As has been the case many times the past few seasons, Atlanta United followed one of its better performances with something less, resulting in a 2-0 loss to Nashville on Saturday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
The defeat came after Atlanta United beat Charlotte 1-0 two weeks ago, providing a glimmer of belief that the team could play consistently smart, tough defense, and be opportunistic on offense.
Instead, against Nashville, it sleepwalked through the match’s first nine minutes during which it fell behind 1-0 and was fortunate to not have given up at least one more to a team that hadn’t scored in more than 430 minutes.
“Uninspiring, not a good performance,” interim manager Rob Valentino said.
Offensively, Atlanta United produced nothing too clever to unlock Nashville’s defense. Atlanta United took 10 shots, putting five on goal. Atlanta United finished with an expected goals total of 0.6, compared to Nashville’s 2.0. It marked the eighth time Atlanta United has been shut out this season. It happened in front of an announced attendance of 43,330.
With the loss, Atlanta United fell to 8-13-7, including a franchise-worst 5-6-3 at home. It is still in 10th place in the East, one slot below the playoff line, with six matches remaining, starting Wednesday at home against Miami. Atlanta United is closer to 15th place (four points) than to eighth (five points).
The performance was reminiscent of one earlier this season when Atlanta United blasted Miami 3-1 and then returned home and was beaten by Charlotte 3-2, which resulted in manager Gonzalo Pineda being fired in June.
“I think if we had that answer, we wouldn’t be in the spot we are,” Valentino said. “I’m not focused on what’s happened in the past few seasons, more focused on the present, what’s happening now. But yeah, I’m at a loss for words for that tonight. I apologize to the people that watch that and that won’t be happening again. We have to move on. I have no choice there.”
Valentino’s lineup was composed of Daniel Rios at striker, Alexey Miranchuk at attacking midfielder, Saba Lobjanidze and Xande Silva on the wings, Jay Fortune and Bartosz Slisz in the midfielder, Brooks Lennon and Pedro Amador as fullbacks, Stian Gregersen and Derrick Williams as centerbacks, and Brad Guzan in goal.
Nashville dominated the opening minutes and got a deserved goal and a 1-0 lead when Alex Muyl hit a volley at the near post from yards away in the fifth minute. Atlanta United’s defending was awful throughout. Teal Bunbury, unmarked, put header from a free kick off the post in the opening minute. Nashville continued to press with Muyl beating Lennon down the left and to the end line before he put in a cross. The ball eventually came back to him, unmarked, and he slammed it into the goal.
Williams said it was one of the worst stretches the team has played this season. He doesn’t know why, other than the team failed to win a series of small moments.
“We miss a tackle in the midfield, 50-50, it’s perfect to really win it and get the crowd up,” he said. “We lose that. They win it. They’re on their front foot. It kind of sets the tone of the game. So from the minute one, we lost our tackles, lost a one on one across the ball. So yeah, it’s poor.”
Guzan was forced to make a point-blank save in 31st minute when Bunbury was again unmarked for a header that Guzan stopped with his right leg.
Silva left the match in the 37th minute with an undisclosed injury. He was replaced by Edwin Mosquera.
Nashville thought it had increased its lead to 2-0 in the 39th minute when Sam Surridge tapped in a cross from Muyl. However, after a video review, Muyl was judged to have been offside.
Atlanta United finished the half with three chances created and one shot on goal. Nashville created seven chances and put two shots on goal. The best moment for Atlanta United to that point was the halftime Mariachi band playing Sweet Caroline with some in the stadium joining in.
Atlanta United was able to create transition chances in the second half. Rios was denied in the opening minute. A Miranchuk shot was saved a few minutes later. Rios hit the post with another shot in the 66th minute. Miranchuk hit a shot wide in the 68th minute.
Jamal Thiare, Dax McCarty and Tristan Muyumba subbed on for Slisz, Fortune and Rios in the 70th minute.
Nashville took a 2-0 lead on a goal by Hany Mukhtar in the 76th minute. He picked up the ball hear midfield and dribbled 40 yards before playing a give-and go with Bunbury that got him past Williams and put him in one-on-one with Guzan.
“We start so bad,” Lobjanidze said. “It was really important to start really good, but we didn’t start good. We were little bit slow, so they kept the ball. They scored, and after we could not come back. So I don’t know. We have to work better.”
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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
May 11 D.C. United 3, Atlanta United 2
May 15 Cincinnati 1, Atlanta United 0
May 18 Atlanta United 1, Nashville 1
May 21 Atlanta United 0 (5), Charleston 0 (4) in U.S. Open Cup
May 25 LAFC 1, Atlanta United 0
May 29 Atlanta United 3, Miami 1
June 2 Charlotte 3, Atlanta United 2
June 15 Atlanta United 2, Houston 2
June 19 Atlanta United 1, D.C. United 0
June 22 Atlanta United 1, St. Louis 1
June 29 Atlanta United 2, Toronto 1
July 3 New England 2, Atlanta United 1
July 6 Real Salt Lake 5, Atlanta United 2
July 9 vs. Indy Eleven 2, Atlanta United 1
July 13 Montreal 1, Atlanta United 0
July 17 Atlanta United 2, NYCFC 2
July 20 Atlanta United 2, Columbus 1
July 26 D.C. United 3 (6), Atlanta United 3 (5) in Leagues Cup
Aug. 4 Santos Laguna 0 (5), Atlanta United 0 (3) in Leagues Cup
Aug. 24 L.A. Galaxy 2, Atlanta United 0
Aug. 31 Atlanta United 1, Charlotte 0
Sept. 14 Nashville 2, Atlanta United 0
Sept. 18 vs. Miami, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 21 at Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 28 at Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 2 vs. Montreal, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 5 vs. Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 19 at Orlando, 6 p.m.
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