Atlanta United’s start gets worse, shut out by Philadelphia

“I think we have a lot of the ball, but we are not good enough in the two boxes,” Deila said. “I think we lose the ball too much in easy situations, and then we get counterattacked. So we are underperforming as a team and also individually. So that’s something I have to look myself in the mirror and take the responsibility for.”

Philadelphia’s third goal, scored by Tai Baribo with his team a man down, was the best example of Atlanta United’s poor play. Bartosz Slisz committed a turnover near midfield. Philadelphia attacked down the left. A cross was hit by Kai Wagner from the left side to the right. Quinn Sullivan hustled down the field and stopped the ball before it crossed the touchline. Unmarked, he hit a cross to Baribo, who was in front of Abram, to head into the opposite corner.

In addition to losing the first of a stretch of four road matches among the next five, the team lost starters Stian Gregersen and Tristan Muyumba to injuries in the first half, and Noah Cobb to an injury in the second half. Gregersen was an unspecified pulled muscle that needs a scan, Muyumba’s was a groin and Cobb’s was a bruised ankle.

“I think they wanted it more than we did; it was quite evident,” winger Jay Fortune said. “Look at the amount of guys we have limping off the field with cuts and bruises versus them. Kind of just shows, at the moment, that they have more of a winning mentality than we do. And it’s not that we can’t get it. We can develop it, because you look at everybody’s resume that’s on the team, they’ve been winners at some point in time. But we’ve got to find it.”

Deila’s lineup was composed of Emmanuel Latte Lath at striker, Alexey Miranchuk, Miguel Almiron, Fortune, making his second start this season and first as a left winger, Slisz and Muyumba in the midfield, Brooks Lennon and Pedro Amador as the fullbacks, Gregersen and Cobb, making his first start this season, at centerback, and Brad Guzan in goal.

Atlanta United kept trying to play through Philadelphia’s press in the first half. It frequently failed. After one failure, when Miranchuk and Lennon failed to connect, Philadelphia won the ball around 30 yards from goal. Crosses came in and Atlanta failed to clear the ball at least four times. The last time cost it a goal when Sullivan hit a volley from 14 yards to give Philadelphia a 1-0 lead in the 27th minute. The volley came from an Atlanta United attempted clearance. Sullivan was the first to the loose ball.

Philadelphia’s Mikael Uhre hit the crossbar a minute later. Gregersen suffered an injury during that sequence that forced him off. Luis Abram came on.

Muyumba then was subbed off with an injury, replaced by Mateusz Klich in the 34th minute.

Atlanta United took eight shots, putting one on goal from two chances created. It finished with an expected goals total of 1.0. Philadelphia took nine shots, putting two goals from one chance created. It finished with an expected goals total of 1.0.

Philadelphia increased its lead to 2-0 with a goal from Danley Jean Jacquez in the 50th minute. The sequence started with a turnover by Lennon near midfield. Philadelphia needed three passes to cover the ground and get the goal. Jean Jacquez received the ball in the left channel, 12 yards from goal where Lennon might have been, and put the shot under Guzan’s legs.

“There were moments in the game where it felt in control, and we’re moving the ball actually quite nice, but I feel like just both boxes we weren’t necessarily clean enough, and ultimately that’s where the games were won and lost,” Cobb said.

Atlanta United received a lifeline when Jovan Lukic was shown two yellow cards, resulting in a red card, in the 56th minute, reducing the Union to 10 players. Holding on to its two-goal lead, the Union began to play defensively.

Cobb received treatment after he collided with a Philadelphia attacking player in the 58th minute. He was replaced by striker Jamal Thiare. Saba Lobjanidze also came on, replacing Fortune.

Lobjanidze hit the right post from 8 yards away in the 75th minute. Miranchuk forced a save with a close-range header in the 76th minute.

Baribo scored his goal in the 84th minute.

Atlanta United’s previous worst start through nine matches was 11 points, set four times. It has a goal difference of minus-5 this season, despite spending more than $30 million in transfer fees on attacking players during the recent window.

“We have to accept the situation and work from there, and work positive from there, because I see many really want it,” Deila said. “But I think (they) really want it too much, and this lack of confidence, and that is my task now to get them back where they can be. I’m sure we’re going to do that, but that’s a tough, tough day today.”