MLS: “Is This A Fire Drill?” - Atlanta United Extinguished by Nashville SC 2-0
- Calum Ewing
- Apr 18
- 6 min read
Credit: Atlanta United
NATIONAL SOCCER NEWS: www.nationalsoccernetwork.com
Atlanta, Ga - It was a familiar tale for the Five Stripes as poor chance creation in the final third against otherwise good play led to a 2-0 loss to Nashville SC at home Saturday night.
After the midweek Open Cup triumph against Chattanooga FC with a rotated lineup, and after slight knee and adductor injuries claimed Miguel Almiron and Steven Alzate, Tata Martino’s squad looked much different. Setting up in a 4-3-3, Lucas Hoyos in goal and the starting backline of Baez-Mihaj-Gregersen-Jacob was no surprise. Tristan Muyumba was joined by Cooper Sanchez and Jay Fortune after a strong Open Cup performance in the midfield, while usually LCM Matias Galarza started as a left winger, tucking centrally when needed. Alexey Miranchuk got the captain’s armband at right winger, and Emmanuel Latte Lath led the forward line up top.
Credit: Atlanta United
Atlanta controlled possession well for the first spell of the match, with the usual scene of good buildup play but no cutting edge in the final third. The traveling Nashville fans were loud, but were chanting against cries of “A-T-L!” from a large group of young fans in the surrounding sections. The away fans would see their team with the first major chance of the match, as Andy Najar got a great through ball into the right side of the box past two diving Atlanta defenders in the 14th minute. He drove towards the near post and hit a strong effort, but had it saved by Hoyos off his chest. The rebound flicked back to Najar, but his difficult attempt to poke the ball in the air went over and wide.
Atlanta’s first chance came in the 21st minute when Stian Gregersen played a long through ball from midfield to Emmanuel Latte Lath. He settled the ball at the top of the box towards Ajani Fortune, who played it left to Cooper Sanchez inside the arc for a first time strike that was saved by Brian Schwake diving to his left.
Latte Lath had a chance of his own three minutes later. He was played through one-on-one with the goalkeeper by Elias Baez, who used the outside of his foot to play it past defender Jeisson Palacios after his crunching tackle near the sideline stopped Nashville’s attack. After a few stepovers to round the keeper on his left, which put him at a tighter angle at the near post, he hit a poor effort into the roof of the side netting. The play was called back by the assistant referee for a tight offside, but it was a lovely summary of his struggles being clinical with chances.
Atlanta continued to find good positions in the final third, but couldn’t capitalize. Ajani Fortune’s movement through the midfield was superb, as was Cooper Sanchez’s. Their combination work with Miranchuk gave themselves and Latte Lath opportunities, but they were denied by clutch defensive tackles or poor decisions making to pass instead of shoot inside the box.
In the 34th minute, Matias Galarza and Baez worked superbly to press Nashville and win the ball back on the left flank. Baez’s crossed floated high and dangerously dipped towards Lath Lath at the back post, and it would have gotten to him for a free header if not for the flying outstretched arm of Brian Schwake.
Nashville nearly claimed a goal out of nowhere in the 39th minute off a corner. The cross in was flicked towards a free back post runner, but Baez flicked his back foot into the air and cleared the ball over the bar. The ensuing corner saw them make contact, as well, but the attempt went straight to Hoyos for an easy save at the near post.
Just two minutes later, Alexey Miranchuk did well on the touchline to beat two defenders and get in a cross from the right towards Latte Lath at the back post. While leaning back, the forward managed to head the ball down onto his own foot, allowing Nashville to clear. This clearance led to an ensuing through ball that put Harry Mukhtar through on goal, and his shot one-on-one was saved by Hoyos, who stood firm in stance and made contact with his bent right leg. Two minutes after that, Hoyos got to the end of a bouncing Mukhtar free kick from 30 yards out, moving quickly across his line and diving right to push away the threat. After those chances, Atlanta United saw out Eastern Conference leaders Nashville to halftime with the scoreless draw intact, the same recurring issues from across the season plaguing them yet again.
After an extremely dull first ten minutes due to two injury delays, Ajani Fortune created space for himself on the right flank and received a through ball from Stain Gregersen that bounced over the head of Maxwell Woledzi. He cut inside to the left past Jeisson Palacios, but his shot was hit poorly straight to the goalkeeper.
Under the press box, young fans continued to wind up the traveling Nashville support with chants of “He can’t shoot” after a woeful Mukhtar shot and “We can’t hear you”. However, the large coalition of yellow and blue would be rewarded after Emmanuel Latte Lath went down under pressure from the Nashville defense, losing the ball from a clean challenge and complaining as the counter-attack began. Mukhtar was quickly played into space and drove at the retreating center back pair of Atlanta United, with Espinoza to his right taking space left by the high wingbacks. After the simple pass, the star winger tucked the ball into the bottom left corner past Hoyos, and Nashville had a 1-0 lead.
In response six minutes later, Atlanta made some changes, bringing on Fafa Picault and Pedro Amador for Cooper Sanchez and Elias Baez. Quickly after the subs came in, Nashville drove into the box from space on the left, striking a shot that forced a quick diving save by Hoyos down to his right at the near post.
Saba Lobjanidze entered the pitch in the 74th minute for Jay Fortune, going to right wing and pushing Alexey Miranchuk just behind Latte Lath as a second striker. After a half volley for Nashville off a rebound from a corner went just wide left in the 77th minute, Atlanta had a fantastic opportunity just a minute later when a giveaway by Nashville in buildup play saw Latte Lath with the ball in a 3v2 situation. He played it centrally to Miranchuk, whose shot unfortunately went straight at the goalkeeper. However, after the shot, a Nashville defender flew into Miranchuk with what looked like a mix of elbow and arm, leading to mass protest from the home side after watching the video board. Boos rained down on the referee, but he was adamant to let play go and not check VAR.
In the 83rd minute, Emmanuel Latte Lath left the game for recent Open Cup goalscorer Cayman Togashi. It didn’t do much to help. Atlanta United could not create any chances while behind at the end of the match, again, and they would get hit on the counter with too many numbers forward in the 91st minute. Tristan Muyumba was forced to meet Christian Espinoza out wide to stop the attack, but he couldn’t get there before Espinoza played a crisp ball into the wide open defensive half. Shakur Mohammed let the ball past him towards Mukhtar, made an overlapping run, and was played the ball on the left side of the box for an easy finish against Hoyos to ice the game. After that, a mass exodus never before seen in Mercedes Benz Stadium ensued, as instructions to exit the stadium towards trains stations plastered the video board with time left while MARTA ads covered the remaining screens.
The Five Stripes would have one remaining chance in them, a Matias Galarza rocket of a half-volley that flew just over the bar from outside of the box. Nashville would have another chance, as well, playing Mohammed clear through on goal for his effort to be saved by Hoyos’ sprawling leg and cleared. But with that, the match was over, and the remaining home fans left to chants of “Is this a fire drill?”. It seemingly may be, as Atlanta United has a dumpster fire of an attacking product with no one to estinguish the flames.
Atlanta, who are now 1-1-6 on the year, sit at 14th in the Eastern Conference and are tied with three teams at the bottom of the league table for the Wooden Spoon. In stark contrast, Nashville SC improve to 6-1-1, good for first in the Eastern and second in MLS.
United’s next match will be this Wednesday, April 22 at home against the New England Revolution. Kickoff is set for 7:30pm EST.
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