Atlanta United manager Gerardo Martino watched the final minutes of Saturday’s 2-0 loss to Chicago in a resigned pose: leaning against the boards, arms crossed or resting hands on hips most of the time, saying very little to his players and rarely moving.
Though Martino’s team welcomed Josef Martinez back from a long injury layoff, that was the only bright spot on a hot, windy Saturday at Toyota Park.
The Five Stripes (5-6-3) have lost two consecutive road games by a combined score of 5-1, but get two home games this week: a U.S. Open Cup game at Kennesaw State on Wednesday and Columbus coming to Bobby Dodd Stadium on June 17.
“I think we had the chance to strike first and didn’t take advantage of it,” Martino said. “After that, Chicago was able to get out on a quick counter, catch us off guard and score. After that, we lost a little bit of intensity.”
Martino was forced to start the game without Martinez, who hasn’t played since season’s third game, and Miguel Almiron, who played in a friendly for Paraguay on Thursday. The two have combined for 12 goals this season.
After failing to defend set pieces unhinged the team in last week’s 3-1 loss at Vancouver, failing to defend counter-attacks sparked by long balls that proved difficult against Chicago, which wasted numerous opportunities.
“We provoke those long balls,” Martino said. “That’s what we want to do by pressing is get teams into playing long balls. Today we pressed well, we were able to do that, but Chicago was able to play long balls that gave us problems.”
Here are five observations about the game:
Missed chances. Hector Villalba missed a chance to give Atlanta United a 1-0 lead early in the game when he had one-on-one from a tough angle against Chicago's keeper. He missed another opportunity later in the half.
“If we go up in the game, it’s a different game,” midfielder Julian Gressel said. “We had a couple of chances to go up 2-0. That would obviously change the game.”
First goal. Chicago grabbed a 1-0 lead in the in 29th minute on a goal by Luis Solignac.The play happened when Michael Parkhurst was disposed past the halfway line. Bastian Schweinsteiger found David Accam, one of two Chicago players who appeared to be offside, with a long pass behind Atlanta United's defense. Accam danced around goalkeeper Alec Kann before finding Solignac, who passed it into the empty net in the 29th minute.
Martino said they confirmed that the players weren’t offside.
On come the DPs. Martino elected to put Almiron and Martinez, two of the team's Designated Players, into the game in the 64th minute in an effort to grab at least a tie and point.
Martino said they were going to play regardless of the score.
“He looked good,” Martino said of Martinez. “He was moving well. I don’t think we saw any signs of his injury. He just needs more time.”
Martino said there’s a chance that Martinez will start Wednesday’s game against Charleston.
Second goal. Chicago grabbed another goal, and secured all three points, after Tyrone Mears was whistled for a handball in the penalty box in the 69th minute after another quick Chicago attack. Nemanja Nikolic took the kick in the 70th minute to give Chicago a 2-0 lead.
“I think we have to find ways to win games,” Gressel said. “As weird as that sounds. At this moment we are finding ways to lose games, which is not a good thing. We have to turn it around, analyze this game, figure out what we did wrong and obviously have to focus on Columbus, their weaknesses and how we can exploit them and score goals.
“We are back home. We want to score goals and win the game.”
Stopping Schweinsteiger. The key for Atlanta United to defeat Chicago for the second time this season was stopping Schweinsteiger. The German hadn't yet signed with Chicago when the Five Stripes defeated Chicago 4-0 at Bobby Dodd Stadium in March.
He finished with one important assist on the opening goal and otherwise was kept in check.
Atlanta United had two Germans, Gressel and Kevin Kratz making his first start, in the lineup. Kratz said he has faced Schweinsteiger, one of the more decorated players in Germany’s long history, but Gressel, who grew up idolizing Schweinsteiger, hadn’t.
“It wasn’t too much different from a normal game,” Gressel said. “You try to focus on your own thing and try to win the game. I would have loved to beat him. Unfortunately that didn’t happen.
“Re-watching the game I’ll probably keep an eye on him and watch what he does like I always do, just to learn.”
