“We’re going to work today. We’re going to fight.”
That’s what forward Xande Silva said pre-game to any supporters and fans. However, Silva could have sounded more confident. Silva came off like a man trying to convince himself that a win could happen. However, with Atlanta United trotting out the same lineup that fell to Columbus Crew on November 1, Silva’s shaky voice likely resembled the general feelings from fans around the team. The 41,580 fans in attendance Tuesday, was the lowest number in a game Hall About Sports has covered this season.
Despite a stadium half-filled and the use of banners and fire in an attempt to rev up the crowd, Atlanta United has been very underwhelming by all accounts. After losing more games than they should have during the season due to a far-too-often lackluster offense, they could not secure a pre-season goal of being a fourth seed or higher in their division. On October 7, after a loss against the same Columbus team they faced Tuesday, head coach Gonzalo Pineda almost seemed as if he was realizing in real time that the current roster was a long way from the team that won the MLS Cup in 2018.
“We tried. We certainly fought,” Pineda said, a bit flustered. ” Columbus was better than us. Tactically, we could have been better on and off the ball.” Pineda might not have realized it then, but his comment was a microcosm of Atlanta’s season in 21 words. Still, the team has rolled out a recent rally cry that ironically says, “Don’t doubt Atlanta.”
The problem with that statement is that the team is capable. Atlanta always has been. There have been flashes of it during the season – that fight that Pineda referenced. Yet, when the team needed to show up the most, it has not been able to draw anything “from the ashes,” as the banner that hung behind Atlanta’s goal on Tuesday said.
Xande Silva flung a shot on goal in the first half but missed it. Saba Lobzhanidze hit MLS Newcomer of the Year Giorgos Giakoumakis for what would have been a beautiful falling backward right-footed shot. Miss. Silva tries again with assistance from Brooks Lennon. Nope. Then, Giakoumakis has two blunders in less than a minute.
He missed Thiago Alamada’s pass to set him up for a goal, and then when another opportunity came just feet from pay dirt, Giakoumakis whiffed hard. Fans, understandably frustrated by whatever the display of soccer was on the field, booed him. Thus, again, reflecting what Atlanta’s season has been: a lot of almost moments and not enough good moments like the first career playoff goal that Giakoumakis delivered just moments later.
With Columbus evening the score, fans waited to see what Atlanta would do. Silva, almost as if he remembered his words before the game, delivered a right-footed strike to make the score 2-1. That goal invigorated the crowd and earned plenty of head pats from his teammates.
Out of the break, Columbus misses several opportunities that have every Atlanta United fan in the stadium exhaling. But then the exhales turn to audible groans and sounds of disbelief when Atlanta United cannot connect when they possess the ball, even from right in front of the goal. The feelings quickly return to the emotional roller coaster that Atlanta United is when Edwin Mosquera somehow keeps Atlanta’s playoff hopes alive by kicking a ball to the far corner of the net off a”maybe this will work” assist from Giakoumakis. Then, Almada shuts the door with a massive goal that is the best showing Pineda’s squad has shown under pressure in months.
Atlanta United manages to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat with a 4-2 win over Columbus Crew. Despite, the win, the team is an emotional roller coaster that dedicated fans just can’t seem to get off. Well, if fans are going to stay on, they should know that they may not be able to predict what comes next.
Hall About Sports 