Atlanta United played in the Eastern Conference Semifinals on Sunday looking to extend the club's magical and unlikely run in the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs as the No. 9 seed. In their fourth trip to Florida in the last six weeks, the 5-Stripes fell to 4-seed Orlando City SC 1-0 at Inter&Co Stadium.
The result means the end of Atlanta United's season and elimination from the MLS Cup Playoffs. Orlando City SC advances to take on and host 7-seed New York Red Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals on November 30.
"It's a shame that we couldn't get it done," said Atlanta United midfielder Dax McCarty, playing the final match of his 19-year career. "Because it felt like the belief in the locker room was there and it was real, and it felt like the belief from the fans was real. We just came up a little bit short."
"I'm proud that no matter what, the team kept showing up and they kept working. They never gave in," said interim head coach Rob Valentino.
First half - Orlando City's strong opening limits Atlanta United's opportunities
The hearts of Atlanta United supporters started to race in the fifth minute when Oscar Pareja's group nearly capitalized early. A shift from Atlanta's defense created an imbalance, leaving Dagur Thorhallsson wide open on the far side of the box. The midfielder received a long cross and his shot hit the post. Facundo Torres was in the area to clean it up and take a second dangerous shot from close range for the Lions. Fortunately for Atlanta, Saba Lobjanidze hustled back and made a clutch block at the goal line to stop Orlando from scoring the opening goal of the match.
Orlando City took the first corner kick of the match in the 10th minute. Ramiro Enrique rose to put a header on frame, but Atlanta’s veteran goalkeeper Brad Guzan, who battled some sun in his eyes in the first half, collected it calmly for his first save.
Later, Enrique would connect with his feet to score the opening goal for Orlando in the 39th minute. Martín Ojeda swerved a corner kick into the box. Orlando's young No. 9 slid to put it away from close range and score the go-ahead goal for the home side.
"The big problem was, we lost our mark, so Enrique jumped on it," Valentino said.
Atlanta United was forced to make a tactical switch when starting striker Jamal Thiaré appeared to struggle with an injury following a foul. Thiaré showed heart and tried to continue, but he was clearly not able to sprint at full capacity.
It’s understandable why Thiaré tried to continue. The striker is coming off a crucial performance in the Game 3 upset against Inter Miami. Thiaré scored two goals in two minutes, which helped Atlanta United go toe-to-toe with the Supporters’ Shield winners and ultimately led to the major win in Round One.
Finally, it became clear that Thiaré couldn't go on. Valentino sent on striker Daniel Ríos to replace him in the 43rd minute.
Atlanta couldn't create much in their attacking third, but they had some moments, beginning in the 14th minute. One involved a combination between Saba and Bartosz Slisz. Later in the 17th minute, Jay Fortune sent a beautiful long through ball to Pedro Amador on the left, who then looked to send the ball into the box. It was deflected a few times by Orlando to result in Atlanta’s first corner kick of the match.
Overall, Orlando created finer moments in the first 45 minutes. Atlanta United finished the first half with two shots, none on goal. The Lions took seven shots in the first half, three on goal, and controlled 64 percent of the possession.
"In the first half, we gave the ball away too cheaply," Valentino said. "We knew it would be difficult. We didn't put crosses in, and they didn't have guys inside the box either, but they never stopped fighting. They kept trying."
Second half - Atlanta United needing an answer
Atlanta United entered the second half looking to dig out of a one-goal deficit. Unfortunately, Atlanta went down their second striker when right out of the gate on the kickoff, Ríos took a hard ball to the head. Trainers came out to examine him and determined he was not able to continue.
Valentino had to look deep down his bench. He sent on fullback Ronald Hernández and rotated Saba higher up the pitch.
"It became difficult when we had to take both forwards off. We had no actual focal point," Valentino said.
Atlanta United is no stranger to adversity. This group has been defined by their resiliency and has answered the call after falling behind several times this postseason. Soon after the change, space opened up for midfielder Alexey Miranchuk in the attacking third. He put the ball on his left foot and struck a promising and firm shot that went into the side netting and out for an Atlanta corner kick.
Saba, one of the goal scorers in the last meeting with Orlando on Decision Day, became more active after the change as well, using his legs and high work rate to move around the pitch. In the 75th minute, he took his defender 1v1 in a transition moment then sent a long cross that nearly got past Orlando goalkeeper Pedro Gallese to Xande Silva, who had just entered the match as a substitute.
The game opened up at times in the final quarter of play as Atlanta United pushed for the equalizer and Orlando looked for the dagger that would put the match away. Duncan McGuire missed an attempt on a near post run for Orlando. Saba and Fortune created a nice give-and-go but were unable to progress any further and turn it into a chance on goal for Atlanta. Hernández served a nice ball into the box that was just out of reach of the extended foot of Miranchuk.
Atlanta has been able to capitalize on transition moments all postseason and has been clinical in those moments, but tonight the team finished without a shot on goal.
"Ultimately, we didn't have enough in the attacking third," Guzan said. "From an attacking side, it became really difficult."
After surviving four elimination matches to reach this point, Atlanta United was unable to find an answer this time. At full-time, Orlando's lone goal in the first half was enough to secure the win and send them through to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Atlanta's extraordinary playoff run comes to an end, which also means the close of the 2024 season for Atlanta United.
"Frustrating season, but we ended it with pride, and we ended it fighting, and that's all you can ask," McCarty said. "We gave it a good go. We gave it everything we had. The magic just ran out a little bit here in Orlando."
