Atlanta United has chance for rare second consecutive win Saturday against Dallas

More than a year from last winning consecutive matches at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta United will try to go 2-for-2 when it hosts Dallas on Saturday.

Another win would be another three points that would be a salve for the five already dropped from home matches, and provide the team a boost of confidence that it can go for three-for-three next week when it hosts New England. The team hasn’t won three consecutive home matches since doing so since March 2024.

“We want to have nine points out of these three games, but I can wish as much as I want; we have to perform,” manager Ronny Deila said. “So we have to go around thinking about what we can do every day to get better. When we do everything we can, I can look myself in the mirror every morning, and then you have to take the result as you come.”

One of the things that Deila has learned is that he can take some chances with his lineup selections. Homegrown signee Matthew Edwards played centerback two weeks ago and played well. Will Reilly performed so well in the midfield that Deila said it was like signing a new player. Dominik Chong Qui, 17 years old, played well enough at left fullback in last week’s 4-3 victory against NYCFC that the team decided to sign him to a Homegrown contract Friday, rather than stick to the original plan of starting that contract in January 2006.

Another is that he can move around the established players. Alexey Miranchuk can play anywhere centrally, as he showed each of the past two weeks when he was moved from attacking midfielder to central midfielder. Saba Lobjanidze can play on the left, but has shown he is much more effective on the right. Miguel Almiron can play on the right but seems more effective as the attacking midfielder.

That freedom resulted in the changes that helped Atlanta United rally from a two-goal deficit in the second half of Saturday’s win against NYCFC, and take a step toward building momentum.

“I’s super important to build off three points,” fullback Brooks Lennon said. “We’re looking to get another three points this week and have nine points at home in this little stretch that we have. So, super important to build off that win.”

So, Deila has choices, which is a nice challenge as he seeks to try to make better into best.

“I cannot remember one team that has outplayed us, maybe Miami had more chances than us,” he said. “So that has to give us confidence. And then we also know that we have so much to improve, and that gets me excited.”

One thing it must improve, particularly against Dallas, is eliminating individual mistakes on defense. It will face a player, Luciano Acosta, who has feasted on Atlanta United in his MLS career. Previously with D.C. United and Cincinnati, Acosta has torched Atlanta United for nine goals and five assists in 17 matches. His teams are 8-5-4 against the Five Stripes, according to transfermarkt.com.

“He’s dangerous, so we need to be aware of him at all times,” Lennon said.

Acosta has three goals in six matches this season and will be a challenge for whomever Deila starts in midfield.

“We cannot have the spaces that we gave in the game against New York, there’s no chance, then we’re gonna have problems,” Deila said. “We have dealt with a lot of good players, we need to do the things we do right. And we need him to run after us instead of us running after him.”

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Atlanta United’s 2025 schedule

Feb. 22 Atlanta United 3, Montreal 2

March 1 Charlotte 2, Atlanta United 0

March 8 Atlanta United 0, New York Red Bulls 0

March 16 Miami 2, Atlanta United 1

March 22 Atlanta United 2, Cincinnati 2

March 29 Atlanta United 4, NYCFC 3

April 5 vs. Dallas, 7:30 p.m., Apple

April 12 vs. New England, 2:30 p.m., Apple, Fox

April 19 at Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m., Apple

April 26 at Orlando, 7 p.m., Apple, Fox

May 3 vs. Nashville, 2:30 p.m., Apple, Fox