A lack of organization and communication were among the issues for Atlanta United’s defense in the second half in the team’s 3-2 season-opening win Saturday against Montreal, centerback Stian Gregersen said Tuesday.
After a solid first half in which Montreal had only one shot on goal, the issues resulted in the visitors putting five on goal in the second half to finish with a higher expected-goals total (3.6) than Atlanta United (2.2).
“We were a little bit open in the middle; we have to stay more compact and make them play outside,” he said. “If we work on that, it will be better.”
Gregersen acknowledged that it was an entertaining game for the 65,000-plus who were there, and that it was good that the team won, but said that Atlanta United wants to control matches better than it did in the final 45 minutes.
“If you go through the game and get one, two, three chances against you, I think it’s all good, but in the end, I think they had five or six, and I think that’s too much,” manager Ronny Deila said.
Deila said the majority of Montreal’s chances in the second half came in transition moments, which the team spent time in the preseason working to limit.
That work will need to be anew this week because Charlotte, which will host Atlanta United on Saturday, features attacking players, led by striker Patrick Agyemang and winger Wilfried Zaha, who are considered better than Montreal’s.
Agyemang scored 10 goals with five assists last season, a performance good enough to earn a call-up to the U.S. men’s national team. His size (6 feet, 4 inches), speed and technical ability make him a physically and metaphorically large challenge for defenders. He came off the bench to take three shots, one on goal, against Atlanta United in the match at Bank of America Stadium in August. He went 90 minutes at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in June and was held without a shot. Gregersen started both matches.
“We have to be tight with him, one in behind and one in front,” Gregersen said. “A guy like that, we have to be like a sandwich.”
Zaha, who signed as a designated player during the January window, is an X-factor, Gregersen said.
The former Crystal Palace standout didn’t play in Charlotte’s season-opening 2-2 draw at Seattle because his wife was expecting a baby.
He is a bona fide scorer, with 101 goals in 527 appearances, and another five in 33 appearances for Ivory Coast.
“We have to be alert and stay tucked into him and to keep him from getting involved in the game,” Gregersen said.
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Atlanta United’s 2025 schedule
Feb. 22 Atlanta United 3, Montreal 2
March 1 at Charlotte, 2 p.m., Apple, Fox
March 8 vs. New York Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m., Apple
March 16 vs. Miami, 7 p.m., Apple
March 22 at Cincinnati, 2:30 p.m., Apple
March 29 vs. NYCFC, 7:30 p.m., Apple
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
May 10 at Chicago, 2:30 p.m., Apple
May 14 at Austin, 8:30 p.m., Apple
May 17 vs. Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m., Apple
May 25 vs. Cincinnati, 7 p.m., Apple
May 28 vs. Orlando, 7:30 p.m., Apple
May 31 at Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m., Apple
June 12 at NYCFC, 7:30 p.m., Apple
June 25 at Columbus, 7:30 p.m., Apple
June 28 at Miami, 7:30 p.m., Apple
July 5 at D.C. United, 7:30 p.m., Apple
July 12 at Toronto, 7:30 p.m., Apple
July 16 vs. Chicago, 7:30 p.m., Apple, FS1
July 19 vs. Charlotte, 7:30 p.m., Apple
July 26 vs. Seattle, 7:30 p.m., Apple
July 30 vs. Necaxa, Leagues Cup
Aug. 2. vs. Pumas in Orlando, Leagues Cup
Aug. 6 vs. Atlas, Leagues Cup
Aug. 9 at Montreal, 7:30 p.m., Apple
Aug. 16 at Colorado, 9:30 p.m., Apple
Aug. 24 vs. Toronto, 5 p.m., Apple
Aug. 30 at Nashville, 8:30 p.m. Apple
Sept. 13 vs. Columbus, 7:30 p.m., Apple
Sept. 20 vs. San Diego, 4:30 p.m., Apple
Sept. 27 at New England, 7:30 p.m., Apple
Oct. 5 at LAFC, 10:30 p.m., Apple
Oct. 18 vs. D.C. United, 6 p.m., Apple
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