United build momentum

After scoring 10 goals in two games, the next big test for Atlanta United will be not playing at all: With a break in the MLS schedule for international play, Atlanta doesn’t play again until a road game at Seattle on March 31.

When Atlanta United manager Gerardo Martino answers an interviewer’s question cleverly, it’s evident on his face.

He will try to suppress a smile and his eyes will squint.

That look appeared following Saturday’s 4-0 demolition of Chicago at Georgia Tech’s Bobby Stadium, when he was asked if, after scoring 10 goals in his team’s past two games, this was a bad time to be heading into an international break when no MLS teams will play for almost two weeks.

“When you have this time to train, you just have to take advantage to keep gaining trust in our style of play and how we want to play, and to keep working on that during the break,” he said. Then he squinted. “And after our time in Seattle, we will know if it was a good or a bad time for the break.”

Seattle will be Atlanta United’s next game March 31. The Five Stripes could be without four key players when they face the reigning MLS champions.

Starters Josef Martinez (Venezuela), Miguel Almiron (Paraguay), Carlos Carmona (Chile) and reserve Kenwyne Jones (Trinidad and Tobago) have been called up by their national teams in preparation for the next set of World Cup qualifying games.

Should the quartet play in either or both of their national team’s games, the combination of fatigue and travel may make it impossible for Martino to use them in the game at Seattle.

That may make it difficult for Atlanta United to continue its momentum as one the league’s hottest teams with more than twice as many goals scored (11) than any other team in the Eastern Conference. (New York City is next with five.)

That momentum began with the 6-1 win in the snow last weekend at Minnesota United and continued with Saturday’s victory over Chicago in Atlanta.

The team has six points heading into a four-game road stretch that will also include games at Toronto, Montreal and Salt Lake before the team returns home to host D.C. United on April 30.

Martinez and Almiron have been key, with Martinez scoring three goals against Minnesota United and adding two more against Chicago. Almiron has two goals and two assists in the past two games.

Martino said last week that the team is exploring ways to try to get the players from South America and the Caribbean to Seattle in time for the game.

“I won’t say it’s horrible time, but unfortunate,” captain Michael Parkhurst said. “You know, we’ve got a lot of momentum right now. Ten goals in two games. But it gives the guys a chance to get some training in, work on some things. You know, we’ll miss just a handful of guys who will go with their national teams and we’ll be ready.

“You know, it’s unfortunate, coming out of the break. We play on a Friday but, you know, it is what it is. We know that we’ve got a tough stretch of games coming up and we know we’ve got to get results.”