Atlanta United fell 3-0 to regional rival Orlando City SC last night. Goals from Luis Muriel, Alex Freeman, and Marco Pašalić sealed the deal for Orlando. Before tonight, Orlando had gone 312 minutes without a goal. Atlanta United has now been shut out in three straight matches and is scoreless from open play in the last 366 minutes.
In the 30th minute, Angulo had a chance down the left-hand side after Atuesta sent a beautiful through ball. Once he turned his body to goal, he took a shot on frame that was immediately blocked by Brad Guzan. A few minutes later, Orlando’s Luis Muriel went down inside the box after getting tripped up by Bartosz Slisz. Once he stepped up to the spot, he sent Brad Guzan diving to his right as he calmly slotted home his attempt to Guzan’s right.
Alex Freeman followed that with a second goal in the 51st minute. Pasalich was in midfield before he passed the ball to Freeman. In space down the right side, Freeman dribbled toward the box and took a shot on frame from a tight angle. He managed to beat Guzan by going low and to the far post from that angle, bringing the match up to 2-0.
The game was put out of reach in the 66th minute for Marco Pašalić. His fourth goal of the season was a cheeky one, as it looked like the ball was heading straight to the keeper but it curled toward the near post. Atuesta had a chance four minutes later after drawing Guzan off his line but his shot went just wide of the post.
Atlanta fought late in the second half to salvage something from the outing, but failed to convert. Matt Edwards found Edwin Mosquera with six minutes left in the match, but Mosquera’s attempt went wide. With his miss, Atlanta finished the match without a single shot on target.
“We have to think about our performances, and they are not good enough,” said Ronny Deila after the match. “As I said to my players also, it cannot be, I think the bottom is reached in a way. Now it’s about how we can turn this around.”
Once known for dynamic attacking football and an electric home-field presence, Atlanta United now finds itself near the bottom of the Eastern Conference with inconsistent performances, tactical uncertainty, and a sputtering attack. They’re off to the worst start in franchise history, and suffice it to say, it’s time for a reset.
The club’s early-season woes aren’t just about missed shots or bad luck — they’re about tactical disorganization and a lack of synergy. A 3-5-2 system, built around the strengths of the current roster, offers a solution that is both pragmatic and promising. With Williams, Gregerson, and Abram holding the line, Klich, Fortune, and Miranchuk controlling the tempo, and Latte-Lath and Jamal leading the attack, this team can rediscover its identity and begin to climb the table. It’s time to shift the formation and the momentum.
The five stripes head home to host Nashville SC at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday, May 3. Sitting in 12th place with nine points in the Eastern Conference, honestly, a formation shift couldn’t hurt.
-Jon Jones
Photos: Courtesy of ATLUTD