Atlanta United focuses on first goal, scoring early in LAFC match build-up

Scoring in the first sixth of a game is something Atlanta United has done once this season. It’s part of the reason the team hasn’t won a championship game since March. That game he scored early in? Atlanta United beat Orlando 2-0 on March 17. Since then, he has achieved a championship victory.

“When a team can effectively shut us out for the first 30 or 40 minutes, they end up getting more involved in the game, right?” McCarty said. “And then there’s a bit of frustration that creeps in because we haven’t scored, and we feel like we want to entertain our fans, and we want to get good results at home. And so I think just being on top of the game, pressing high defensively, being able to turn some of those transition moments into really good scoring opportunities is a very important factor for us.

Manager Gonzalo Pineda said the message has always been to start aggressively and try to put the opponent under pressure.

“I mentioned that scoring the first goal gives us the best chance of winning matches,” he said. “So we have to try this, especially at home. It is so important that we score first, and then normally the results will come.

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What Atlanta United scores first, whether in the first 15 minutes or the last 15, is 90-17-25, including 61-8-11 at home. He is 3-2-1 this season when scoring first this season. Conversely, Atlanta United’s opponents have scored a goal in the first 15 minutes this season. Atlanta United lost this match at Cincinnati 1-0 on May 15.

To achieve this important goal, there is at least one thing the team needs to do better: bring more players into the penalty area. Too often this season the team has had just one striker in the box competing with at least two central defenders, usually three, and a goalkeeper, for one cross. Atlanta United will be without Giorgos Giakoumakis on Saturday as he recovers from an injury.

Besides being proactive, Pineda said the message was to get more players into the penalty area to attack crosses. One problem is that other than its attackers, Atlanta United doesn’t have many players big enough to win most aerial duels, so winning second balls is almost as important.

Another important thing for Atlanta United is to pressure effectively. McCarty said when the team does this and wins the ball in the opposition’s defensive third, it will lead to more efficient scoring chances. He said that after a rough start against Cincinnati, Atlanta United’s press against Cincinnati produced several quality chances.

“As much as everyone wants to have a sequence of 20 to 30 passes in possession that leads to a great goal, the reality of modern football now is that transition is a big part of it,” he said. . “And if we can improve on those little fine margins of being able to win the ball, high up the pitch, make one or two passes and be in front of the goal, and then finish off those chances, we’re going to make our lives a much easier.

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Atlanta United’s 2024 schedule

February 24 Columbus 1, Atlanta United 0

March 9 Atlanta United 4, New England 1

March 17 Atlanta United 2, Orlando 0

March 23 Toronto 2, Atlanta United 0

March 31 Atlanta United 3, Chicago 0

April 6 Atlanta United 1, NYCFC 1

April 14 Atlanta United 2, Philadelphia 2

April 20 Cincinnati 2, Atlanta United 1

April 27 Atlanta United 1, Chicago 1

May 4 Minnesota 2, Atlanta United 1

May 7 Atlanta United 3, Charlotte Independence 0 in US Open Cup

May 11 DC United 3, Atlanta United 2

May 15 Cincinnati 1, Atlanta United 0

May 18 Atlanta United 1, Nashville 1

May 21 Atlanta United 0 (5), Charleston 0 (4) in US Open Cup

May 25 vs. LAFC, 7:30 p.m.

May 29 in Miami, 7:30 p.m.

June 2 vs. Charlotte, 4:30 p.m., FOX

June 15 vs. Houston, 7:30 p.m.

June 19 at DC United, 7:30 p.m.

June 22 in Saint-Louis, 8:30 p.m.

June 29 c. Toronto, 7:30 p.m.

July 3 at New England, 7:30 p.m.

July 6 at Real Salt Lake, 9:30 p.m.

July 13 in Montreal, 7:30 p.m.

July 17 vs. NYCFC, 7:30 p.m.

July 20 against Columbus, 7:30 p.m.

July 26 against DC United in the League Cup, 7:30 p.m.

August 4 against Santos Laguna in the League Cup, 4 p.m.

August 24 at LA Galaxy, 10:30 p.m.

August 31 in Charlotte, 7:30 p.m.

September 14 vs. Nashville, 7:30 p.m.

September 18 against Miami, 7:30 p.m.

September 21 at the Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m.

September 28 in Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m.

October 2 c. Montreal, 7:30 p.m.

October 5 against Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m.

October 19 in Orlando, 6 p.m.