Atlanta United falls to Charlotte, home winless streak at six

Pineda responded with a resounding “no” when asked if he was concerned that the team would not respond as positively as he would like to what he was teaching and coaching.

Pineda said the loss dampened the team’s momentum.

“The other day it was five goals, today it was two and we only got three points from five goals scored,” he said. “I think we have to do better, we have to do better.”

Pineda selected the same starting lineup used in Wednesday’s 3-1 win over Miami. Almada was captain again with Jamal Thiare as striker, Saba Lobjanidze, Tristan Muyumba and Dax McCarty in midfield, Stian Gregersen and Derrick Williams as centre-backs, Brooks Lennon and Caleb Wiley as full-backs and Josh Cohen in goal. Unlike the last match where he was ineligible for selection due to a red card suspension, Brad Guzan could have been selected to start in goal.

Atlanta United came out with energy, just like they did against Miami. The hosts fired three shots in the first nine minutes.

Atlanta United took a 1-0 lead in the 35th minute when an Almada shot deflected off a Charlotte player and went in. Atlanta United created a turnover in Charlotte’s third. Lobjanidze and Almada connected several times before his shot hit the backs of Charlotte’s Adilson Malanda and goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina. It was Almada’s fourth goal and Lobjanidze’s fourth assist.

And then Atlanta United did what Atlanta United often does: they gave up a goal a few minutes after scoring… and on a free kick.

Cohen was forced to dive across goal and push away a corner that bounced off Williams in the 40th minute and appeared to preserve Atlanta United’s lead. The game was able to continue. However, a review of the shot was carried out two minutes later and referee Ismir Pekmic ruled that the entire ball had crossed the line to tie the game at 1. Williams, who said he could not see the ball until ‘he didn’t hit him, was charged with an own goal. No cameras were looking at the baseline or over the goal to get a definitive angle. Cohen said he thought he reached the ball before it crossed. He then said he believed enough time had passed that a review should not take place.

We asked Pekmic because there was none a late-game camera, how was it clear and obvious that his initial denial on Charlotte’s first goal was incorrect?

“The VAR had access to an angle which provided sufficient evidence that the ball crossed the entire goal line,” he wrote in response.

Charlotte put a shot on goal in the first half. His objective was not that. Atlanta United finished with nine shots, three on goal.

Charlotte came out to start the second half and pressed Atlanta United very hard all over the field.

Charlotte took a 2-1 lead, this time the goal was obviously a good one, on a 23-yard shot from Liel Abada that flew past Cohen and into the bottom right corner in the 56th minute. The goal was the result of a Charlotte counterattack that started in their own penalty area. Atlanta United still had a numerical advantage on defense, but neither Williams nor Abram moved forward quickly enough to close down Abada. Williams said he should have done better.

“Just that yard and you can’t give good players a yard,” he said. “And he finished well. So yes, disappointing.

Pineda replaced Giorgos Giakoumakis, Silva and Jay Fortune for Thiare, McCarty and Williams in the 62nd minute. The subs caused Atlanta United to move from three center backs to two center backs to bring another player into the attack.

Charlotte increased its lead to 3-1 on a goal from Abada in the 68th minute. It was a simple pass to Abada, who was unmarked in the center of the penalty area, 12 meters from goal. It was only the second time this season that Charlotte scored three goals.

“We shouldn’t concede three goals at home,” Williams said. “It’s not good enough.”

Gregersen left with an undisclosed injury in the 73rd minute. He was replaced by Cobb. Gregersen only returned from injury five games ago.

Silva cut Charlotte’s lead to 3-2 with a right-footed curling shot in the 76th minute. It was his first goal this season. Lobjanidze and Fortune were credited with assists. Edwin Mosquera replaced Lobjanidze in the 76th minute.

Atlanta United was better at Charlotte in most key categories, including shots (18-10) and expected goals (2.1-1.2), tied in shots on goal (4-4) and did obviously didn’t do better in the most important category. , goals, which has been the case in most matches this season.

“I think again we played the same way (in Miami) in a very different game,” Pineda said. “We are working more on possession, in a more dominant way compared to the match in Miami. We believe we create high-value opportunities that we love. Again, you can see the work in a certain way, but at the same time, we lost the game.

For more Atlanta United content

Follow me on Twitter/X @DougRobersonAJC

On Facebook at Atlanta United News Now

On Instagram at DouglasDavidRoberson

Coverage of Atlanta United on The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The 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’re a first time listener, follow us on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcast…and if you like what you hear, give us a good rating so we can grow the show. If you have any questions about the MLS team, you can email Doug Roberson at [email protected]send him a private message on Twitter @dougrobersonajc or call 404-526-2527.

Stay up to date with breaking news, in-depth investigations, politics, sports, entertainment, food and more every day by becoming a subscriber to the AJC. Go to AJC.com/start for a very special offer and unlock hundreds of original articles published daily on the refreshed AJC.com site and new AJC mobile app. Plus, get access to our breaking news alerts, subscriber-only events, AJC original shows, movies and videos, newsletters and more.

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 LAFC 1, Atlanta United 0

May 29 Atlanta United 3, Miami 1

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.