In the face of Atlanta United’s big-money attackers underperforming, the team was lifted by four goals that came from elsewhere in its 4-2 win over FC Cincinnati.
The Five Stripes improve to 3-7-5, landing them 12th in the Eastern Conference with 14 points in 15 games.
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Head Coach Ronny Deila opted for a 3-5-2 with a striker duo of Miguel Almiron and Emmanuel Latte Lath in front of a three-man midfield of Jay Fortune, Bartosz Slisz and Alexey Miranchuk. The back three featured Luis Abram, Derrick Williams and Matt Edwards while Pedro Amador and Saba Lobjanidze flanked as wing backs.
Despite the visitors dominating much of the play early in the match, the Five Stripes struck first after Derrick Williams headed home an Alexey Miranchuk free kick to open the scoring 15 minutes in with his first goal of the season.
Just five minutes later, Jay Fortune doubled the lead by tapping home Saba Lobjanidze’s cutback for his first goal of the season (and second all-time with the first team).
The Five Stripes carried some exciting attacking momentum going into halftime, but it was the visitors who came out swinging in the second half. Former Atlanta United defender Miles Robinson headed home a Cincinnati corner to cut Atlanta’s lead to 2-1
Atlanta once again established the two-goal lead in the 66th minute as Slisz tapped home Williams’ header from a corner kick to make it 3-1. The Polish midfielder celebrated his first goal of the season with an announcement that he will soon be a father.
But that didn’t last long as Gerardo Valenzuela got on the end of a low cross to make it 3-2 in the 70th minute.
But the icing on the cake came late from Jamal Thiare who latched onto a Mateusz Klich through ball before finishing in the bottom corner to secure the three points for Atlanta United in stoppage time.
Despite facing a fierce Cincinnati side that put nine of 28 shots on goal compared to Atlanta’s six of 12, the Five Stripes were able to hold on for its first win in nearly two months.
Atlanta United will be back in Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Wednesday, May 28th as it hosts rival Orlando City SC at 7:30 pm.
What did you think of the match? Let us know in the comments below.
The team finally looked to be playing with some grit, some anger, some desire to be on the field achieving a win. We had plenty of chances to make this a 6-7 goal game too, which is MUCH better than previous games where we would finish without a single shot on goal. We’re not back, but i’ll take progress at this point.
Not having Saba on the field should be clear to Deila that you lose that right side. I’m not part of the Lennon hater club like some on here are (remember he’s been the most consistent player we’ve had in the last several years) but Saba is still our strongest right winger/wing back we have and any compliment to him needs to be on the same level.
I like how we actually had a midfield in this game, that’s been missing in previous games. Essentially 5 center backs and 2 6’s won’t get you any goals, period. We went with 3 CB’s, 5 mids (with what I felt was a good connecting triangle in the center/mid field) and giving our wingbacks the ability to go up and contribute or stay back and defend as needed, but still looking to get forward to progress the ball. Link up play looked MUCH better too.
Still disappointed in Miggy getting on the ball and being that play maker. Granted, he did draw defenders, get fouls to go his way, and he didn’t give up as easily as he has before, so maybe more progress?.,? but still, I want to see more control and progress through him. Mira still isn’t it, but Fortune makes himself very attractive to that CM/CAM role the more he’s played. Hell, he was a good wing back a few games back…this guy keeps moving up on the list.
And lastly, LL needs to move around more. I can’t stand watching CF’s just stand in the midfield waiting for the ball to progress. Move laterally and make the backline guess. We still made their defense handle us a bit easier than we should due to being consistent, we need to keep them guessing.
MY Take – We won a game at home!! We needed that!! so well done!!!
We had some lucky calls – which help secure the win.
The coach made a formation change and it seem to work a bit. I would make another change, If we are insisting that Miggy stays on the field, start Miranchuk on the bench, move miggy, to that 10 spot with Fortune and Slisz/Mayumba. Start Thaire and LL at the top. If he want to leave Miggy uptop with LL, then move Fortune to the 10 with Mayumba and Slisz play DMs. Fortune was making some good plays and hand off. Miggy, does not hand off and tries to take the ball himself and often loses the ball. Fortune ca distribute to Thaire/Miggy and LL much better.
In defense – start Cobb instead of Abram, and really let see if we can get our other keep in – it may speed up the counters and get that ball out the back.
We played much better. I would give Mosqeura a start instead of Saba – change the formation to 3-4-1-2 – which kinda is hope they were playing.
My lineup –
—-Thaire/Miggy — LL —
——-Miggy/Fortune—–
Amador/Mosquera–Fortune/Muyumba—–Slisz/Klich—-Saba
Cobb/Williams/Edwards
If we can get offensive pressure with both Thaire and LL on at the same time, with Fortune or Miggy feeding them we can go up early and keep pressure on.
Agree with the spanish language commentator on the last goal, Klich and Thiare were able to combine in a way that Latte Lath and Miggy weren’t able to do the entire game. Now granted a lot of that comes down to tired legs and Cincy pressing for an equalizer, but how many times was Miggy running into cut-de-sacs, misplacing passes or hanging onto the ball too long, dispossessed in dangerous places? Miranchuk had a better game, not great but better. It looked to me like Miranchuk slightly re-directs the ball on Slisz’s goal? lucky that wasn’t called for offside
Miranchuk definitely touches, but I don’t think it is offsides cause he was onside on the initial header.
[…] Atlanta United snap winless streak with 4-2 victory over FC Cincinnati […]
This game made it obvious that Lennon should not start again.
The formation was also much better.
Fortune had a great game, he’s developed really well
Amen! Brooks would have crossed that ball way over the back post.
This game + playoffs last year…
As long as we utilize this formation, Saba has to start at RWB. I think we all appreciate Brooks’ professional approach to the game. The guy works and runs like hell pretty much the entire time he’s out there. He’s just limited in his ability as an attacker. Saba is far more dynamic in how he can test a back line.
Much better, I’m still very skeptical of this team and manager. One game doesn’t make a streak. We could’ve blown the game many times and been behind so we are still very shakey. So we will see what comes next.
Agree. Cincy took some crappy shots and Brad saved our butts a couple times.
That is the game I expected coming into the year.