Opening defeat provides lessons

Take away the first 10 minutes and the last 15 minutes, and Atlanta United has plenty of positives to build on in training this week following its MLS debut, the 2-1 loss to the New York Red Bulls on Sunday at Georgia Tech’s Bobby Dodd Stadium.

The team returned to training Tuesday in Flowery Branch ahead of Sunday’s game at Minnesota United, which was beaten 5-1 by Portland, also an MLS debut.

The areas of improvement for Atlanta United will likely include maintaining its defensive shape (or formation) and finishing promising possessions. The team failed to convert many chances to take a 2-0 lead, which would have effectively ended the game.

“We created chances, which is the most important. Unfortunately we didn’t score (because of ) pressure, for lacking a final pass, for different reasons,” Atlanta United manager Gerardo Martino said. “What I think we must improve is controlling the game. The game (Sunday) was very intense, very up-and-down.”

After taking a 1-0 lead on a goal by Yamil Asad in the 25th minute off an excellent cross by Tyrone Mears, Atlanta United created several more chances to touch the net.

However, Josef Martinez’s point-blank shot just before halftime was stopped on an excellent save by New York goalkeeper Luis Robles. Robles, solid throughout the night, later stopped a 2-on-1 featuring Miguel Almiron and Martinez by leaping high to control Almiron’s chipped shot.

“Obviously, a second goal kind of puts the game away a little bit because they played last Thursday, so they might be, like, loose with their X’s and O’s,” Atlanta United midfielder Julian Gressel said. “I mean, it’s unfortunate that the game went that way and we couldn’t find that second goal.”

Despite the missed chances, Atlanta United protected the 1-0 lead until Red Bulls coach Jesse Marsch went full-tilt with a high press later in the game as he searched for a tying goal.

Bringing his fullbacks high up the field to get into the attack — a tactic Atlanta United did very well with its press in the final 35 minutes of the first half and opening 25 minutes of the second half — seemed to affect Atlanta United’s midfielders and defenders.

New York scored its first goal in the 76th minute, Daniel Royer following a corner kick that was forced by a fullback Kemar Lawrence shot. The Red Bulls added a second just six minutes later on an own-goal by Anton Walkes that likely couldn’t have been avoided.

That sequence was started by an clever back-heel pass from Mike Grella to Lawrence, who fired a cross into the mouth of the goal. Defenders failed on both of Lawrence’s shots to close him down, giving him time and space to pick out where he wanted to send the ball.

“Finishing off the game is one big lesson for us, and to stay compact and not concede those two goals so quickly,” fullback Greg Garza said. “Red Bulls high-pressed us in the second half. We need to stay more compact, just to keep more organized defensively.”

Minnesota United likely won’t press in the same way, which could give Atlanta United chances to create more scoring opportunities and to apply lessons learned.