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August 5, 2024
In the last group stage encounter, Atlanta United played Liga MX team Santos Laguna to advance to the next round of the League Cup. For the 5-Stripes to advance to the League Cup knockout stage, they needed to win this game either in regulation or in a penalty shootout. Their final League Cup game was against D.C. After being down 3-1 at one point, the 5-Stripes rallied to win in a penalty shootout.
Like the last game, Sunday ended in regulation with a draw and a penalty shootout. In the majority of play, both sides held each other to zero goals, but Santos Laguna emerged victorious in the shootout, winning 5-3.
“It is disappointment. They wanted to advance just as much as I did,” said interim head coach Rob Valentino at the post-match press conference. “But I also told them, ‘I’m going for the playoffs, and I hope they are there with me.’ I think they are, and I believe it is a group that that is what they want as well, so again, we will dust ourselves off and no one is going to feel sorry for us, but we will continue to move forward like we always have.”
The match started as a dynamic contest, with Atlanta effectively exploiting the right flank using Saba Lobjanidze’s speed.
In the 15th minute, Xande Silva earned a free kick for Atlanta after being fouled by Salvador Mariscal. This followed a well-executed play downfield involving Daniel Ríos and Lobjanidze.
During the first 20 minutes, Atlanta had multiple set-piece opportunities, having previously scored on set-pieces against Columbus Crew on July 20. Goalkeeper Josh Cohen, who also started in the recent League Cup match against D.C., made a crucial save in the 30th minute, denying Santos’ direct attempt from a set-piece.
Atlanta struggled with their passing in the final third, as Santos’ defense proved well-organized and challenging. One of Atlanta’s best chances came from a long-range effort by Silva in the 40th minute.
The first half concluded in a deadlock, setting the stage for an exciting and crucial second half.
“I think we needed to press the ball more,” said Ríos post-match. “We were trying to create the play outside the lines but they were defending us in a good way. I think we needed to be smart and just put the ball into the middle of the box and have more numbers inside the box.”
Interim head coach Rob Valentino made a strategic halftime substitution, bringing Jamal Thiaré in for Ríos, who had been forced to leave due to injury during first-half stoppage time. Thiaré’s pace quickly energized Atlanta, as his presence up front allowed his teammates to exploit gaps behind the Santos defenders.
In the 52nd minute, goalkeeper Cohen made a crucial diving save to keep the match scoreless, thwarting a long ball from Santos that had eluded Brooks Lennon.
Tensions rose in the 55th minute when both teams clashed, leading to red cards for Santos Laguna’s Anthony Lozano and Atlanta’s Xande Silva. However, after a review by the video assistant referees (VAR), the red cards were downgraded to yellow in the 60th minute.
Despite both teams advancing into the final third, clear scoring opportunities remained elusive. In the 71st minute, Atlanta made two substitutions: Edwin Mosquera replaced Tristan Muyumba, and Matt Edwards came on for Pedro Amador, who was making his first start with the club.
Edwards, who signed a Homegrown contract with Atlanta this summer, previously played for the University of North Carolina and captained Atlanta United 2.
Mosquera immediately impacted by driving the ball upfield and setting up Lobjanidze. In the 72nd minute, Lobjanidze’s header from Mosquera’s pass nearly broke the deadlock, but Santos’s goalkeeper, Carlos Acevedo, made an impressive save with a punch.
Atlanta made another change in the 80th minute, bringing on Dax McCarty for Jay Fortune.
As the match’s final moments approached, it seemed increasingly likely that, like the previous encounter, this penalty shootout would be used to settle the game.
In the 90th minute, Atlanta made their final substitution, bringing on Nick Firmino for Silva. This move was a tactical adjustment, given Firmino’s extensive experience in MLS NEXT Pro with Atlanta United 2. In NEXT Pro, tied matches are often settled by penalty kicks, so Firmino was well-acquainted with the pressure of such situations.
During the six minutes of added stoppage time, Atlanta had a few chances to clinch the win.
The most promising opportunity came in the 94th minute when Lobjanidze delivered a pass to Thiaré just inside the box. Thiaré took a challenging shot from a tight angle but went narrowly wide, hitting the side netting.
As the final whistle blew, both teams prepared for a penalty shootout. Unfortunately for Atlanta, the outcome was not in their favor. The 5-Stripes’ Leagues Cup campaign ended in the Group Stage for the second consecutive year.
| Atlanta United | Santos Laguna | |
| Shots | 10 | 12 |
| Shots on target | 3 | 6 |
| Corner kicks | 7 | 6 |
| Fouls committed | 13 | 17 |
| xG | 1.1 | 1.1 |
| Possession | 54% | 46% |
| Passing accuracy | 85% | 86.9% |
Atlanta United’s next MLS game isn’t scheduled until August 24. They are making the trip to the West Coast to play the Los Angeles Galaxy. This will be the first meeting between these two teams since July 2022.
“The outcomes we want are always the same, so each game we will approach and know that we want to be in the playoffs, which is the biggest thing, that we get as high into the playoffs as we can,” said Valentino.
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Katarzyna Nowak is a seasoned writer with over five years of experience in editorial content, news reporting, and football sportsbook app reviews. As an author for Football News Today, she combines her deep understanding of the sports betting industry with a passion for football, delivering insightful and accurate content that keeps readers informed and engaged.
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