A familiar feeling: Five observations from Nashville SC's 2-0 loss to Atlanta United

The frustration remained throughout Nashville SC, thanks to another domination in two-thirds of the field. Yet it could not find continuity in the attacking third, where matches are won.

Atlanta United earned a 2-0 win on Saturday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, not reflecting a lack of quality in the Nashville backline but a failure to take advantage of opportunities going forward. Nashville had Atlanta in its grasp, but twice a counter attack resulted in two Atlanta United goals and a second Atlanta victory over its Southern counterparts this season. 

Atlanta’s Pity Martinez scored both goals, tip-toeing the ball past Nashville's Joe Willis in the 40th minute, and slotting a rocket into the top left corner in the 87th minute, saving the Five Stripes from a fourth consecutive loss following a dismal MLS Is Back Tournament performance last month. Interim manager Stephen Glass earned his first win in the club's first match since replacing Frank de Boer on July 24.

Here are five observations from Nashville’s loss Saturday to Atlanta:

Counterattack struggle

Nashville struggled often to find a key first pass after winning possession back that could ignite a productive counter attack. And in the 40th minute, Martinez made Nashville pay for not executing.

Nashville completed just 62% of its passes in the final third Saturday. Altogether, Nashville coach Gary Smith said after the match on a conference call that the opposing goalkeepers haven't broken enough of a sweat.

"One of the bigger concerns, for me and for the group, is that we're not working the goalkeeper enough," Smith said. "We've had 16 efforts at goal. Only six on target. There were some very good opportunities.

"The easiest one to look at was the last play of the game, almost, where David Accam has a nice opportunity to hit the target. Not necessarily a scoring opportunity, but certainly a good sight of goal. We look down at the other end and see Pity Martinez smash it in the top corner. It nearly hit the stop of the stand. There you see, in a nutshell, some of the differences in quality in front of goal."

A different Atlanta

This wasn’t a United side featuring 2018 most valuable player and marquee goal-scorer Josef Martinez, who suffered a season-ending ACL tear in his right knee during February's season opener in Nashville. Ezequiel Barco, responsible for scoring the first goal in that February match, was also absent.

Still, to Nashville captain Dax McCarty, Martinez – the 2018 South American Player of the Year – was enough quality to not only create chances, but to convert them, despite the absence of firepower.

"He's paid a lot of money to be a difference maker and to score those types of goals," McCarty said of Martinez. "Obviously, Atlanta, in general, and (Martinez) have been in a little bit of a slump. I think it was foolish to expect them to not be able to create any chances whatsoever.

"...And I think we have that type of quality in our team," McCarty later said. "We're just not clicking in the attacking third. So, we have two goals for five games. Obviously that speaks to where we're at on the attacking side of the ball. And it's not just our attackers, it's everyone."

Dominique Badji

Although he recorded just one shot in the match (in the 52nd minute), Badji was as active as he’s been all season – offensively and defensively. 

Offensively, Badji collected a few passes in behind the Atlanta backline with opportunities to score. Badji's best opportunity to produce a scoring chance may have come in the 32nd minute, when Hany Mukhtar played a stealth pass to him down the left touchline.

Badji had Atlanta’s Franco Escobar on his heels, with Randall Leal and Johnston driving into the 18-yard box. Instead, Badji played a pass behind a trailing McCarty.

Defensively, dust-ups with Escobar and Mo Adams aside, Badji forced turnovers and made five recoveries, stopping Atlanta’s flow in attack. Though Nashville lacked clinical success in front of goal, Smith thought Nashville's No. 9 exuded his highest work rate of the season thus far.

"He spearheaded the attacking incredibly well in the first half," Smith said. "He had some terrific moments. His movement. His timing."

But to Smith's point that he made shortly after, Badji and his teammates must be clinical in front of goal, where it matters.

Not at full strength

David Accam didn’t start for the third straight match for Nashville. Instead, Johnston took his place. Eric Miller was ruled out before the match with a thigh injury. 

Fitness has been gradually improving for the club as a whole, but Accam’s pace and technical ability in one-on-one situations was missed Saturday.

Up next

Nashville will travel south to face Orlando City SC, the MLS Is Back Tournament finalists, on Wednesday. Nashville had six days to recover and game plan for Atlanta, but it’ll have half that time to prepare for Orlando. 

Orlando was 2-1-2 entering Saturday. Kickoff is at 6:30 p.m. at Exploria Stadium. 

For stories about Nashville SC or Soccer in Tennessee, contact Drake Hills at DHills@gannett.com. Follow Drake on Twitter at @LiveLifeDrake.