Atlanta United’s season ends with loss to Orlando in MLS playoffs

ORLANDO, Fla. — The moments of precision that carried Atlanta United into the playoffs eluded it in a season-ending 1-0 loss at Orlando in the Eastern Conference semifinals of the MLS playoffs on Sunday at Inter&Co Stadium.

Atlanta United had used those moments to go unbeaten in five of its previous six matches, which included a dramatic 2-1 win at Orlando on Decision Day that carved its surprising path into the postseason.

But after defeating Montreal and Inter Miami in previous rounds by taking advantage of its few shots on goal, Atlanta United failed to challenge Orlando’s Pedro Gallese. Atlanta United didn’t put any of its eight shots. The last one taken was blocked by a teammate, in a perfect encapsulation of Atlanta United’s struggles on Sunday.

The match and the result were very similar to most of those played by Atlanta United before it started its recent run with a 2-1 win against New York Red Bulls on Oct. 5. Atlanta United would get into positive positions but the execution, whether it was the final run, pass or shot, went missing. There were also injuries. Striker Jamal Thiare was forced off before the end of the first half. Daniel Rios, who replaced him, was forced off after just a few minutes. The goal Atlanta United conceded, like so many others, could be chalked up to bad luck, or a good bounce for Orlando.

“I don’t know why the games go chaotic all the time, but it just seemed like they do,” interim manager Rob Valentino said. “And I think you saw a group that was like, we’re going to bend, but we’re not going to completely break, and we’re not going to stop until the whistle goes and they try to make it interesting.”

Atlanta United failed to win a trophy for the fifth consecutive season and heads into an offseason that is arguably the most important in franchise history. President Garth Lagerwey must hire a new technical director to replace Carlos Bocanegra, who was fired in September, manager to replace Gonzalo Pineda, who was fired in June, and two Designated Players are likely to be signed.

“It felt like it was destiny, and it felt like it was meant to be,” midfielder Dax McCarty said. “And that was how the vibe was around the facility and training. Even in games, we went down, I think, every single game to Miami, and we came back. And so, when we went down in this game, we believed that we would come back. Just sad and frustrating the way that the injuries happened, the way we conceded the goal, and we just didn’t have enough in the end to really challenge them.”

Valentino selected mostly the same starting lineup and formation as he used in the decisive Game 3 at Inter Miami. It was composed of Thiare, midfielders Alexey Miranchuk, Jay Fortune, Bartosz Slisz and McCarty, wingbacks Saba Lobjanidze and Pedro Amador, centerbacks Stian Gregersen, Derrick Williams and Luis Abram, and goalkeeper Brad Guzan, who made his 300th MLS appearance in regular season and playoff matches. The only changes were Gregersen for Ronald Hernandez, and Fortune for Tristan Muyumba.

Thiare went down twice, the second time in the 28th minute, before he sluggishly limped off the pitch to be examined by trainers. The injury to his left leg happened when he collided with an Orlando. He came back on in the 30th minute but didn’t look like he could sprint if needed, which was a key ingredient to Atlanta United’s counterattack.

Valentino and Guzan expressed some frustration after the match that they didn’t know what was going on with Thiare. Valentino complimented him for trying to stay in the match but only Thiare knew how badly he was injured.

Orlando took a 1-0 lead when Ramiro Enrique poked in a loose ball on a corner kick in the 39th minute. The corner kick hit Gregersen in the chest and bounced to Enrique, whose shot deflected off Thiare, who was trying to mark him. Valentino said the marking could have been better.

Thiare sat down on the turf for the third time in the 41st minute. Rios replaced him in the 43rd minute. The move forced Valentino to have one of his substitution windows.

“It didn’t help, for sure, because we had an idea or a thought that we would have Jamal’s got a lot of pace, so we thought, especially in transitional moments, and he’s good in there, that would help us,” Valentino said.

Rios had to be subbed off after suffering a possible concussion in the opening seconds of the second half when he attempted to block a long pass. The ball struck him in the face. Rios was replaced by Ronald Hernandez, who moved to right wingback. Lobjanidze became the striker. Because it was a possible concussion that forced the substitution, Atlanta United had four subs remaining. Rios totaled less than 10. minutes.

Valentino subbed Xande Silva for McCarty in the 69th minute. It was the final appearance of McCarty’s 19-season career, all in MLS.

His team still without a shot on goal, Valentino took off one of the three centerbacks, Gregersen, and subbed on midfielder, Tristan Muyumba, in the 73rd minute.

Playing without a focal point on offense, Atlanta United couldn’t find the tying goal.

“It’s not like we were played off the pitch,” Guzan said. “It’s not like we were, by far, the second-best team on the field. Nothing to that effect. And ultimately, we just didn’t have enough in the attacking third. It became really difficult.”

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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