COLUMBUS, Ohio — Atlanta United continues to buck the theory that spending money will result in success.
On the day it was revealed that the Five Stripes had the third-largest payroll in MLS at $27.6 million, they were thumped by Columbus and its $16.4 million payroll 3-1 on Wednesday at Lower.com Field.
“We met today a team that is better, that’s for sure,” Atlanta United manager Ronny Deila said. “And in the first half, we had a plan. I think they tried to do the plan, but again, over and again, we get played between us and through us, and they were quicker in every moment.”
The accounting: Atlanta United (4-10-5) lost its third consecutive match during which it has scored one goal and allowed nine. It is winless in nine road matches. It is 11 points below the playoff line.
The bottom line: Despite talk of fresh ideas and wanting to attack the last 16 matches after last week’s time off, the loss was like so many this season. Atlanta United players failed to pressure Columbus’ players on two of its goals. The third was the result of an Atlanta United mistake. All came in the first 42 minutes to decide the game before half of it was played.
Offensively, the team put one shot on goal in the first half despite more than half that compensation going to attacking players Miguel Almiron, Alexei Miranchuk and Emmanuel Latte Lath. Brooks Lennon scored Atlanta United’s only goal in the second half. The team finished with two shots on goal despite trailing for 67 minutes. Columbus finished with 10 shots on goal, according to fotmob.com.
“It’s difficult to get a lot of chances, also when you concede easy goals that we do now in the game, and we do it over and over again,” Deila said.
Deila’s lineup was composed of Latte Lath and Almiron as the strikers, Miranchuk, Mateusz Klich and Bartosz Slisz in the midfield, Lennon and Pedro Amador as wingbacks, Luis Abram, Efrain Morales and Matthew Edwards as the centerbacks, and Brad Guzan in goal.
Columbus began dominating possession around the 12th minute and took a 1-0 lead when Dylan Chambost, unpressured 40 yards from goal, chipped a pass over Atlanta United’s backline to Andres Herrera, who beat Guzan to the far post in the 23rd minute. It was the same type of pass that Atlanta United had unsuccessfully attempted numerous times.
Guzan rushed out of goal to deny Daniel Gazdag in a one-on-one in the 29th minute to keep Atlanta United from falling behind 2-0. It was the Crew’s 10th shot compared to Atlanta United’s one.
Columbus increased its lead to 2-0 in the 33rd minute when Jacen Russell-Rowe, holding off Morales a few feet from the touchline, spun to his left and fired a right-footed shot that beat Guzan at the near post. Russell-Rowe was played into space because Atlanta United once again failed to pressure Columbus, this time Gazdag, when he had the ball near midfield. He saw Russell-Rowe also standing in yards of space between Atlanta United’s centerbacks and played the simple pass.
Columbus made it 3-0 when Edwards misplayed a pass to Slisz near the top of the 18-yard box. It was intercepted by Diego Rossi, who passed it to Russell-Rowe yards from goal in the 42nd minute.
“They were running at us at will every time they had the ball,” Guzan said. “It felt they were superior numbers in quality, and time and space on the ball, and they were able to do what they wanted when they wanted.”
Atlanta United finished the half with 0.58 expected goals from three shots, one on target. The half started with lots of Atlanta United players giving thumbs-up to teammates for passes that were intentioned though not successful. It ended with players holding their palms up and shrugging, unable to understand what the other had tried.
Columbus finished with 2.74 expected goals from 14 shots, seven on target. Will Reilly replaced Klich to start the second half.
Lennon was awarded a goal when after a review it was determined his shot crossed the line before it was cleared by Yevhen Cheberko. That decision by referee Victor Rivas cut Atlanta United’s deficit to 3-1 in the 60th minute. It was Lennon’s first goal this season.
Latte Lath went just wide in the 65th minute from 12 yards.
Jamal Thiare and Saba Lobjanidze replaced Miranchuk and Edwards in the 77th minute as Deila switched to a 4-4-2 formation. Ronald Hernandez and Noah Cobb, two defenders, replaced Amador and Latte Lath in the 83rd minute.
Rescheduled. Atlanta United’s match at Inter Miami, scheduled for Saturday in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., has been rescheduled to Oct. 11. Game time will be 7:30 p.m.
Inter Miami advanced out of the group stage of the Club World Cup and will play in Atlanta against Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday, forcing the postponement of the MLS match.
The match will fall during an FIFA international window.
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