Atlanta United falls to Charlotte, home winless streak at six

The goodwill and good vibes generated from Atlanta United’s win against Miami were undone in a 3-2 loss to Charlotte on Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

There were signs of the aggressiveness and discipline that the Five Stripes used to dismantle Lionel Messi’s team a few days earlier, particularly on goals scored by Thiago Almada and Xande Silva. But between those goals Atlanta United did some Atlanta Uniteding....not closing down players or leaving others open in dangerous spots. There was also a controversial goal scored by Charlotte that tied the match at 1 in front of an announced attendance of 61,209.

Atlanta United (4-8-4) is winless in its past six home matches, including five consecutive losses, which extends a franchise record. Heading into an off week, President Garth Lagerwey and Vice President Carlos Bocanegra may have decisions to make about manager Gonzalo Pineda’s future at the club. Atlanta United has one win its past 11 MLS matches. With Sunday’s loss it remained three points below the ninth and final spot in the playoffs, and 13 points behind fourth-place, which comes with homefield advantage in the playoffs. The team has 18 league matches remaining.

Pineda responded with a definitive “no” when asked if he’s concerned that the team isn’t responding as positively as he would like to what he’s teaching and coaching.

Pineda did say that the defeat deflated the team’s momentum.

“The other day was five goals, today was two and we’ve got only three points out of five goals scored,” he scored. “I think we need to do better, we need to do better.”

Pineda selected the same starting lineup that was used in Wednesday’s 3-1 win against Miami. Almada was again captain with Jamal Thiare at striker, Saba Lobjanidze, Tristan Muyumba and Dax McCarty in the midfield, Stian Gregersen and Derrick Williams as the centerbacks, Brooks Lennon and Caleb Wiley as the fullbacks, and Josh Cohen in goal. Unlike the last game when he wasn’t eligible to be selected because of a red card suspension, Brad Guzan could have been selected to start in goal.

Atlanta United came out with energy, just as they did against Miami. The hosts took three shots in the first nine minutes.

Atlanta United took a 1-0 lead in the 35th minute when a shot by Almada deflected off a Charlotte player and went in. Atlanta United created a turnover in Charlotte’s third. Lobjanidze and Almada connected a few times before his shot glanced off the back of Charlotte’s Adilson Malanda and past goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina. It was Almada’s fourth goal and Lobjanidze’s fourth assist.

And then Atlanta United did what Atlanta United often does, it gave up a goal within minutes of scoring….and from a set piece.

Cohen was forced to dive across the goal and push away a corner kick that bounced off Williams in the 40th minute and appeared to preserve Atlanta United’s lead. Play was allowed to continue. However, a review of the shot was conducted two minutes later and it was judged by referee Ismir Pekmic that the whole ball crossed the line to tie the match at 1. Williams, who said he couldn’t see the ball before it hit him, was charged with an own goal. There was no camera looking down the end line, or over the goal, for a definitive angle. Cohen said he thought he got to the ball before it crossed. He then said he thought enough time has passed that a review wouldn’t happen.

Pekmic was asked because there wasn’t an end-line camera, how was it clear and obvious that his initial no-all on Charlotte’s first goal was incorrect?

“The VAR had access to an angle that provided sufficient evidence that the ball crossed the whole of the goal line,” he wrote in response.

Charlotte put one shot on goal in the first half. Its goal wasn’t it. Atlanta United finished with nine shots, three on goal.

Charlotte came out to start the second half and pressed Atlanta United very hard all over the field.

Charlotte took a 2-1 lead, this time the goal was obviously good, on a 23-yard shot by Liel Abada that flew past Cohen and into the lower right corner in the 56th minute. The goal was the result of a counter attack by Charlotte that started in its own 18-yard box. Atlanta United still had a numerical advantage on defense but neither Williams nor Abram stepped quickly enough forward to close down Abada. Williams said he should have done better.

“Just that yard off and you can’t give good players a yard off,” he said. “And he finishes nicely. So yeah, disappointing.”

Pineda subbed on Giorgos Giakoumakis, Silva and Jay Fortune for Thiare, McCarty and Williams in the 62nd minute. The subs resulted in Atlanta United switching from three centerbacks to two centerbacks to get another player into the attack.

Charlotte increased its lead to 3-1 with a goal by Abada in the 68th minute. It came from a simple pass to Abada, who was unmarked in the center of the 18-yard box, 12 yards from goal. It was just the second time this season that Charlotte has scored three goals.

“We shouldn’t be conceding three goals at home,” Williams said. “It’s not good enough.”

Gregersen left with an undisclosed injury in the 73rd minute. He was replaced by Cobb. Gregersen only returned from an injury five matches ago.

Silva cut Charlotte’s lead to 3-2 with a curling right-footed shot in the 76th minute. It was his first goal this season. Lobjanidze and Fortune were credited with assists. Edwin Mosquera replaced Lobjanidze in the 76th minute.

Atlanta United was better in Charlotte in most key categories, including shots (18-10), and expected goals (2.1-1.2), tied on shots on goal (4-4) and obviously didn’t do better in the most important category, goals, which has been the case in most matches this season.

“I think again, we played similar in some ways (to Miami) in a very different game,” Pineda said. “We’re working more in possession, more dominant versus the game in Miami. We that we were creating high value chances that we like. So again, you can see the work in some ways but at same time, we lost the game.”

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Atlanta United’s 2024 schedule

Feb. 24 Columbus 1, Atlanta United 0

March 9 Atlanta United 4, New England 1

March 17 Atlanta United 2, Orlando 0

March 23 Toronto 2, Atlanta United 0

March 31 Atlanta United 3, Chicago 0

April 6 Atlanta United 1, NYCFC 1

April 14 Atlanta United 2, Philadelphia 2

April 20 Cincinnati 2, Atlanta United 1

April 27 Atlanta United 1, Chicago 1

May 4 Minnesota 2, Atlanta United 1

May 7 Atlanta United 3, Charlotte Independence 0 in U.S. Open Cup