Atlanta United head coach Gonzalo Pineda was compelled into making a number of modifications to his beginning lineup towards Toronto FC and was “proud” of the group’s effort regardless of the consequence
It should be daunting when MLS bosses see the worldwide break creeping on their calendars, particularly proper after the beginning of the season. It will get much more daunting if you lose your two greatest gamers, which is strictly what occurred for Pineda and loads of different coaches throughout the league.
As Thiago Almada and Giorgos Giakoumakis have been with their respective Argentina and Greece nationwide groups, Pineda had no different alternative than to make six modifications to his beginning lineup at BMO Area that recorded simply three pictures heading in the right direction.
“Principally, that’s what we had accessible,” Pineda mentioned of his lineup. “Additionally we had religion in all of the gamers who got here in. Even now, I am happy with the hassle they put in. Even at 2-0 down, they saved preventing and created a few half possibilities.
“They continued to dash in behind, make some crosses. We fought till the top. Once more, I imagine in them whatever the consequence. We have to proceed working and be higher.”
A couple of gamers have been thrown into the XI making their first ever begin for the membership. The likes of Jamal Thiare and Nick Firmino earned their first begins for Atlanta from Pineda’s perspective whereas MLS legend Dax McCarty additionally featured for the bounce for the primary time at his new membership.
“By way of decisions, Noah [Cobb] deserved the beginning. He was good in preseason. Dax [McCarty] deserved his spot, Ronald [Hernandez] the identical. Tyler [Wolff] has been doing wonderful in coaching periods. It was a very good alternative for him. Jamal [Thiare] has additionally been good in coaching. We had a very good beginning XI, no complaints there,” mentioned Pineda.
Regardless of the depressing taking part in situations and gamers unavailable Saturday night time, Pineda refused to make excuses for the consequence and totally believed that his gamers have been ready for the sport.
“You’ll be able to at all times discover these sorts of excuses after the sport. You’ll be able to say that we perhaps have been missing just a little little bit of high quality, however for me these are excuses. We have been ready to do a very good recreation. In some moments we did an okay job, in sure moments we have been just a little bit that change of tempo and that depth within the ultimate third,” he mentioned.
“A pair issues that have been perhaps lacking, however congrats to Toronto. They deserved the victory. The situations, the climate after all it was troublesome to maneuver the ball at occasions. However it was the identical for each groups, so no excuse.”
The 5 Stripes return to motion subsequent Sunday to play host to Chicago Hearth at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the place they’ve gained their first two dwelling video games performed within the 2024 marketing campaign.
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