Something about Texas doesn’t agree with Atlanta United.
After being thrashed by Houston in the season-opening game, Atlanta United gave up two late goals to fall to Dallas 3-2 on Wednesday at Toyota Stadium.
In a matchup of the best team in the MLS East against arguably the best in the West, Dallas used a late counterattack and a scramble in front of the goal in the final five minutes to pull out the win.
“A lack of concentration and an error,” Atlanta United manager Gerardo Martino said. “We had done everything up until that point to win the game. But then we let it slip away.”
The breakdowns wasted two more goals from Josef Martinez, who leads MLS with 17, including nine in his past seven games. Atlanta United (11-4-4) will play at Philadelphia on Saturday.
It was the team’s second loss on the road this season. The first was 4-0 at Houston on March 3. It is 5-2-2 on the road this season.
“To give away a game like that is frustrating,” midfielder Julian Gressel said. “You do this all this work in such a tough environment, in such a tough climate and you play a great game for 85 minutes, to give it away in those last five minutes is just frustrating and obviously something we will learn from and be better at ultimately.”
With temperatures of 90 degrees at kickoff that forced a hydration break in the first half, manager Gerardo Martino selected the same formation and personnel as he did in the 4-0 win against Orlando in the previous game.
The Five Stripes weren’t sharp early. Dallas, which was in second place in the Western Conference, aggressively pressed the team very high up the field in a tactic similar to what Chicago and Minnesota tried earlier this season. The gambit forced several turnovers. But Dallas wasted two scoring chances in the first eight minutes that were helped by a lack of awareness by Atlanta United players in the center of the back line.
Dallas broke through in the 22nd minute with a free kick from 25 yards. The shot by Reto Ziegler went over the wall and beat Brad Guzan to the near post. The free kick was the result of a foul by Jeff Larentowicz 22 yards from goal.
Atlanta United tied the game 1-1 in the 42nd minute on a goal from Martinez. The play started with Hector Villalba undressing Maynor Figueroa with a move before putting a cross to the back post for Martinez to tap in. It was Villalba’s fourth assist this season and second in as many games.
Martino took advantage of a sub to move some of Atlanta United’s players around near the 70th minute. Following subbing off Villalba, Martino moved Ezequiel Barco from the left to the right, Miguel Almiron from the middle to the left, and put Kevin Kratz into the middle with Gressel and Larentowicz.
The move quickly worked.
Almiron played through Martinez, who beat Jesse Gonzalez to his near post to give Atlanta United a 2-1 lead in the 73rd minute. It was Almiron’s eighth assist this season.
Dallas tied the game at 2 in the 86th minute when Tesho Akindele got behind the defense after a nice pass from Max Urruti put him past all of Atlanta United’s back line. There was supposed to be a defender, likely Miles Robinson, with Akindele, who was left unmarked as he ran into space down the left flank. Instead, Robinson and Michael Parkhurst tried to close down Urruti. Akindele beat Guzan to his near post. The shot bounced off Guzan’s arms.
Martino said the high line played by the defense wasn’t the problem on the goal.
“The high line wasn’t the problem, it was two players with the same player,” Martino said.
Dallas took a 3-2 lead in the 88th minute when Akindele poked in the final goal after a scramble in the 6-yard box after a corner kick. Atlanta United switched from man marking to zonal marking to try to defend the number of Dallas players in the penalty box. The corner skipped through the box and off Parkhurst at the back post. Akindele pounced on the loose ball.
“The third goal was destiny saying it had to be,” Martino said.
Martino, Gressel and Mikey Ambrose said they didn’t think the heat and humidity played a factor in wearing down Atlanta United’s concentration in the final minutes.
“We made some mistakes and that’s what led to the lapse in concentration,” Martino said. “We will have to go back to look at those two plays. I understand the weather can take a toll on you, but I don’t think it was in this game. If it was an issue it would have been in the first half because that’s when it was even hotter.”
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