Playing sloppily for the second consecutive match, Atlanta United was punished by Memphis 901 2-1 on Wednesday and knocked out of the U.S. Open Cup in the third round at Kennesaw State.
“We’re in shock,” fullback and team captain Ronald Hernandez said. “They didn’t beat us because of quality. They beat us because of attitude. And we’re upset about it because it’s something we talked about before the game.”
It was the earliest that Atlanta United has been eliminated in the tournament and wasn’t undeserved. The Five Stripes put just one shot on goal during regulation. It was Tyler Wolff’s first goal for the club.
The numbers caught up to Atlanta United in regulation. Forced to play from behind after the third minute, Memphis, managed by former Atlanta United leader Stephen Glass and featuring several players with ties to the club, outshot Atlanta United 20-8 and put seven shots on goal. It dominated long stretches of the match, only to be denied over and over by Clement Diop.
Memphis got its reward when it tied the game in the sixth minute of stoppage time. The equalizer came on a penalty kick by Phillip Goodrum, a former player for Atlanta United 2. He was tackled in the box by JuanJo Purata.
Memphis’ winner came in the 100th minute on a close-range volley by Nighte Pickering. The sequence started with a turnover by Luis Abram in Atlanta United’s half of the field. Turnovers in the defensive half have been a problem the past two matches, as have late goals. Four of the past five goals allowed by Atlanta United have come in the 90th minute or later of matches.
Memphis finished with 30 shots, 10 on goal, to Atlanta United’s 11 and two.
“I felt that Memphis were more ready for the battle, they were trying to win the duels, do everything they can to put pressure on us,” Atlanta United manager Gonzalo Pineda said. “We were timid.”
In failing to win many of the second balls and again looking lethargic on offense, Atlanta United fell to 8-1-0 at Fifth Third Bank Stadium in front of an announced attendance of 3,034.
The loss came a few days after Atlanta United was outplayed by Chicago but won 2-1 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The team will resume MLS play on Saturday at Nashville.
Pineda rotated a few new faces into the starting lineup. Miguel Berry started at striker with Luiz Araujo on the right, Wolff on the left, and Amar Sejdic as the attacking midfielder. Ajani Fortune and Franco Ibarra were the central midfielders. Hernandez and Caleb Wiley were the fullbacks, Abram and Noah Cobb were the centerbacks, and Diop was in goal. It was also the first starts this season for Wolff, Abram, Fortune and Hernandez.
Pineda said he made the changes, bringing in 10 players who didn’t start against Chicago, because some deserved minutes and he was trying to save some players for Saturday’s game.
The lack of chemistry affected the performance, Pineda said.
“I made rotations and I will take responsibility for those rotations and for today’s result,” Pineda said.
Atlanta United jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the third minute on a goal by Wolff, assisted by Araujo, who hit a long diagonal from right to left. Wolff took a touch before calmly slotting the shot past Bill Hamid. Scored at 2:37, it was the quickest goal scored by the team this season and the fifth-fastest goal scored in its history.
The sloppiness and inability to beat a press that affected Atlanta United in its previous game against Chicago returned against Memphis.
“I think after the first goal and the first half, we couldn’t really get set,” Wolff said. “And they kept coming and coming. And we didn’t have many answers. Yeah, it just wasn’t great.”
A double-save by Diop in the 32nd minute prevented Memphis from tying the game. The visitors’ attack started with a turnover by Wolff in Atlanta United’s defensive third. It was a problem throughout the first half but not one Memphis could take advantage of.
Diop made another fantastic save, this time with his right foot as he was falling left, in the 39th minute to deny Bruno Lapa as Atlanta United’s defense was again sliced open.
Atlanta United’s form didn’t improve in the opening minutes of the second half. But Memphis remained wasteful or was denied by Atlanta United heroics, including a flying block of a shot by Sejdic in the 55th minute.
Pineda put in Andrew Gutman and Brooks Lennon for Araujo and Wiley in the 61st minute. Lennon played right wing and Gutman left fullback.
Memphis’ pressure continued. Diop dove to his left to stop a shot in the 68th minute.
Derrick Etienne and Machop Chol were put on for Berry and Sejdic in the 69th minute. Chol moved to striker, Etienne to left wing and Wolff to attacking midfielder.
Through 75 minutes, Memphis outshot Atlanta United 14-7 and put five shots on goal to the host’s one.
Pineda put Purata on for Cobb in the 80th minute.
Interestingly, Pineda said the the team was playing so poorly in so many different areas that he didn’t think Thiago Almada, one of the best players in MLS and who was on the bench, was going to be able to help.
“The reality is today we didn’t play well and we need to correct many things,” Pineda said.
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Atlanta United’s 2023 MLS schedule
Feb. 25 Atlanta United 2, San Jose Earthquakes 1
March 4 Atlanta United 1, Toronto FC 1
March 11 Atlanta United 3, Charlotte FC 0
March 18 Atlanta United 5, Portland 1
March 25 Columbus 6, Atlanta United 1
April 1 Atlanta United 1, New York Red Bulls 0
April 8 Atlanta United 1, New York City FC 1
April 15 Atlanta United 2, Toronto FC 2
April 23 Atlanta United 2, Chicago 1
April 29 at Nashville SC, 1:30 p.m., Fox
May 6 at Inter Miami CF, 7:30 p.m.
May 13 vs. Charlotte FC, 7:30 p.m.
May 17 vs. Colorado Rapids, 7:30 p.m.
May 20 at Chicago Fire FC, 8:30 p.m.
May 27 at Orlando City SC, 7:30 p.m.
May 31 vs. New England Revolution, 7:30 p.m., FS1
June 3 at Los Angeles FC, 10:30 p.m.
June 10 vs. D.C. United, 7:30 p.m.
June 21 vs. New York City FC, 7:30 p.m.
June 24 at New York Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m.
July 2 vs. Philadelphia Union, 4 p.m., Fox
July 8 at CF Montreal, 7:30 p.m.
July 12 at New England Revolution, 7:30 p.m.
July 15 vs. Orlando City SC, 7:30 p.m., FS1
Aug. 20 at Seattle Sounders, 10:30 p.m.
Aug. 26 vs. Nashville SC, 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 30 vs. FC Cincinnati, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 2 at FC Dallas, 8:30 p.m.
Sept. 16 vs. Inter Miami CF, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 20 at D.C. United, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 23 vs. CF Montreal, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 4 at Philadelphia Union, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 7 vs. Columbus Crew, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 21 at FC Cincinnati, TBA
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