Atlanta United fights for playoff survival in final showdown against Orlando City

The narrow victory of Atlanta United over the New York Red Bulls this past Saturday by 2-1 relaunched the hopes in this team in the race for the Audi 2024 MLS Cup playoffs. More than anything else, this victory made it clear that against all odds, the Five Stripes will fight to the very last moment of the regular season.

Follow MLS Multiplex on X (Twitter).

With Decision Day looming, the next game against Orlando City SC on October 19 becomes very significant. What hangs in the balance and is on high alert is the fact that Atlanta knows only a win can give them an opening to move ahead.

Victory's Weight and the Fight for the Playoffs

Saturday's win was nerve-wracking, with a 75th-minute penalty converted by new signing Alexey Miranchuk, followed by an important goal from Tyler Wolff in the seventh minute of stoppage time, and even with a late pullback, Atlanta got all three points, now sitting in the standings with 37, tied with Philadelphia Union while keeping in their sight both Montreal and DC United on 40 points apiece.

It was a relieve to a team that had not won in five consecutive games. That has been such a roller coaster for Atlanta United this season, while the victory revived their hopes at a very critical moment. Interim head coach Rob Valentino does all he can to keep the guys focused. He knew if they were in a position where every point counts, pressure will be inevitable.

I told the players we needed to focus on ourselves and put pressure on the other teams by winning our game. Toronto lost, and that gave us even more hope. But in the end, we can only control what's within our reach," Valentino said, making clear that the team is entirely focused on the Orlando match.

Miranchuk: The Name of the Moment at Atlanta United

He has become a key player in this final stretch. This Russian midfielder, former Serie A player, has converted important goals, such as his third one to this team in the match against the Red Bulls. Precisely, despite his influence, little by little, becoming bigger, Miranchuk belongs to a roster that has had changes all over the season.

Things like the departures of Thiago Almada, Giorgos Giakoumakis, and Caleb Wiley shook the structure of the team. Graced with even more uncertainty was the firing of head coach Gonzalo Pineda and the exit of technical director Carlos Bocanegra. With so many changes, Atlanta spiraled into instability.

But that team, amidst all that turmoil, still clung by the thread. And Miranchuk, with his confident posture and determination, has been one of the strong pillars holding the team together.

Rob Valentino and the Challenge of Keeping the Team Focused

It is hard work to keep the team focused on its goal when everything around seems to be falling apart. This was an uncertain Atlanta season, with players being lost and then a dip in form that almost scuppered the team. However, Valentino, with all his experience and vision, has been attempting to squeeze the best out of the players under him by encouraging them to keep fighting-even when, perhaps, the odds are not in their favor.

"We're at such a juncture that the pressure is immense. A few players are feeling this, and the doubt and negativity start entering the head," Valentino revealed. "But the hardest part in all this is to keep showing up and giving your best. It is so easy to quit. The real challenge is to keep going."

That was the very spirit that showed up on Saturday: a team refusing to give up, fighting until the last minute-quite literally. What this result does not do, yet, is put them in the playoffs; instead, it leaves Atlanta in a position where their fate remains in their own hands.

The Impact of Dax McCarty and a Legend's Farewell

But one of the most important details not to be missed was the presence of Dax McCarty, an MLS veteran with 19 years in the league. The latter is very likely to retire at the end of the season and has entered the field in the final minutes against the Red Bulls in what might be one of his last career games.

McCarty has become an icon in American soccer, and his longevity in the sport speaks to the level of his commitment and passion for the game. As Atlanta fights for a playoff spot, McCarty brings symbolic weight into a season that extends well beyond numbers; it marks the end of an era, possibly one last chance to see an MLS great in action.

The Final Challenge against Orlando

With the hard-fought win, Atlanta now gears up to face Orlando City SC-a team that has already clinched its playoff spot. The pressure will be immense. Decision Day is always intense, and literally every minor thing may turn out to be the difference between going further in the playoffs and ending the season on Sunday.

In my opinion, Atlanta had better possession and a lot of chances created, that is the difference for this last match," the team's midfielder Bartosz Slisz said. "I'm really happy with the performance of the team, and I hope we can do something similar again against Orlando." Slisz was upbeat yet said: "Now, not everything is up to us. We have to win and hope for the other results to go our way.

That's the uncertainty that makes Decision Day one of the most exciting moments in the season. Atlanta knows not to slip, but at the same time, needs a little luck from other games too to seal their spot in the playoffs.