The best and worst moments of Gonzalo Pineda’s tenure with Atlanta United

1. Beat Miami 3-1 on May 29. Atlanta United was winless in its previous nine MLS matches. Lionel Messi was on the pitch for Miami.

Atlanta United bombed them.

It was Miami’s first home defeat with Messi in the starting lineup. It was the first time a Messi-led club had been beaten while scoring since 2021.

It was everything Atlanta United fans wanted to see.

2. Beat Columbus 4-2 on November 7, 2023. Atlanta United trailed the Crew in the best-of-three playoff series after a 2–0 loss in Ohio in which they were outplayed.

Atlanta United turned things around at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, beating Columbus 4-2 to even the series. Giorgos Giakoumakis scored a goal and two assists.

It is important to note that Atlanta United took a 1-0 lead, but Columbus quickly tied the game at 1. Atlanta United did not fold. He scored twice in the second half, both goals coming in the final 10 minutes, to extend the series to a third game and give fans hope that he could fulfill his potential.

He lost the third match.

3. Beat Orlando 3-0 on September 10, 2021. It was Pineda’s second game in charge and his first game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Ezequiel Barco scored a goal and won a free kick which resulted in an own goal.

The victory moved Atlanta United into a tie for the seventh and final playoff spot. This gave fans hope that the attacking football they enjoyed in the team’s early years was returning.

“This is not my first victory,” Pineda said. “It’s about these three points which are very valuable for the team and the club. The players deserve every part of the victory. I felt they did an amazing job, they worked really hard the last two weeks. And this is their reward. At the same time, it’s a reward for the fans, whose connection I really enjoy. We played for them. They encouraged us every moment.

Worse

1. Lose to Charlotte 3-2 on June 2. Atlanta United followed a win against Miami by losing to Charlotte a few days later in a way that Atlanta United fans were tired of seeing: lack of finishing in the final third, lack of discipline in the defensive third .

“We play well and we get into the final third, which is not easy against teams who abandon their lines and defend with 10 or 11 players in their own third, and even then we create (chances), but when you don’t score the goals in key moments, you suffer,” Pineda said.

The decision to fire Pineda was made Monday.

2. Defeat against Cincinnati 2-1 on April 20. This was not a high-stakes playoff game. It was just another regular season game, but it summed up the Pineda era.

Atlanta United took a 1-0 lead in the 59th minute thanks to a goal from Thiago Almada. Five minutes later, Cincinnati led 2-1. The first goal came from an Almada corner kick that set up a Cincinnati corner kick.

“I was speechless after that,” Pineda said.

The second came when no one scored Luciano Acosta, the reigning MVP and most dangerous player on the court.

The two goals scored so soon after Atlanta United’s goal and so close together was a constant problem.

“You have guys running freely in the box, able to collect a ball at the penalty spot, take a touch, look at the goalkeeper from seven yards, you’re going to get punished,” Guzan said. “You don’t put pressure on the ball. We don’t follow runners in the middle of the box.

3. Lose to Austin 3-0 on July 9, 2022. Atlanta United hadn’t won their previous two matches, but seemed to have turned a corner by narrowly defeating the Red Bulls 2-1 at Red Bull Arena and then battling to a 2-2 draw against NYCFC at Yankee Stadium.

That momentum evaporated during a bombing of Austin. After the game, Josef Martinez pointed the franchise’s path in many directions.

“So we play because we have to play, but in training some players don’t have that energy,” he said. “Some people don’t know what we should do or don’t recognize or appreciate the jersey. This is probably the biggest problem. Injuries are not a problem. We play football and you can get injured every day. And some people still think that because we lost those guys, we lost. We make a mistake, we all make a mistake. And we are professionals. There are no more children.

“And if you come here, you need to know what we need to do. So if you’re not 100% coming here, you probably don’t have to join this club to play. So people, this is a message for everyone. If you want to bring guys in, it’s because they want to play here and not because it’s business. And it happened a long time ago.

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Atlanta United’s 2024 schedule

February 24 Columbus 1, Atlanta United 0

March 9 Atlanta United 4, New England 1

March 17 Atlanta United 2, Orlando 0

March 23 Toronto 2, Atlanta United 0

March 31 Atlanta United 3, Chicago 0

April 6 Atlanta United 1, NYCFC 1

April 14 Atlanta United 2, Philadelphia 2

April 20 Cincinnati 2, Atlanta United 1

April 27 Atlanta United 1, Chicago 1

May 4 Minnesota 2, Atlanta United 1

May 7 Atlanta United 3, Charlotte Independence 0 in US Open Cup

May 11 DC United 3, Atlanta United 2

May 15 Cincinnati 1, Atlanta United 0

May 18 Atlanta United 1, Nashville 1

May 21 Atlanta United 0 (5), Charleston 0 (4) in US Open Cup

May 25 LAFC 1, Atlanta United 0

May 29 Atlanta United 3, Miami 1

June 2 Charlotte 3, Atlanta United 2

June 15 vs. Houston, 7:30 p.m.

June 19 at DC United, 7:30 p.m.

June 22 in Saint-Louis, 8:30 p.m.

June 29 c. Toronto, 7:30 p.m.

July 3 at New England, 7:30 p.m.

July 6 at Real Salt Lake, 9:30 p.m.

July 13 in Montreal, 7:30 p.m.

July 17 vs. NYCFC, 7:30 p.m.

July 20 against Columbus, 7:30 p.m.

July 26 against DC United in the League Cup, 7:30 p.m.

August 4 against Santos Laguna in the League Cup, 4 p.m.

August 24 at LA Galaxy, 10:30 p.m.

August 31 in Charlotte, 7:30 p.m.

September 14 vs. Nashville, 7:30 p.m.

September 18 against Miami, 7:30 p.m.

September 21 at the Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m.

September 28 in Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m.

October 2 c. Montreal, 7:30 p.m.

October 5 against Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m.

October 19 in Orlando, 6 p.m.