COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — Atlanta United continues to play better for 45 minutes but continues to get nothing from its improvement because of its propensity to collapse in the second half.
The Five Stripes were beaten by Colorado 3-1 on Saturday. Atlanta United extended its season-worst winless streak in league matches to 10. Despite Alexey Miranchuk scoring the team’s first goal in the first half a road match, it remains winless on the road (0-8-5).
The loss dropped Atlanta United (4-12-10) to 16 points below the playoff line with eight matches remaining. It is two points ahead of 15th place D.C. United and six ahead of the L.A. Galaxy in the hope of not finishing with the fewest points in MLS.
Atlanta United outplayed the Rapids in the first half but the gremlin of individual errors, the monster in Atlanta United’s closet all season, resulted in one goal for the hosts in the first half and two more in the second half.
Manager Ronny Deila’s lineup was composed of Emmanuel Latte Lath, Miranchuk, Miguel Almiron, Saba Lobjanidze, Bartosz Slisz, Will Reilly, Ronald Hernandez, Brooks Lennon, Stian Gregersen, Enea Mihaj and Brad Guzan.
Atlanta United fell behind 1-0 in the 18th minute Lennon was beaten on a header by Rafael Navarro, and Gregersen was beaten to the next ball by Darren Yapi, who one-timed the 7-yard shot past Guzan.
Miranchuk tied it two minutes later with a left-footed curling shot from 20 yards into the lower left corner. It was his sixth goal and third in the past three league matches.
It was the fifth consecutive solid first-half performance for Atlanta United. It took eight shots, putting two on goal. It finished with 0.52 expected goals from seven chances created. Colorado finished with four shots, one on goal. It finished with 0.51 expected goals from three chances created.
Juan Berrocal subbed on for Lobjanidze in the 58th minute. The sub also resulted in Atlanta United switching to a back five, playing a 5-2-3 formation.
Berrocal committed a penalty in the 18-yard box a few minutes when he was beaten by Navarro in the 63rd minute. Navarro took the penalty kick, giving the Rapids a 2-1 lead in the 64th minute. Guzan dove left and got a hand on it but couldn’t stop it.
Colorado increased its lead to 3-1 when Navarro put a shot through a slew of players and under Guzan in the 71st minute.
Tristan Muyumba, Steven Alzate and Luke Brennan subbed on for Reilly, Hernandez and Almiron after the goal.
A shot by Muyumba bounced off Miranchuk in the 75th minute. It was Atlanta United’s last good opportunity to get back into the match.
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