Seeking to defeat Chicago Fire for the second time in almost a month, Atlanta United traveled to the Windy City on Saturday. At Soldier Field, the result was a scoreless draw this time.
Atlanta United now has four points overall for the season against Chicago, an Eastern Conference team, and has kept two clean sheets. Atlanta prevailed 3-0 in their prior match on March 31.
“Chicago is not an easy game at all,” head coach Gonzalo Pineda said. “They are always combative. They were really good in the tactics. They were very solid defensively.”
In the ninth minute, The Fire gave Atlanta United supporters a scare. Georgios Koutsias, a forward for Chicago, connected with a cross inside the box and attempted a frame touch. After his shot struck the crossbar, Brooks Lennon of Atlanta United managed to clear the ball before Chicago could get a chance to get the rebound. In the 23rd minute, Tyler Wolff—who began the game for Atlanta United as a winger—seem to have scored the game’s first goal.
Wolff completed the rebound after Giorgos Giakoumakis’s original attempt was stopped. Giakoumakis was ruled offside during the play, and VAR was consulted. The call on the field was verified upon review, and the goal was deemed invalid.
Atlanta United created a magical moment in the thirty-second minute. Thiago Almada passed in their attacking third and then hit Lennon with a ball that was heading toward the end line. After latching onto the pass, the fullback found Saba Lobjanidze inside the box, his intended target.
Perfect cross play sent Lobjanidze’s header sailing into the far corner of the net. Although Chicago Fire goalie Chris Brady looked to make the diving stop to swat it away and block an Atlanta United goal, the save was nullified by the officials who awarded a goal kick.
Chris Mueller missed two consecutive shots to cap the first half as the Fire got close in the 35th and 36th minutes. Also, after a pass between Almada and Wolff, the home team came dangerously close to scoring an own goal. Atlanta had a 60 percent possession rate, 16 shots overall, and prevented Chicago from scoring any goals.
In the second half, Atlanta United had several opportunities to score the game-winning goal as they pushed for three points. After making a few one-on-one passes to Daniel Ríos in hazardous zone in the 73rd minute, Lobjanidze was rejected by Chicago. Atlanta United drew a foul a few minutes later. Brady blocked Almada’s direct free kick at the last second to prevent another incredible moment from happening. The ball was heading straight for the upper corner of the net.
Edwin Mosquera cut back in the 79th minute to give Almada another opportunity, but the Argentine’s drive smacked against the crossbar. In the 85th minute, Ríos attempted a header on goal, but Brady stopped it.
Efraín Morales, a homegrown defender, started in the starting lineup for Pineda with Luis Abram at center back for the first time in his career. After working out with the main team throughout the preseason, Morales went on to play a strong season with Atlanta United 2 in MLS NEXT Pro in 2024.
In his debut, he played the entire ninety minutes plus stoppage time. On Saturday, Giakoumakis made his way back into Atlanta United’s starting lineup.
The striker was injured and missed two games before making his debut for the squad against FC Cincinnati.
In Chicago, Giakoumakis played sixty-six minutes before Daniel Ríos replaced him.
