If it weren’t for bad luck ... well, the rest has been said before.
Atlanta United’s Derrick Williams already had experienced his share of bad luck this season – an own-goal for Charlotte being the most notable – when fate twice worked against him Saturday in a 2-0 loss at the L.A. Galaxy.
The plays are small moments in a series of larger issues that have resulted in a frustrating-but-salvageable season for Atlanta United’s players and supporters. The club is in the ninth and final playoff spot and will play at Charlotte on Saturday.
On the first example of bad luck against the Galaxy, a shot hit Williams’ trailing hand as he stretched feet first to block the attempt. He was called for a handball. Brad Guzan saved the subsequent penalty kick.
“I just have to put my arms behind my arms behind my back,” Williams said.
On the second, Williams attempted to clear a ball, which hit Pedro Amador and bounced to Marco Reus, who passed it to Riqui Puig to score the Galaxy’s opening goal in the 76th minute.
“It’s annoying at the moment in time,” he said. “I didn’t really know what happened. Watching it back, it’s just unlucky, really, how I go to clear, it hits Pedro, it falls perfectly to the Reus, and then he gets the shot off.”
Williams took some of the responsibility for the Galaxy’s goal, scored by Reus, in the 84th minute. Reus drifted into space 12 yards from goal, received a pass from Gabriel Pec, and shot. Guzan saved that, but Reus got to the rebound first and scored for his first MLS goal. Williams drifted upfield, which reduced the angle he had to take on Reus on the first shot.
“I need to do better,” he said. “I go past my spot on the front post. I need to drop a couple of yards, and I think I get that under Reus, but I think the first goal is the most important because that changes the game. And, yeah, frustrating. Sometimes you have to give them their props as well, because you see how much they spent on their team, on their attackers, and you see the substitutions they have on the bench.”
Coincidentally, Williams’ run of non-injury related bad luck started against Charlotte, the team they will play Saturday.
Atlanta United was leading Charlotte 1-0 on June 2, building on the 3-1 win against Miami recorded a few days earlier.
Things soon fell apart.
A Charlotte corner kick flew over a crowd of players to the back post and hit a surprised Williams in his midsection. The ball bounced toward the goal. Josh Cohen scrambled over and pushed the ball away from the goal. The first ruling by referee Ismir Pekmic was no-goal. Then, the call was changed and a goal was given because the referee said there was video evidence the ball crossed the line. Williams said he should have anticipated someone not heading the ball.
In addition to the bad luck of the ball hitting Williams and not going anywhere but toward the goal, there also wasn’t endline technology, so the video evidence cited by the referee remains a mystery ... and another example of Williams’ bad luck and part of Atlanta United’s fortunes this season.
“Some of it’s bad luck; some of it’s just reacting quicker,” Williams said. “The one Saturday is just so frustrating because the ball gets played through I step in, and the exact same time as I push forward, Pedro comes, and yeah, it happened perfectly.”
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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 at Charlotte, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 14 vs. Nashville, 7:30 p.m.
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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