Match preview: 5-Stripes begin U.S. Open Cup campaign with Chattanooga FC clash

Wednesday night, Atlanta United will once again compete in a historic competition, in fact the most historic competition in American soccer.

The 5-Stripes have a date with a Round of 32 fixture in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, the oldest ongoing national soccer competition in the United States. Since 1914, teams from across the country, the grassroots clubs and the giants, have competed.

Atlanta United last played in the Open Cup in 2024 and won the tournament in 2019. Now, the club returns to the storied Cup with a matchup against a neighbor in Chattanooga FC. The hosting team faces Atlanta United 2 in MLS NEXT Pro, but the First Team did face CFC in a preseason friendly in January 2025. 

Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 15 on Paramount Plus. For a 5-Stripes side looking to get some traction in terms of results, a new competition and opponent could just be the restart they need.  

Taking positives from a loss in Chicago

Head coach Tata Martino and center back Enea Mihaj shared a rather optimistic outlook during Monday's media availability despite Saturday's result. The 1-0 loss to Chicago was not without improvements in key areas.

"If we're just talking about from box to box, I think we should've won the game," Martino said in Spanish Monday.

The 5-Stripes fired off 20 shots on the night and were noticeably sharper in the minutes after conceding in the 13th minute. The attacking flow, which was disjointed against Columbus and D.C. United previously, was much smoother. Atlanta United hit the post in the first half, and Chicago made a couple goal line clearances to keep the ball out of the net.

Since joining the club, Mihaj has spoken at length about responding to adversity, something he knows his club can do better in matches where they fall behind early. 

Against Chicago, we saw that mental strength develop. There was an inherent confidence to the way Atlanta United moved the ball, even when they were chasing. The 5-Stripes out possessed the home side and produced enough quality chances to tip the scales. 

"I don't want to be negative, because in this game, honestly, we were much better," Mihaj said. "We created many opportunities. The only thing I [said] to my teammates after the game was, 'If we play like this, we will win many games.'"

But the points will have to start coming if Atlanta United wants to make waves this season. That starts with getting back in the goals as they did against Philadelphia. 

"The league is just getting started," Martino said. "We still have a lot of time."

Taking on Open Cup with thoughtfulness

No one in the building at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Training Ground is making any mistake about the caliber of side they're set to face Wednesday. Chattanooga FC sits in fifth place in MLS NEXT Pro's Eastern Conference and can very well give an MLS side trouble. 

"These kind of games can [have] surprises, so we have to be really motivated, really focused and really ready to compete against a good team," Mihaj said. "Try to [get] back to the victory ways."

In training this week, the 5-Stripes are working to match their communication with instinctual understanding. As Mihaj put it, there are times during the match where players don't have time to check with each other, they simply need to know where their teammates will be. ​

Those bonds, that understanding is built over time, something the players know they can't expedite. It's a topic that often gets brought up in conversations surrounding attacking output, but defensive instincts are just as critical. 

"If I turn my head to see who is there, the guy he already passed me," Mihaj said.

Though the defense was much improved last time out and the 5-Stripes were kept scoreless, neither Mihaj nor Martino singled out one position group. 

"Everyone has to raise [his] game ... from goalkeeper to striker," Mihaj said. "It's about the action. Everyone has to do better."

Especially because the match lies in the middle of two regular season fixtures, squad depth will be at a premium for the 5-Stripes. 

Tomorrow's availability report will be telling as to what kind of squad Atlanta United will be bringing up I-75 to face Chattanooga. Martino didn't want to make a definitive comment on the status of a few players who picked up knocks in the physical and hectic battle against Chicago. 

Regardless of who takes the pitch, Wednesday night will be an opportunity to chase silverware, something the players and coaching staff do not take for granted. 

"It would be very easy, with the situation we're in, to commit an error [in this match]," Martino said. "We have to be very thoughtful ... We're going to take this game very seriously and definitely aren't going to look past the opponent."