Orlando City ends Atlanta United’s Cinderella playoff run to advance to Eastern Conference final

Atlanta United’s Cinderella playoff run came to an end on Sunday in Orlando. The hosts walked away with a hard-fought 1-0 win to advance to the Eastern Conference final. Orlando City will face the New York Red Bulls in Orlando next Saturday.

Orlando City scored in the 39th after center forward Ramiro Enrique pounced on a deflected ball inside Atlanta United’s penalty area. Enrique’s lunging shot beat Atlanta goalkeeper Brad Guzan from close range. Atlanta had spells of possession and even carried much of the momentum early in the second half.

RAMIRO WITH THE SLIDING FINISH 🛝 pic.twitter.com/9L7fNfoW7n

— Orlando City SC (@OrlandoCitySC) November 24, 2024

However, injuries to both of Atlanta’s strikers were challenges that interim manager Rob Valentino had to navigate. Jamal Thiaré exited the match in the 43rd minute with an apparent leg injury. His replacement, Daniel Ríos, was forced off the pitch after a head injury at the start of the second half. Valentino again tinkered with his tactics, moving winger Saba Lobzhanidze to a false 9 role. The chances for Atlanta increased, but Orlando stood firm in their defensive formation. Atlanta ended the match without a single shot on target.

For Orlando, the opportunity to earn their first-ever MLS Cup berth is now on the line. They had never qualified for a conference final until Saturday. Óscar Pareja’s side have at times looked the part of a contender. Inconsistent play and underwhelming outing have also been a characteristic of this Orlando team. Against Atlanta, Orlando put in a brave performance, securing a 1-0 win when history was not on their side.

Atlanta’s remarkable run as the ninth seed and play-in match winner ended by the narrowest of margins. Their elimination was preceded by what many considered to be the biggest upset in MLS playoff history. Atlanta knocked out Inter Miami and Lionel Messi, the top seed in the East and the current Supporters’ Shield winners. This is the second straight year that a play-in team has reached and lost a conference semifinal.

“I told (the players) I’m grateful for their effort and their work. It was tremendous. We’re not gonna stop until the whistle goes. But that is something that I would always like if I’m a coach anywhere. That’s a bare minimum, like, that’s the minimum requirement for a team that I want to be associated with,” said Valentino.

The loss to Orlando means that Valentino’s stint as head coach will likely end. He has been in the running for the full time position, according to club president and CEO Garth Lagerwey. But it was understood that Valentino would need to reach the MLS Cup final and potentially win it to earn the job. Atlanta’s offseason of change will accelerate, as Lagerwey must hire a new manager and sporting director.

The 1-0 loss also marked the end of Dax McCarty’s MLS career. Over the summer, the 37-year-old announced that he would retire at the end of the season. McCarty started his fourth consecutive match in midfield on Sunday and will now walk away from his professional career after playing more than 500 MLS matches