Surrounding the pitch at the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Training Ground, banners with large writing have been strung to the fence. These banners on black paper with red letters, or vice versa, aren’t normally there, so they add a flair of color. It’s like having a piece of the supporters’ section right here in Marietta.
They read:
Una pasión anormal
Contigo siempre
Vamos ATL
Always here for one another, let our voice lift you up
The past two weeks as Atlanta United trains ahead of its biggest match of the season, a single-elimination contest against 4-seed Orlando City SC in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, players have seen these words and been reminded of their home base, the 17s who will be cheering them on as they travel to Florida and fight for the chance to appear in the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2019.
For the seven players called up to their international teams during the FIFA window, the signs were a greeting, inspiring them to return and continue what they started before the break.
“There’s so much more confidence in the group, so much energy. I’ve been away for 10 days, so coming back now it’s so good. You can feel the atmosphere around the club and everybody’s on top. I’m so looking forward to playing this game,” center back Stian Gregersen said Wednesday.
Here are some of the storylines from the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Training Ground heading into this semifinal weekend in the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs:
Atlanta’s resiliency and belief in road match situations
If there’s been one quality that has defined Atlanta’s playoff run thus far, it’s the word goalkeeper Brad Guzan used last week: resiliency. Beginning with Decision Day on October 19, Atlanta United has faced a win-or-go-home match four times.
Atlanta has won all four.
The group has had their backs against the wall several times and found ways to win – in a do-or-die match on Decision Day, in penalty kicks north of the border, in a thrilling Game 2 at home, in a gutsy Game 3 upset against one of the best teams in MLS history.
What might be overlooked is that Atlanta United has done most of this on the road. All but one of those elimination matches, including Decision Day in Orlando, occurred on the road. Sunday’s upcoming matchup is also away and will be the team’s fourth trip to Florida in the last two months. As the lowest seed remaining, Atlanta United’s Game 2 match on November 2 in the Round One Best-of-3 Series will be the only playoff match hosted in Atlanta this season.
Interim head coach Rob Valentino credits this success on the road to the team’s collective efforts and their own internal belief. A record-setting crowd of more than 68,000 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium will definitely bring some energy, but he believes the team should have an intrinsic energy regardless of where they play:
“We have a belief in ourselves,” Valentino. “Home and away shouldn’t affect them in the ways that people might think because we talk about blocking out the noise anyway.”
Embracing the underdog role heading into the Eastern Conference Semifinals
Atlanta United is no stranger to the postseason. The club has built consistent success in its brief history and qualified for six of the past eight MLS Cup Playoffs. They lifted the MLS Cup in 2018 and reached the conference finals twice (2018, 2019).
This season, Atlanta United has embraced the role of the underdog. At the last moment, they snatched the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, entering the MLS Cup Playoffs as the No. 9 seed. They were certainly not favored to advance past their Round One matchup against the Supporters’ Shield winners Inter Miami CF and their talented roster led by Lionel Messi
It seemed like the group at Atlanta United has held a belief in themselves for a while – the team just needed a few things to fall in their direction for the wins to follow.
“We feel like it’s been there, but something needed to click,” Valentino said. “That belief can only start with us because if we start relying on the outside or external factors that only lasts so long. I’m a big believer in that you’re never as bad as they say, you’re never as good as they say. You stay with what you’re doing and what you see, and having realistic, honest conversations and holding each other accountable.”
Perhaps the best way to describe this internal belief is the motto the team has adopted this postseason: F.E.A. (If you don’t know what that stands for by now and would like to know, I encourage you to watch the latest episode of Rooted In The Stripes shot and produced by the excellent Atlanta United video department.)
On Friday, Valentino explained that he first learned the phrase from watching a different documentary – this one about Tom Brady, the seven-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback. When he heard it, Valentino said he understood the feeling right away, especially when it came to facing criticism:
“It really shouldn’t matter what they say or what anyone says. It’s about what you guys believe in your own locker rooms and what you see is actually happening. It’s having a realistic look at it and not letting things from the outside distract you.”
A rematch with Orlando City SC with a conference final appearance at stake
Before Atlanta United goes any further in their magical playoff run, they have to (again) get past a very good side. Orlando City SC finished the regular season as one of the hottest clubs in the Eastern Conference. Head coach Oscar Pareja’s team won six of its last eight matches to close out the regular season and finished fourth in the conference. The Lions are the highest seed in the East to advance out of Round One.
To reach this point, Orlando City eliminated fifth seed Charlotte FC in Round One. The teams split a game each to force a Game 3. It came down to a penalty shootout in Game 3, which Orlando City won 4-1, led by two massive saves from goalkeeper Pedro Gallese.
Atlanta United won the last meeting between these two teams, which came just over a month ago on Decision Day. Atlanta United went into that match with everything to play for, needing a win to qualify for the MLS Cup Playoffs. They scored two quick goals at Inter&Co Stadium to take an early 2-0 lead. Orlando pulled one back and appeared to score the last-gasp equalizer to yank Atlanta’s playoff hopes out from under them – but VAR called back the goal due to a handball.
Although Atlanta United owns the series this year with two wins, and owns the all-time series with a 10-4-7 record, Sunday is a fresh slate.
“Every game is different. Playoffs are different, a whole different beast,” Valentino said. “They’ve been very consistent. They’ve been really good, even on the last day, going up to playing them, they’ve been consistent with who they are.”
Atlanta and Orlando have never met in a playoff match before, crazy enough, and the winner will advance to the Eastern Conference finals to face either 6-seed New York City FC or 7-seed New York Red Bulls in the conference final on November 30. It's single elimination from here on out, so Sunday is all-or-nothing. This round will also introduce extra time. If the match is tied at the end of regulation, there will be two 15-minute periods added. If the match is still tied, then the result will be decided in a penalty shootout.
One key for Valentino’s team this time against Orlando is being useful and intentional with the ball. At this stage of the season, each moment and each action is important, as Valentino explained. The moment you switch off could be a goal against you – or a goal in your favor if you can capitalize on the opponent’s lapse.
“Whether it’s longer spells in possession or it’s more direct balls in behind, there’s different areas where we think we can hurt them,” Valentino said. “So this isn’t just playing on the counter, but it is I feel like a strength of the players on this team.”
