Match recap: Atlanta United drops match to FC Cincinnati's second-half surge

Atlanta United fell in an important Eastern Conference fixture against FC Cincinnati Saturday night. Buildup play was a strong suit for the 5-Stripes, but three second half goals from the Orange and Blue cemented a 3-1 loss. 

What happened

Atlanta United began with a string of possession, and Giuliano Galoppo won a free kick and a yellow card for Cincinnati in the 3rd minute. It was part of a dominant first 5 minutes for the hosts. 

In the 6th, Miguel Almirón got on the end of an intelligent floated cross from Tristan Muyumba and nearly took the lead. The captain's strike bounced away left of the frame.

Tom Barlow got on the end of a smooth sequence from Cincinnati in the 12th minute, but his shot was skied above the goal. 

The match settled into a game of popcorn ball in the middle of the first half, with lofted passes and headers aplenty. Cincinnati got a great look for Kévin Denkey after a couple deflections in the 27th minute, but Elías Báez came flying in to make a block about 12 yards out from goal. A minute later, the visitors nearly took the lead again with a direct pass through to Barlow after a turnover by the 5-Stripes. His curling shot didn't bend enough and went wide. 

Atlanta's buildup play got more fluid by the minute, and in the 40th they got another good look. Embolo, to Tomás Jacob, to Muyumba, all combining on the right side forced a Cincy save. 

That was it for the first half, one where neither team could separate despite some great looks at goal. Atlanta United were preventing full on counterattacks, but they were caught sleeping in half transition moments. Going forward, they were passing circles around the visitors in moments, but they didn't have the final pass. 

Galoppo got off to a good start, ripping a shot at Roman Celentano in the 46th minute. But it was Cincinnati who finally jumped out ahead in the 52nd courtesy of Denkey. The forward bumped his way through the defense after getting on the end of a long ball, cut past Lucas Hoyos in goal and found the back of the net. 

Tata Martino went to Alexey Miranchuk off the bench in replacement of Jay Fortune in the 56th minute. 

Hoyos and Júnior Alonso combined to keep the ball out of their own goal in the 58th after Hoyos saved another Denkey shot and Alonso headed the rebound off the line and out for a corner kick. 

Almirón countered and almost found Embolo in the 61st minute, but his squared ball was too far behind the Swiss forward. 

The captain, returning from international break, got his team's breakthrough goal in the 69th minute. After numerous attempted crosses, Almirón got the ball outside the 6-yard box and darted through defenders. He combined with Embolo and got a right-footed attempt off. It trickled off Celentano and into the net for 1-1, reigniting the 5-Stripes for a late push. 

Cincinnati punched back right as it seemed Atlanta United had captured the momentum. Barlow found a half space as the 5-Stripes stepped up in defense and tucked away a shot to put the visitors in front 2-1. The goal in the 84th minute was checked for offside but was confirmed. 

Atlanta's late search for an equalizer didn't materialize, and instead Cincy added a third in the 97th minute. Denkey was the man again, hitting a first-time strike pure from a diagonal run.

Standouts

• Miguel Almirón looked lively in his return from international duty. Almirón has been involved in a team-high 8 goals (5 goals, 3 assists) since returning from the World Cup break.

Milestones

• Jay Fortune became Atlanta United's all-time leader in appearances by a Homegrown player with 86.
• Breel Embolo got his first asssit as a 5-Stripe on Miguel Almirón's 69th-minute goal.

Up next

Atlanta United turns over quickly to a midweek road trip to Canada to face CF Montréal. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET Wednesday, October 14 as the 5-Stripes looks to do the double over their Eastern Conference foes.