Is karma to blame for Atlanta United’s recent scoring issues?
Fullback Andrew Gutman jokingly floated that theory.
Since scoring in stoppage time of three consecutive games to turn negative results into positive results, Atlanta United has scored once in its past three games. It will play at Montreal on Saturday.
“It’s kind of funny, we scored so many late goals earlier in the first couple of games, and now it almost feels like a little bit of payback,” Gutman said Tuesday. “Now we’re not scoring the goals. But you know, for me personally, I’m not worried that the goals aren’t falling in. It’s almost more worrying if we’re not playing well.”
Fullback Brooks Lennon laughed when asked if he agreed with Gutman’s theory.
“Yeah, I think we had a lot of luck, late winners early on in the season,” Lennon said. “But now, the ball is not rolling that way anymore. And that’s just the way of life in the way of soccer.”
The late scoring run started with a Jake Mulraney winner against Charlotte. It continued with a Lennon free kick to earn a 3-3 draw with Montreal, also at home, and ended with a Marcelino Moreno header at D.C. United to take all three points.
“Yeah, I think we had a lot of luck, late winners early on in the season. But now, the ball is not rolling that way anymore. And that's just the way of life in the way of soccer."
Since, the only goal came by Ronaldo Cisneros in last week’s 2-1 loss at Miami. And it came on a broken set piece.
The good news is those late scores helped the club build enough of a cushion that it is tied with 11 points for fourth place in the Eastern Conference with Toronto and Montreal, which is unbeaten in its past six across all competitions. It trails first-place Philadelphia by six points and is one point ahead of eighth-place NYCFC.
“It’s kind of funny, a lot of teams would be really happy to be fourth in the table,” Gutman said. “But for us to be fourth in the table, it’s a different feeling. It’s almost like a little bit of a letdown for us. And I think that just speaks to the goals we have this season and our expectations of ourselves.
“We feel like we’re underperforming a little bit. But, you know, that’s just something that you hit these ups and downs in the season. And right now we’re maybe on a little bit of a down slope, but one game turns everything around. And then, you know, we could go on a run three, four games, winning in a row.”
For more content about Atlanta United
Follow me on Twitter @DougRobersonAJC
On Facebook at Atlanta United News Now
On Instagram at DouglasDavidRoberson
Atlanta United coverage on The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Southern Fried Soccer podcast can be found
Apple - https://apple.co/3ISD6Ve
Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3L8TN0C
Google podcasts - https://bit.ly/32KlZW3
If you are listening to us for the first time, please follow us on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcast ... and if you like what you hear, please give us a good rating so we can grow the show.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has a special offer for Atlanta United supporters and listeners to this podcast. If you subscribe today, you will not only get unlimited digital access to the AJC and the Sunday paper for $2.30 a week but we are also throwing in a special limited-edition Atlanta United and Atlanta Journal-Constitution scarf. Sign up now at subscribe.ajc.com/utdscarf.
Atlanta United’s 2022 MLS schedule
Feb. 27 Atlanta United 3, Sporting KC 1
March 5 Colorado 3, Atlanta United 0
March 13 Atlanta United 2, Charlotte 1
March 19 Atlanta United 3, Montreal 3
April 2 Atlanta United 1, D.C. United 0
April 10 Charlotte 1, Atlanta United 0
April 16 Atlanta United 0, Cincinnati 0
April 24 Miami 2, Atlanta United 1
April 30 at Montreal, 4 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
May 7 vs. Chicago, 6 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
May 15 vs. New England, 1:30 p.m., ESPN
May 21 at Nashville, 7:30 p.m. FOX
May 28 vs. Columbus Crew, 7 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
June 19 vs. Miami, 3 p.m., ESPN2
June 25 at Toronto, 7:30 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
June 30 at New York Red Bulls, 8 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
July 3 at NYCFC, 5 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
July 9 vs. Austin, 7 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
July 13 vs. Real Salt Lake, 7:30 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
July 17 vs. Orlando, 3 p.m., ABC
July 24 at L.A. Galaxy, 9:30 p.m., FS1
July 30 at Chicago, 5 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
Aug. 6 vs. Seattle, 3 p.m., ABC
Aug. 13 at Cincinnati, 7:30 p.m. BSSO/BSSE
Aug. 17 vs. New York Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
Aug. 21 at Columbus, 6 p.m., FS1
Aug. 28 vs. D.C. United, 4 p.m., UNIV
Aug. 31 at Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 4 at Portland, 5:30 p.m., FOX
Sept. 10 vs. Toronto, 7:30 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
Sept. 14 at Orlando, 6 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
Sept. 17 vs. Philadelphia, 3:30 p.m., UniMas
Oct. 1 at New England, 1 p.m., UniMas
Oct. 9 vs. NYCFC, TBD, BSSO/BSSE
About the Author
