Stuck in a five-match winless drought, Atlanta United will look to get back on track when they host D.C. United on Saturday night.
Atlanta (3-4-3, 12 points) is 0-2-3 in its last five MLS matches, including losses in its last two home dates. The most recent setback was 2-1 to visiting Minnesota United last Saturday in a game that saw Giorgos Giakoumakis come painfully close to the equalizer in stoppage time on a header that struck the crossbar.
Giakoumakis’ near-miss is symbolic of the Five Stripes’ season. Atlanta United ranks near the top of the league in shots (159) but has a modest 14 goals in 10 matches.
“There are many stats, numbers that are encouraging to the process, but when you go … five games without winning, the confidence level, the belief of the team, that’s the tricky part,” Atlanta coach Gonzalo Pineda said. “We believe that we are doing some very good things, but the final result is not coming. So it’s just [about] being patient.”
Eleven of the Five Stripes’ 14 goals have come after the 60th minute, which could bode well against a D.C. team that has been inconsistent in closing out victories.
D.C. United (3-3-5, 14 points) held a 2-0 lead after 41 minutes last Saturday against the Philadelphia Union but ended up with a 2-2 draw after Jack McGlynn’s rocket of an equalizer in the 79th minute. It was the fourth time this season that D.C. United drew or a lost a match it was leading heading into the 70th minute.
“We are in a winning position again; we do really well to get ourselves there,” D.C. United goalkeeper Alex Bono said. “And then something breaks down. Little miscues, guys losing markers, not paying attention.”
Star forward Christian Benteke has eight of D.C. United’s 16 goals this season. No other D.C. player has scored more than once.
Benteke is fourth in MLS in goals.
Atlanta is 5-0-1 in its last six matches with D.C., dating to the 2021 season.
–Field Level Media
