ATL Standard

Atlanta United faced a challenging start to their road games this season, suffering a 2-0 defeat against Charlotte FC at Bank of America Stadium. Despite a promising first half, where Atlanta dominated with ten out of twelve shots, they were unable to convert these opportunities into goals.

The second half saw Charlotte FC capitalize on Atlanta's defensive disorganization. Wilfried Zaha, making his debut for Charlotte, played a crucial role in both goals. In the 50th minute, Pep Biel scored the opening goal after receiving a long ball from Zaha. Just four minutes later, Zaha himself scored by finishing off a rebound after Brad Guzan blocked an initial shot from Liel Abada.

Atlanta United head coach Ronny Deila reflected on the match saying, "As a group, we have to learn from these kinds of experiences. We had gone six games [dating back to preseason] without losing. Now we lose, and we don't like to do that, especially this way because we were very even with them, maybe even better than them, in the first half. Then, they win. They deserve to win in the end because what happened in the second."

Deila's strategy included starting three center backs due to injuries among fullbacks: Luis Abram joined Derrick Williams and Stian Gregersen in defense. This setup allowed some flexibility but left space on the wings for Saba Lobjanidze and Alexey Miranchuk to exploit during attacks.

Both teams showcased dynamic players with Premier League experience: Miguel Almirón for Atlanta and Wilfried Zaha for Charlotte. Almirón was active in the first half creating chances but it was Zaha who made decisive contributions in the second half with his goal and assist.

In terms of milestones, Jay Fortune and Derrick Williams started their first match of 2025 while Dominik Chong Qui made his MLS debut as one of Atlanta's youngest players.

Looking ahead, Atlanta United aims to recover with five out of their next six matches at home. Their upcoming game is against New York Red Bulls on March 8 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.