Atlanta United heads to Chicago for a rematch with the Fire on Saturday, April 27th. United defeated Chicago 3-0 on March 31 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Atlanta will head to the Midwest after losing 2-1 to Chicago. FC Cincinnati will be at home Saturday night.
After the game, Atlanta coach Gonzalo Pineda was asked if he felt any relief knowing Chicago was his team's next opponent, and he said no.
“It's never an easy game. We just lost five points at home,” Pineda said. “We have to come back now and get points against Chicago and it's not going to be easy. No matter what happens with 3-0 the other day, it's going to be a completely different game and we're going to try to win again. It is necessary to contain it.”
Atlanta United midfielder Saba Lobjanidze could definitely be named Man of the Match despite not scoring a goal or registering an assist. Thiago Almada's goal in the 59th minute gave Atlanta a 1-0 advantage, and three minutes later Cincinnati tied the score and took the lead with goals from forwards Luca Orellano (62nd minute) and Luciano Acosta (64th minute). I stole it. He was involved in every part of Saturday night's game, replacing Tyler Wolfe in the 86th minute.
Last Sunday, April 14, Atlanta United returned to Mercedes-Benz Stadium after giving up two second-half goals to Philadelphia for a 2-2 tie. Heading into the game against FC Cincinnati, the Five Stripes had only lost one game in their previous game. The difference between March and his April is that March saw him win three of his four matches, while April has only drawn two of his two matches so far.
The game against FC Cincinnati started out as a defensive battle, with both teams unable to create scoring opportunities despite pressing. Atlanta had several clear chances to score the first goal of the game in the first half, but Cincinnati would find a way to stop them with blocks and fine play from in front of the net. Lobjanidze spearheaded several of those attempts.
Tristan Muyumba, Caleb Wylie and Noah Cobb (who replaced Ronald Hernandez at the start of the second half) should be particularly praised for their work at the back in the first 45 minutes and the following three minutes of stoppage time.
Cincinnati led in the first half with 6-of-12 shots on goal, but Atlanta held a slight lead with 57 percent possession. The game was tied again after 48 minutes.
Atlanta seemed to have a sluggish start in the second half, but although Armada took the lead with their second goal of the season, Cincinnati's consecutive goals put them behind 2-1.
Despite having seven minutes of stoppage time, Atlanta could only allow a corner kick in the 96th minute, which was ultimately blocked.
Welcome back, Miles
Former Atlanta United center back Miles Robinson received applause during pre-match warm-ups. Robinson signed with FC Cincinnati following last season. Robinson is under contract until 2024 with a club option through 2025.
what's next
May is packed with games, including three at home and three on the road. Atlanta United will open the season on May 4th and May 11th at home against Minnesota FC and DC United. Road games between FC Cincinnati and Nashville will be played back-to-back on Wednesday, May 15th and Saturday, May 18th, with Atlanta United returning home against LAFC on Saturday, May 25th. Miami will host Atlanta on Wednesday, May 29th, concluding a very busy schedule of games. A month of play.
