Soccer
It took nearly two months, but Atlanta United are back in the win column.
The Five Stripes snapped their eight-game winless streak on Matchday 15, cruising to an emphatic 4-2 victory over FC Cincinnati at Mercedes-Benz Stadium during Sunday Night Soccer presented by Continental Tire.
The hosts got four different goal scorers – Derrick Williams and Ajani Fortune tallied in the first half before Bartosz Slisz netted the game-winner and Jamal Thiaré iced the match – to produce some much-needed good vibes.
“We went far too long without a win, especially in our home place,” Williams told MLS Season Pass post-game.
“But I think tonight we showed a lot of character. We showed how good we can be. We just need to do it for longer periods.”
Forward progress
Recently, Atlanta head coach Ronny Deila called his team “soft” as points slipped away and they slid down the Eastern Conference standings.
Consider that message heard loud and clear, overcoming a Cincy side that entered the weekend tied for the Supporters’ Shield lead. Brad Guzan’s seven saves proved pivotal along the way, keeping star attackers Evander and Kévin Denkey off the board.
“When you see that determination on set plays, when you see that people want to score, then you see a different team,” Deila said after Atlanta’s first win since beating New York City FC on March 29. “You see that we want to clear the ball and we are first to the ball in the box. These kinds of things are key.
“We just need to understand that we can beat anybody, but we can also lose against anybody. This has to be the minimum when we talk about the discipline, when we talk about the killer instinct inside the boxes. Then we can prove our style and our play going forward.”
Busy slate
Atlanta aren’t getting too far ahead of themselves, especially with a six-game road swing on the horizon after they host southern rival Orlando City SC on Wednesday for a midweek contest (7:30 pm ET | MLS Season Pass).
But with their third win of the season in tow, there’s some positive momentum after falling short of expectations throughout much of the spring.
“I’m very happy for my teammates, for the effort they put in,” said Miguel Almirón, who returned this winter from English Premier League side Newcastle United as a Designated Player.
“I think the team was deserving it for the hard work that we’ve put in. We still haven’t won anything, it’s one game, an important step forward against a good team. We have to keep going. Wednesday we have a final that will be very important also.”
Read MoreJoan Block