year where it appeared that everyone’s passion in the locker room and in interviews was subdued because they just had to “look to the next match,” this one had all the makings of the jovial and celebratory nature of winning a final. In fact, while standing outside the locker room as players were still trickling in off the pitch, I genuinely thought they had popped champagne at one point. That’s just part of what happens when you overcome all odds on any given day, and that emotion now has to be aimed at Montreal and the rest of the playoffs. They have to remember the feeling from Decision Day and use every last ounce.

The Apple broadcast and Atlanta’s social media did a fine job of capturing the celebrations, hugs, clapping, and overall happiness of the players and staff post final whistle, but the Five Stripes truly turned Inter & Co Stadium’s underbelly into a party afterwards. Dax McCarty was able to enjoy a wonderful moment with a large contingent of family that showed up to watch his final regular season match.

As we stood waiting for the players to enter the locker room, they had a large ramp from the field that they had to walk up and then past us. Brad Guzan came running by yelling “GET IN!” over and over. Rob Valentino was slapping the walls with his notepad and hugging everyone, including myself and a random Orlando staffer. He was taking in the entire moment.

Pedro Amador was all smiles, Alexey Miranchuk walked by grinning and silently clenching his fist in triumph before sharing a moment with a former teammate from Italy, and staff members, front office folks, and more were all hugging as the shouts of “LET’S — GO” echoed down Orlando’s hallways.

So yes, the celebrations were real, they were intense, and they were fun. But it wasn’t lost on anyone – and I do mean anyone – that they now have to go and prove themselves all over again on Tuesday. And then again after that. And again.

“We almost have to prove ourselves even more,” Rob said when asked about going into the playoffs. “Tuesday night in Montréal and that’s where the next focus has to go. It’s short lived for sure but I always take the joy out of things and I want to make sure I don’t forget this moment because for the people I do it with and the players, it was sweet.”

For the squad, it’s a simple day of recovery before film sessions and then the flight up to Montreal. There may be a tired leg or two, but nothing can take away the absolute jubilation that entire team felt last night. And that has to carry them through, against all odds.