RECAP: Atlanta United fall to Orlando City SC for the first time

Atlanta United’s undefeated run against Orlando City SC came to an end after a 1-3 loss to the MLS is Back finalists.

Lineup

Let’s take a gander.

Highlights

Atlanta’s first chance presented itself in the opening 10 minutes through a Pity Martinez corner, but Brooks Lennon couldn’t head it past Orlando goalkeeper Pedro Gallese.

Just a few minutes later, Orlando put one past Atlanta through an eerily similar situation after a misplaced pass from Brad Guzan ultimately gave Orlando the set piece chance.

At one point, Adam Jahn shifted to the left wing and set up Manuel Castro for a shot, which was something to behold.

10 minutes before halftime, Chris Mueller showed Atlanta what a nice, team goal looks like.

Brooks Lennon and debutant Jurgen Damm combined late into the second half to give Atlanta a chance to take something from the match.

Then Orlando decided they hate happy endings, so they effectively put the game to bed minutes later.

And that’s what happened.

Takeaway

Bello is fun to watch. Pity is fun to watch. Miles is fun to watch. A lot of these players are fun to watch, but interim manager Stephen Glass needs to figure out how to gel the individual players into a team that’s on the same page. Atlanta and Orlando have been trending in opposite directions for quite some time, which became apparent during the MLS is Back tournament. If I’m being honest, this result doesn't surprise me very much.

Injury Report

• Hyndman is still out with a “lower body injury”
• Meza is still out after sustaining an injury against Nashville
• Barco came on as a substitute after not making the Nashville match

Man of the Match

I’ll just throw Bello’s name into the ring. He’s one of Atlanta’s best attackers right now (even though he’s playing left back), he’s young, he’s exciting to watch, and he’s one of the things that gives me hope about this team right now.

Tweet of the Match

Pain.

What’s Next?

Atlanta United will host Inter Miami for the first time next Wednesday. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00.