Looking to find consistency early in the season, Atlanta United will host New York City FC in Eastern Conference play on Saturday night.
Atlanta (1-2-2, 5 points) enters the match on a four-game winless streak after its season-opening 3-2 victory over CF Montreal. Since then, Atlanta has two losses and two draws, including last Saturday’s 2-2 tie at FC Cincinnati.
Atlanta was fortunate to escape without a third defeat, as Cincinnati’s Alvas Powell knocked in the game-tying own goal in the 88th minute, helping United pick up a much-needed point.
Despite the club’s up-and-down play, Atlanta coach Ronny Deila said he believes his group should have a much better record.
“I’m very happy with a point,” Deila said after the Cincinnati draw. “I think it was deserved. I thought we should’ve won the game. We were the better team for 60 minutes. I sit here with the same feeling I’ve had the last five games. We show how much quality we have when we’re playing good, but we lose shape and concentration and discipline when things are going against us.”
A bright spot throughout Atlanta’s first five games has been newcomer Emmanuel Latte Lath, who has four of the team’s five goals. Latte Lath joined Atlanta in February for an MLS-record $22 million transfer fee.
New York (2-1-2, 8 points) last week followed two straight wins with a scoreless draw against the Columbus Crew. A lackluster offensive showing resulted in just five total shots for New York, and none on goal.
“It was a tough-earned point being on the road, but we expected more going in,” first-year New York coach Pascal Jansen said. “The first 15, 20 minutes, I thought we were going in the right direction. Unfortunately our forwards didn’t have the quality of play in order to create something more than we did today.”
New York goalkeeper Matt Freese proved to be the team’s most important player, picking up five saves to preserve the tie.
“It said a lot about the quality that Matt brings to the team,” Jansen said. “There will be games within a season where you need to have a good goalie in there. He did an outstanding job.”
New York was without Alonso Martinez, who leads the team with three goals, as he’s competing with Costa Rica in the CONCACAF Gold Cup qualifiers.
–Field Level Media
