Rob Valentino Assistant Coach | Atlanta United FC Website
Rob Valentino Assistant Coach | Atlanta United FC Website
Atlanta United began its preseason with a match against Chattanooga FC, an MLS NEXT Pro team. The game, held at Finley Stadium, ended in a 2-1 loss for Atlanta United. This was the first competitive outing under new head coach Ronny Deila.
Deila expressed interest in observing successful tasks over results and how the team would respond to changes in scoreline. Atlanta conceded twice after initially scoring, which will be a focus for improvement before their next match against Birmingham.
Young players like Dominik Chong Qui, Luke Brennan, and goal scorer Ronan Wynne made notable impressions during the game. Deila utilized two different lineups for each half, mixing new players with returning ones. The second half saw more action as all three goals were scored then.
Tristan Muyumba spoke about his recovery from minor injuries: "I'm happy because I tried to walk a lot during the offseason, and I can feel my body is good and I'm in good shape." Noah Cobb returned home to Chattanooga for this match.
Dominik Chong Qui joined Atlanta United 2 from the Academy and will become part of the first team on an MLS contract starting in 2026. Mateusz Klich made his debut after being acquired from D.C. United.
In the first half, Atlanta played in a 4-3-2-1 formation with Klich taking a direct free kick that required a save from Chattanooga's goalkeeper Eldin Jakupović. Alexey Miranchuk narrowly missed scoring after receiving a pass from Matt Edwards.
The second half featured appearances by Efraín Morales and Stian Gregersen as center backs and Cayman Togashi making his debut as striker. Will Reilly also appeared for the first time since signing as a Homegrown player.
Ronan Wynne scored late in the second half for Atlanta United with Saba providing an assist on a corner kick. However, Chattanooga equalized shortly after through Jesus Ibarra's assisted goal and took the lead minutes later with another set piece goal.
Chattanooga's goalkeeper Michael Barrueta made crucial saves towards the end of the match to secure their victory.
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