Atlanta United won 3-2 against FC Dallas in their final preseason game at the Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Training Ground in Marietta just one week away from their 2025 season home opener at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
"There are things we need to improve, but we have to be happy that we keep winning. We have had five games in a row without losing, and that says something about our mentality," Ronny Deila head coach of the five stripes said after the match.
To kick off the first of three 45-minute halves, the starting XI composed of Brad Guzan, Luis Abram, Derrick Williams, Matthew Edwards, Ronald Hernandez, Mateusz Klich, Bartosz Slisz, Alexey Miranchuk, Saba Lobjanidze, Miguel Almiron, and Jamal Thiare.
Atlanta United started off the match strong and was able to capitalize on Dallas' slower approach to warm up to the match. Atlanta United pressured the attacking half hard and Saba Lobjanidze opened the scoring in the 12th minute with a curved shot off of a Hernandez assist from the left wing.
Atlanta United had many attacking chances in the first half that came from great interceptions on the wings and quick passing in the midfield forward.
In the first 20-30 minutes of the game, Dallas had sparing minutes in the attacking third. Atlanta made it difficult for Dallas to press with effective team defending.
Patrickson Delgado, an FC Dallas midfielder, provided a change of pace for the team in the second half of the first 45 minutes. As the half went on, Dallas was quicker on and off the ball and became more dangerous to Atlanta.
Though sloppy in transition at times, Atlanta United played a solid first 45 minutes. They were able to keep Dallas shut out with few chances to tie the match up.
Atlanta United started the second half with the same lineup.
In the 55th minute, Miguel Almiron had a great chance to deepen the lead with a shot that deflected off of the corner of the crossbar.
Atlanta's second goal did eventually come, which built up from a free kick out of the back line from an offsides call against Dallas. Working the ball up the field, an initial shot was taken by Alexey Miranchuk that was deflected. Saba Lobjanidze finished the ball off of a midair volley to find his second goal of the day in the 57th minute.
Dallas cut Atlanta's lead in half shortly after in the 63rd minute with a header from Lalas Abubakar off of a free kick. The later portion of the second half was intense, with both teams drawing several fouls off of challenges.
Ronny Deila changed up the lineup in the 75th minute. Jay Fortune, Edwin Mosquera, and Emmanuel Latte Lath came on for Almiron, Thiare, and Klich.
Atlanta United's newest signing, Latte Lath, had his first-ever appearance for the team. He came off of the bench strong. One of his first plays of the game was a press forward, beating a Dallas defender in a foot race and putting a shot just wide of the goal.
Atlanta United closed off the second half of the game with a 2-1 lead.
After a quick turnaround, the third period of the game began with a new lineup. The starting XI consisted of Josh Cohen, Ronan Wynne, Stian Gregersen, Noah Cobb, Dominic Chong Qui, Tristan Muyumba, Jay Fortune, Luke Brennan, Xande Silva, Edwin Mosquera, and Emmanuel Latte Lath.
It was a very quick start to the half on fresh legs, and both teams went back and forth on offense. Atlanta was proactive on defense, doing very well at cutting off passes and pressuring the Dallas attack.
Latte Lath showed off his play style to Atlanta for the first time with his intense presses and quick feet on the attack. He gave around 50 minutes in his first match and was subbed off in the 120th minute by Cayman Togashi.
Atlanta United scored a third goal in the 130th minute with a breakaway shot by Edwin Mosquera, assisted by Fortune. Dallas responded with their second of the day in the 132nd minute from a penalty drawn by Bernard Kamungo.
After 135 minutes of MLS-level preseason play, Atlanta United beat FC Dallas 3-2.
Moving forward to the first game of the season this Saturday, head coach Ronny Deila commented on the growth of this group throughout the preseason and their performances against other teams in the league.
"We have been tested against four MLS teams. No one has beaten us yet. It has been very even- that we knew before. [This season] it's about how we can be even more dominant than we are now."
Atlanta United will face CF Montreal at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Feb. 22 for their first game of the 2025 season.
"I think we have done a lot of good things so far, and I am really, really enjoying it and looking forward to the future," Deila said.
Article and photos by Sofia Cupertino