A penalty kick by Alexey Miranchuk and another by Tyler Wolff gave Atlanta United a 2-1 win against the New York Red Bulls on Saturday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Those goals, scored in the second half, combined with other results, means Atlanta United will go into Decision Day against Orlando on Oct. 19 with the playoffs still possible.
“Energy felt different. The intensity, the commitment level and the real belief in each other felt different to me,” interim manager Rob Valentino said. “It looked different, so then the longer the game went, I felt like they had more belief in it. And then, obviously the goals will change games. It got insane, as things tend to do here towards the end, but it just felt different than when the goals came.”
That possibility was preserved because referee Ismir Pekmic ruled in the 84th minute that a tying goal scored by the Red Bulls’ Elias Manoel didn’t count because after a video review he was judged to be offside by the length of a shoe. Had the goal stood, Atlanta United and the Red Bulls would have been tied at 1-1. Atlanta United hasn’t performed well this season after giving up tying goals this season, which is why it needed a victory to remain in the hunt for a playoff berth. Another goal was waved away because of an offside a few minutes later. The total distance that resulted in the two goals being called back was no more than a foot. Such are the margins that frequently have gone against Atlanta United many times this season, but saved it Saturday.
“I was frustrated, really frustrated, because that’s what causes problems all season, little things like that,” Valentino said. “When you’re in control of the game, you have to see things out. And yeah, we got lucky. But I’ve said before, you create your own luck, and (expletive) right, we deserve some of that. So I’m not going to apologize for it.”
The loss snapped Atlanta United’s (9-14-10) five-match winless streak in front of an announced attendance of 43,428. It was only the second time in franchise history that Atlanta United defeated the Red Bulls during the regular season.
The day started well for Atlanta United because Inter Miami defeated Toronto with a goal in stoppage time. That defeat ensured that Atlanta United couldn’t be eliminated from the playoff contention if it defeated the Red Bulls.
Centerback Derrick Williams said that the team watched the Miami-Toronto match. He didn’t think the result and knowing that the team had something to play for affected its performance.
“We knew it mattered, no matter what,” he said.
Valentino’s lineup was composed of striker Jamal Thiare, midfielders Miranchuk, Saba Lobjanidze, Edwin Mosquera, Jay Fortune and Bartosz Slisz, fullbacks Pedro Amador and Ronald Hernandez, centerbacks Stian Gregersen and Williams, and goalkeeper Brad Guzan.
Atlanta United gave Valentino the high-energy start he’s wanted but not seen in the previous five matches. Hernandez and Gregersen forced saves in the opening minutes. Lobjanidze went wide with another dangerous shot. Atlanta United put more shots on goal (two) in the first 10 minutes than it did the entire first half when the teams played two weeks ago.
Atlanta United finished the half with eight shots, three on goal. The Red Bulls took three shots, putting one on goal.
“In the end of the season, all this matter is three points, right?” Miranchuk said. “So everybody’s going to forget the way we played.”
Atlanta United continued to keep the Red Bulls under pressure in the second half, but couldn’t find the important breakthrough goal.
A lifeline was given when Pekmic gave the Red Bulls’ Dylan Nealis a red card in the 65th minute for a challenge against Mosquera. Both players were attempting to control a long ball behind New York’s balkline. Nealis’ right foot appeared to strike Mosquera in his right side.
Playing with a man advantage, Thiare won a penalty kick in the 69th minute from an attempted tackle by Noah Eile. Players on both teams came together, resulting in Gregersen being pushed by Red Bulls goalkeeper Carlos Coronel. Five yellow cards were issued after the fracas, four to the Red Bulls and one to Atlanta United.
After that was settled, Pekmic reviewed the initial penalty against Thiare. He upheld his call.
Miranchuk scored, putting the ball into the lower right corner in the 74th minute to give Atlanta United a 1-0 lead. Miranchuk said he decided before the attempt to put it into the corner.
Atlanta United kept pressing.
A Miranchuk shot was pushed over the crossbar, and it was followed by a Slisz header that went inches wide.
Atlanta United, as it has done many times the past four seasons, gave up what appeared to be the tying goal a few minutes later when Elias Manoel got behind Gregersen and hit a long shot past the onrushing Guzan.
This time, Atlanta United got lucky.
After a review by Pekmic, Manoel was judged to be offside.
Gregersen said he had his hand on Manoel and he felt him ahead of him, so he knew that when Pekmic reviewed it he would judge him to be offside.
Another Red Bulls goal by Manoel in the fifth minute of stoppage time was wiped away because of another offside, much more clear than the first but still very close.
Wolff secured the win by running onto a pass from Miranchuk and slotting a shot into the lower right corner in the seventh minute of stoppage time. It was Wolff’s first goal this season.
“I kept telling myself, let’s just finish this season strong, and then when you get your opportunity, take your chance, and I’m happy to help the team get a few points in the end,” Wolff said.
The Red Bulls scored in the 14th minute of stoppage time on a goal by Serge Ngoma. There was supposed to be 11 minutes of stoppage time, but more were allowed.
Atlanta United will go into the regular season’s final match at Orlando in 12th place with 37 points. The top nine teams will advance to the playoffs. Atlanta United is three points behind eighth-place D.C. United and ninth-place Montreal. Atlanta United is tied on points with 10th-place Toronto, which has no more matches remaining, and 11trh place Philadelphia.
The first tiebreaker is wins. The second tiebreaker is goal-difference. Toronto finished with 11 wins. D.C. United and Montreal have 10 wins. Philadelphia and Atlanta United have nine wins. Philadelphia leads in goal-difference (plus-8), followed by Atlanta United (minus-4). None of the other teams in the mix are close in goal-difference.
“I know that this season wasn’t great, and I think everyone can be disappointed, but I hope it’s a small step for the next season, right?” Slisz said.
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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 Atlanta United 2, Inter Miami 2
Sept. 21 Atlanta United 2, Red Bulls 2
Sept. 28 Atlanta United 1, Philadelphia 1
Oct. 2 Montreal 2, Atlanta United 1
Oct. 5 vs. Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 19 at Orlando, 6 p.m.
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