The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
ATLANTA UNITED
Manager Pineda not taking injured Timbers lightly.
Atlanta United will look to build on the best start in franchise history when it faces depleted Portland at 7:30 p.m. today at Mercedes-benz Stadium.
The Five Stripes (2-0-1) have never gone unbeaten through the first four games in an MLS season. Portland will be missing at least eight players, including Sebastian Blanco, Evander and Yimmi Chara, to injuries.
The host’s hot start combined with the lack of Timbers personnel would seem to equal the visitors playing in a low block and trying to frustrate Atlanta United. That’s a common tactic used by opposing teams in Mercedes-benz Stadium.
Atlanta United manager
Gonzalo Pineda, who as an assistant at Seattle faced the Timbers in Cascadia Cup play many times, is making no assumptions.
“If I know something about Portland, it’s they’re always competitive,” Pineda said. “So I don’t think they’re a team that are going to be feel- ing sorry for themselves for having a lot of injuries. They are going to come with everything trying to beat us.”
Earlier this season, San Jose and Toronto used low blocks to frustrate Atlanta United. The Five Stripes were able to beat the Earthquakes with two late goals by Thiago Almada and settled for a 1-1 tie with Toronto.
The one team that tried to play with Atlanta United, Charlotte, was ripped apart 3-0 last week at Bank of Amer- ica Stadium.
Should Portland play defensively, Pineda said it has been proved in matches played around the world it isn’t easy to get the ball past 11 players positioned in two lines within a block 30 yards tall by 76 yards wide to a teammate in front of goal.
But Atlanta United has been practicing against the tactic, including Thursday. He said the team scored two goals.
The key is to move the ball quickly to move the oppo- nents, playing with tempo, finding spaces within the lines and sending runners behind the lines.
“So a lot of things to throw out there to have different options to break a back line of five or six or four,” he said. “We need to work on that. And that’s the evolution throughout the season. We’ll continue with improvement.”