The Illusion of Control: Atlanta United Sinks Against Columbus

In the pregame warmups, Columbus and Atlanta prepared for two different matches.

Columbus kept everything tight. Their work stayed inside small grids, built around rondos where every touch arrived under pressure and every pass had to escape it. Defenders closed quickly, the ball moved faster, and long sequences were avoided. Their tactics were clear: once they won the ball, they wanted to make Atlanta chase it.

Atlanta’s warmup looked different. They worked through passing sequences focused on clean circulation, emphasizing accuracy over pressure. The ball moved through patterns without defenders closing space or forcing rushed decisions.

Both sessions were deliberate. One trained players to win the ball and keep it under pressure, moving it quickly to avoid losing it again. The other trained players to pass cleanly through space, with time to receive and complete the next action.

1st Half

The tactics were clear for all to see from the initial two minutes. Columbus dropped into possession and immediately began circulating the ball across their back line, with no pressure on the first pass. Atlanta’s front line held position instead of stepping, and the Crew used that time to move the ball freely and reset. The Crew were going to keep the ball and force Atlanta to come take it. Atlanta let them.

Atlanta seemed focused on defensive improvements, not pressuring Columbus. The ball did not enter the Columbus half until several minutes had passed, with Atlanta unable to sustain possession long enough to advance the field. When Atlanta did win the ball, the next pass often failed to connect, and the sequence ended before it could develop. Columbus, by contrast, kept their structure and began to increase the speed of their challenges, stepping harder into duels as the half progressed.

After the opening stretch, they began to carry possession into the Crew half more frequently, but those entries did not turn into chances. Passes into central areas were met quickly, and the next action - whether a touch or a pass - was often disrupted. Stian Gregersen, as usual, absorbed repeated contact in those moments, with challenges arriving immediately after the ball entered his zone.

Both teams defended higher up the field, compressing the space between lines and reducing the time available on the ball. That compression shaped every sequence. Columbus used it to keep possession moving in tight areas, while Atlanta struggled to complete passes through the same congestion. The result was a series of short possessions that ended quickly for Atlanta and extended without much penetration for Columbus.

Around the middle of the half, Atlanta began to find more consistent entries into the final third. The ball moved forward with more intent, and a handful of sequences ended with shots rather than immediate turnovers. But even then, the actions remained isolated. The initial pass could break a line, but the next pass did not arrive cleanly enough to sustain pressure or create a clear chance.

Nothing in the half forced a change from either side. In short, it was a rough half to watch.

2nd Half

Atlanta’s first action after kickoff set the tone immediately. The ball was played straight back to Hoyos, resetting possession rather than advancing it up the pitch. Columbus stepped forward in response, closing space higher up the field and forcing Atlanta into quicker decisions than they had faced in the first half.

The pressure produced the first goal within minutes. Columbus progressed down the right and delivered an early cross into the box, where Abou Ali attacked the space ahead of Gregersen and won the header cleanly. It was a beautiful header, but Stian could have done more to stop it.

Atlanta’s response was to alter the build-up. They shifted toward more direct balls forward, bypassing midfield instead of playing through it. Those passes did not connect cleanly, and Columbus recovered quickly to regain their possession.

The second goal came again from wide play. Abou Ali received outside the box with time to turn and strike, placing his shot into the top corner beyond Hoyos’ reach. The space in front of Atlanta’s back line remained open long enough for the action to develop, and Columbus used it. Stunning shot.

Tata Martino had seen enough, calling for subs before play resumed. The idea was to regain control of midfield. Jay Fortune’s return drew a strong reaction from the crowd, but his first involvements showed rust and will require a bit of patience from him and the crowd. Sanchez came out flat, and couldn’t affect the game.

Atlanta’s goal came through their clearest attacking sequence of the night. Almirón carried the ball centrally and shifted it right to Miranchuk before the play moved left to Báez. His cross dropped into a crowded box, where the ball ricocheted between players. Almirón’s shot was saved, the rebound was blocked again, and the ball remained loose until Miranchuk finished from close range.

Any momentum Atlanta thought they had lasted less than a minute. Columbus attacked again down the right, delivering a low ball across the six-yard box. Arfsten arrived first and finished before the defense could settle, restoring the gap immediately. ATLUTD and those in attendance visibly deflated.

