Neither team was happy with how their matches ended on Wednesday so the Columbus Crew and host Atlanta United seek to rebound at the other’s expense on Saturday.
For the Crew (12-3-7, 43 points), a 1-1 draw at home versus Charlotte FC to snap a five-match winning streak was a hard landing after a resounding 5-1 win at Los Angeles FC four days earlier.
Charlotte forward Patrick Agyemang scored the equalizer in the 84th minute for the draw. The result was bittersweet given the Crew recorded nine shots on goal.
A quick turnaround won’t allow the Crew to dwell on the dropped points.
“This league is going so fast,” Crew coach Wilfried Nancy said. “The message is simple. It sounds cliche, but this is what it is, ‘Control what you can control.’ The idea is to be good in the moment, and after that, we’ll see. I like to challenge my players all the time.”
Atlanta (6-11-7, points) also thought it had three points secured to end a three-match losing streak, especially since Daniel Rios set a club record for the fastest goal to start a match (21 seconds).
Saba Lobjanidze added a goal in the 38th but New York City struck twice in the second half, the last a penalty kick by Talles Mango in the 82nd minute.
“I’m angry, I’m upset,” Atlanta United interim manager Rob Valentino said. “But we have another game on Saturday to go after.”
The task doesn’t get any easier against a Crew side that has outscored opponents 21-3 in the past six matches.
“There’s no other way to go about it. It’s a difficult moment,” Atlanta goalkeeper Brad Guzan said. “We’ve got to bounce back. No one’s going to do it for us. We’ve got to keep going.”
Guzan will try to slow down Crew forward Cucho Hernandez, who has nine goals and six assists in the past eight matches.
Each team will be without a U.S. Olympian — Crew goalkeeper Patrick Schulte, who made three saves in a 1-0 win over Atlanta on Feb. 24, and Atlanta defender Caleb Wiley.
Also, Atlanta defender Stian Gregersen will serve a red-card suspension.
–Field Level Media
