Atlanta United’s newest striker, Breel Embolo, may be the “Breel thing,” but that wasn’t enough to overcome Orlando City as United fell 3-2 in his home debut Wednesday night.
United got on the board in the seventh minute thanks to an Orlando own goal, marking the earliest score for the Five Stripes this season. While the official record listed City defender David Brekalo with the own goal, Embolo was written all over it as he created pressure in front of goal.
However, momentum shifted quickly as Orlando picked up the pace and put United’s shaky defense to the test. Orlando’s own European star Antoine Griezmann equalized in the 26th minute as United’s defense trailed after City recovered the ball seconds after a near miss, but the French striker redeemed the attempt and punished United center back Paulo Díaz, who trailed the play.
Orlando iced the match with two second-half goals, first by midfielder Iván Angulo in the 58th minute and then another for Griezmann in the 77th. Atlanta never quite regained that energy of the first 10 minutes despite Orlando committing another own goal seconds before second-half stoppage ended.
Atlanta United manager Gerardo Martino found the match difficult to understand.
“(It’s) a little frustrating because evidently, I did not expect us to have a game like today where, in general, lines we were outplayed,” Martino said. “And above all with such an ambitious start, where we not only scored a goal but also had 10-15 minutes where the team had an intensity that it wasn’t able to repeat throughout the match except for the last 15 minutes.”
Embolo made his United debut against Lionel Messi and Inter Miami CF on Saturday, where the Five Stripes battled the No. 2 team in the East to a 2-2 draw. Embolo converted a penalty kick in the final minutes to level the score and earn a point in the standings. He was just the ninth United player to score in his first appearance with the club.
The Five Stripes made a splash this summer, signing Switzerland World Cup forward Embolo in August from French Ligue 1 side Stade Rennais. It was the biggest signing of the summer for United, and one that could prove to be one of the most significant in club history as the striker’s contract runs through 2029-30.
“(Embolo) worked well,” Martino said. “He’s a player, as I’ve said, we can find him in buildup, we can find him when we jump lines, (and) he turns well. Definitively, in almost two matches that he’s played, he scored two goals, and that’s what you’d hope for from a center forward.”
Martino said ahead of the match that the club can’t expect Embolo to be at his best just one game in — coming off an extended break after the World Cup and no club preseason — nor does Martino think anyone should put that pressure on him. Embolo played 78 minutes after a full 90 last match. United suits up again on Saturday to face D.C. United on the road. Ideally, Martino wants to manage his minutes along with expectations.
United midfielder Cooper Sanchez, who has started 20 matches this season, missed Wednesday’s outing as the 18-year-old works through the concussion protocol. Midfielders Jay Fortune and Mauricio Amaro entered the starting lineup. Fortune made his first appearance since July 17 after sustaining a hamstring injury, while Amaro got his first start since joining the club over the summer transfer window. Amaro made his club debut when he subbed on for Sanchez against Miami.
Orlando (9-11-4, 31 points) came into the match sitting right where Atlanta (6-14-4, 22 points) is chasing — in playoff contention. City jumps higher out of the play-in into No. 6 while United finds itself six points back still at No. 14. Wednesday was the third meeting between the two rivals this season. First, United drew with Orlando, then days later City knocked Atlanta out of the U.S. Open Cup in a 4-1 defeat.
Next, United travels to the nation’s capital to face another team in the playoff hunt for a potentially decisive match on Saturday as Atlanta’s postseason hopes grow more challenging.
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