Atlanta United kicked off its 2025 preseason campaign on Saturday, falling 2-1 to MLS NEXT Pro side Chattanooga FC at Finley Stadium. It marked the first match under new head coach Ronny Deila, giving him an early glimpse of his squad in competitive action. Despite the loss, Deila saw positives and areas for improvement as the team begins to implement his ideas.
The Story of the Match
Atlanta United fielded two separate groups for each half, a mix of young players and returning veterans. While the first half ended scoreless, the match came alive in the second.
Ronan Wynne, Atlanta’s SuperDraft pick, opened the scoring with a header off a pinpoint corner kick from Saba Lobjanidze. However, Chattanooga responded quickly with two goals in a seven-minute span, capitalizing on an unmarked ball behind Atlanta’s backline and a scrappy set-piece finish.
“We are here to practice,” Deila said after the match. “But we want to win at the same time, and that’s why we’re a little disappointed.”
What Ronny Deila Liked
For Deila, the match was a chance to assess his team just two weeks into training. He highlighted several positives:
- Second-Half Organization: Deila felt the team improved after halftime, demonstrating better control and structure, though mistakes proved costly.
- Saba’s Creativity: Saba Lobjanidze showcased his ability to deliver dangerous crosses, including the assist for Wynne’s goal.
- Promising Young Players: Luke Brennan, Matt Edwards, and Wynne stood out, showing confidence and creativity in their first preseason appearances.
- Discipline and Effort: “The discipline, especially in the second half, was very good,” Deila noted.
The team also showed glimpses of attacking potential, including a near-equalizer by Edwin Mosquera, whose late diving volley forced an excellent save.
Where Improvement Is Needed
While there were positives, Deila didn’t shy away from identifying areas for improvement:
- Playing Too Safe: “We play too much backwards. It’s always safe, safe, safe. I get bored watching it,” Deila said. He wants to see the team take more risks, play faster, and be more aggressive.
- Central Play: Deila emphasized the need to play through the middle to create space for key playmakers like Alexey Miranchuk and Mateusz Klich, rather than relying too heavily on the flanks.
- Closing Matches: Leading 1-0 late in the game, Atlanta conceded twice in the final 10 minutes. Deila stressed the importance of managing these moments: “We have to kill the game. And win it.”
Looking Ahead
This match was just the beginning of Atlanta’s preseason schedule. Up next is a friendly against Birmingham Legion on Saturday, February 1 at Protective Stadium, the final preseason match available for streaming (atlutd.com/live).
From there, the team will continue to prepare behind closed doors, focusing on refining Deila’s concepts and building match fitness ahead of the regular season opener in late February.
As Deila put it: “Preseason is a process. We need to learn from our loss here and improve the trends. It’s not worrying me. Over time, the mentality and attitude will shift, and these things will happen less.”
