Match recap: Atlanta United shows strides but slips to Nashville SC in return to play

On the road against a first-place Nashville SC side, Atlanta United were holding their own. They were creating. They were, by most attacking statistics, the more threatening team. But the one stat that mattered, the scoreline, didn't reflect that. It was the hosts who took their best chance, not the traveling 5-Stripes. They fell 1-0 Friday night in the Southern Showdown return to MLS play. 

What happened

Atlanta United took the initiative from the off, stringing together possession for the first three minutes before Nashville got a real chance to hold the ball for themselves. Miguel Almirón was the first to put a shot on target against the goal. 

Jay Fortune dealt with an untimely early injury that forced him off the pitch in the 11th minute. Will Reilly warmed up quickly and replaced him. 

After 25 minutes had passed, Almirón's look from a tight angle was the only shot on target. Nashville started to break in a couple of instances, but Atlanta United's defenders were quick to leave their feet to make tackles. They were successful early on, even if a bit risky. 

The 5-Stripes were ultra patient, even in the attacking third. Almirón got the ball in the 41st minute just inside the Nashville box. He faked and faked again before laying it off to Tristan Muyumba, who's shot earned a corner. In the 47th, Elías Báez got in behind and waited for the perfect run to open up for his squared ball. But it never did open up, and his cross was blocked to end a really positive movement for the 5-Stripes.  

That was halftime, with very little to show for either side. But that suited Atlanta United, who had the better buildup and more defensive tenacity. Still, the match was far from being won by either side.

It was once again the 5-Stripes who came out quicker in the second half, with Almirón finding space for a shot within a minute of the restart. 

Luke Brennan came alive in the second half, and it started in the 51st minute after a smooth sequence unlocked the home side's defense. The ball went from Báez to Almirón to Alexey Miranchuk and then across the face of goal to Brennan, but his shot was stuffed at the source. 

Brennan nearly had it in the 58th minute after a keen run in behind and a perfectly weighted ball from Miranchuk. But Brian Schwake made a reaction save to deny Atlanta an advantage. 

Nashville's first true look at goal was the one they capitalized on in the 79th minute. A cross into Shakur Mohammed gave the forward a comfortable header, which he dispatched in the left side of the net. 

The goal gave the hosts some confidence to continue holding the ball, and though Atlanta United pushed for the 10 added minutes, nothing came of the comeback effort.

Standouts

• Tristan Muyumba was pulling the strings in the middle of the park. It was Muyumba's eighth MLS match this season with multiple successful tackles, tying him for the most such matches this season with Minnesota United's Anthony Markanich and Vancouver's Andrés Cubas. The French midfielder also completed 94.3% of his passes. 

Next up

It's a fast restart for the 5-Stripes, as they'll move quickly to another rival in Charlotte FC at 8 p.m. ET Wednesday, July 22 at Bank of America Stadium. The match will be the second of four consecutive road matches for the 5-Stripes in their return to MLS play.