mls belt: matchday 17+18
streaks are ended, the belt changes hands, and atlanta fires their coach
Alexander Gonzalez
June 7th, 2024
Design: Alexander Gonzalez
It’s August 12, 2021. Atlanta United has a 3-6-9 record and is 10th in the Eastern Conference. Heinze had just recently been fired after having a winless streak to eight matches set with a home loss to the New England Revolution. He oversaw 13 MLS games and had several struggles with his squad. From the water-negate scandal to having Josef Martinez train on his own, it was not an easy time at the club.
In comes Gonzalo Pineda. There was excitement and even some envy. Pineda had been an assistant coach with Seattle since 2017. He was there during their 2019 MLS Cup victory and many voices and fans called out that he was an important piece in that and the other seasons he was there.
It’s June 3rd, 2024. Atlanta United has a 4-4-8 record and is 13th in the Eastern Conference. Pineda has just been fired soon after a 9-game winless streak was surprisingly ended in Miami culminating in a home loss to Charlotte FC. To break down the former, Miami was going in with a 9-game undefeated streak in MLS. It was supposed to be an unstoppable force getting another victory and separating away from FC Cincinnati on the race for the shield.
What we got was a brace from Saba along with an xG of 3.63 for Atlanta. Miami had an early chance with an uncomfortable header from Messi sail over the bar. From then on, the rest of the first half went to Atlanta. They found some space behind Busquett’s where Saba was given miles of space to line up his shot and score from outside the box. Similar defending was present with his 2nd where he was able to drift inside with a ton of time that let him hit a shot that deflected from Alba into the net. Messi got a goal at the 61st minute with a low-driven shot at the keeper’s left corner.
Miami did have a couple more opportunities, but it was Atlanta that scored again with some quick buildup having Almada and Wiley combine well to assist Thiaré. There were still a few opportunities with some stronger ones for Atlanta, but the match ended 3-1 in favor of the visitors. The belt was changing hands.
With an unlikely victory, Atlanta hosted Charlotte FC. The Crown was having a go at the Belt after a loss to the NYRB. Of the two, Charlotte has been having a better season, in playoff spots and having offloaded Enzo Copetti. It was only their 3rd matchup since the Crown joined the league.
The game started lively with Atlanta on the front foot. They were first to score with Almada scoring from a deflected volley. Charlotte gets one back and then scores in the 2nd half to take the lead. Abada is the scorer of the latter in a similar strike to Messi’s. He then gets a brace 10 minutes later when Bronico finds him open inside the box to score. Atlanta gets one back, but the game ultimately ends 3-2 in favor of Charlotte.
Atlanta United’s next fixture comes after a bye-week where they will face DC United. For Atlanta, it was the last game in charge for Pineda after having lost 5 consecutive home games. Their rebuild won’t be easy. Almada is likely to be gone for the Olympics, if not transferred away. Georgios Giakoumakis has also just signed for Cruz Azul. They host Houston next weekend.
