Orlando City SC travel to take on Atlanta United on Saturday night in a matchup between two teams only separated by a single point in the Eastern Conference playoff picture.
Orlando City (9-6-7, 34 points) are coming off a season-worst 4-0 loss at Real Salt Lake last Saturday. Despite the lopsided scoreline, the Lions still generated chances, taking 11 shots and putting four of them on frame.
“Today, we ran into a team that was very effective going forward when they had their chances,” said coach Oscar Pareja after the game. “I thought we had our chance too, but we didn’t have the capacity to finish our opportunities. … Salt Lake were much more effective and obviously, the score reflects that.”
The Lions’ joint team-leading goal scorers, Duncan McGuire and Facundo Torres each with seven goals, were both kept off the scoresheet Saturday. One, or ideally both, of them being more clinical in front of goal will help erase memories of getting shut out despite the chances.
Atlanta (9-6-8, 35 points) sits one point ahead of Orlando City with one more game played after falling 2-1 to the New England Revolution on the road Wednesday night. The Revolution scored twice in the first nine minutes, the second-fastest Atlanta has ever allowed multiple goals from the starting whistle. Forward Machop Chol got one back for the visitors in second-half extra time, his second career MLS goal.
“I think we came back in the game,” said Atlanta coach Gonzalo Pineda after the game. “Even in the first half after those first minutes. … I think once we started to switch tactically, we started to be better.”
Atlanta did create chances and in fact put more shots on target than the Revolution, 11-6. They simply could not finish other than Chol’s late consolation.
Forward Giorgos Giakoumakis, who has missed the past two games with a hamstring injury, is still questionable for Saturday night. Defender Miles Robinson is returning from international duty with the United States Men’s National Team in the Gold Cup and is questionable as well.
Earlier this week, Atlanta lent midfielder Franco Ibarra to Toronto FC for the rest of the 2023 season in return for $50,000 in general allocation money.
–Field Level Media