From that point, Atlanta stopped affecting the game. Columbus continued to find space behind the back line, with wide players receiving on the turn and advancing into open field. Atlanta’s defensive pressure dropped, and possessions ended more quickly, often returning to Columbus without a fight for the second ball.

Late substitutions added energy without changing the pattern of play. Lobjanidze ran at defenders but did not retain possession for Atlanta, and forward movements ended with turnovers.

Play broke down after the 90’. A collision involving Báez led to a stoppage, with players going to ground and contact drawing immediate reactions from both sides. The challenge included contact to the head, and players gathered quickly around the incident. Tata Martino, in a speed I didn’t know he still had, left his technical area and went directly towards the Columbus bench. Players and staff from both sides converged, and the exchange escalated into a prolonged confrontation. Cards were issued throughout. Báez was cautioned, additional yellow cards were shown on both sides, and Martino was sent off for apparent abusive language. Play did not resume for several minutes as the benches were separated and the situation brought under control.

Play eventually resumed, but the final minutes played out without ideas from Atlanta. Atlanta could not sustain possession long enough to apply pressure. Columbus closed the match with the same control they had established earlier in the half.

The crowd booed upon the final whistle.

Player Impressions

Lucas Hoyos

He made several big saves, and kept the game from getting out of hand. However, the story of his night was his distribution. By repeatedly recycling the ball to his center backs, he became a symbol of Atlanta’s caution. His inability to jumpstart a counter-attack allowed Columbus to reset their defensive shape every time he touched the ball.

Stian Gregersen

Was involved in repeated physical duels and took contact throughout the match. His passes out of the back did not consistently connect, and he was beaten to the cross on the opening goal, with Abou Ali reaching the ball first.

Enea Mihaj

Held his position during the first half, dealing with Columbus’ circulation in front of the back line. In the second half, he was drawn into wider defensive actions as Columbus attacked the flanks.

Elías Báez

Advanced into attacking areas and delivered the cross that led to Atlanta’s goal. Many of his passes, however, went back inside, and later crosses did not consistently reach a teammate.

Tomás Jacob

Moved forward at times but did not connect passes in advanced areas. Defensively, Columbus repeatedly attacked his side, and he was beaten on runs that led to crosses before being replaced.

Tristan Muyumba

Played in front of the back line and allowed passes into midfield to be completed. Columbus progressed through central areas and shifted play wide without early disruption.

Will Reilly

Won multiple duels in the first half and moved play into the Columbus half. His involvement dropped in the second half, and lost control of midfield.

Steven Alzate

More effective than in recent matches because he actually carried the ball through pressure. His central dribble into a first-half shot was one of Atlanta’s clearest examples of breaking Columbus’ shape instead of passing around it. However, Columbus quickly adjusted after halftime, and his influence on the game dropped sharply before he was replaced.

Miguel Almirón

Drove Atlanta’s goal sequence by carrying centrally and shifting the ball across to the right before the play moved left. Outside of that sequence, his runs often ended with immediate pressure or loss of possession.

Alexey Miranchuk

Moved across the attacking line and received the ball in multiple areas but rarely with space to turn. Finished from close range after the ball remained loose in the box.

Emmanuel Latte Lath

Struggled to find space to receive the ball, and when passes arrived, they were immediately contested. Possessions ended quickly after his first touch. Atlanta have to be mulling their options.

Jay Fortune

His return brought energy and a strong reaction from the crowd, but the match moved too quickly for him to settle. He's very rusty. It'll get better.

Cooper Sanchez

Saw limited time on the ball, with touches coming under pressure. Possessions involving him ended within a few actions without advancing play.

Saba Lobjanidze

Brought immediate speed and directness after coming on. Something Atlanta lacked. But his crosses either missed their target or went straight to Columbus, which summed up Atlanta’s night in the final third.

Matt Edwards

Came on to add energy and help deal with Columbus’ runners. He wasn't able to affect a change in that regard.

Closing Thoughts

After the final whistle, only one player completed the walk to the supporters’ section. Jayden Hibbert moved across the pitch and acknowledged the remaining fans as the stadium cleared.

The rest of the group did not follow. The disconnect that appeared during the match - in possession, in pressure, in response - remained in the final moments as well.