’We can only control what we can’: Atlanta United is still alive in playoff race

The final home match of the regular season ended the same way many of the matches have ended this season: with Atlanta United squandering the lead only to come back and win in dramatic fashion. The difference on Saturday night was that Atlanta won an important match. The 2-1 victory over the New York Red Bull was the ninth of the season for Atlanta, but more importantly, it allowed the Five Stripes to stay alive in the Major League Soccer Eastern Conference playoff picture.“We can only control what we can,” Atlanta United head coach Valentino said about his team’s playoff chances. Atlanta United needed to win Saturday night in order to have any chance of making the postseason. They still must win in Orlando on Saturday, Oct. 19. Atlanta head coach Rob Valentino said something was different about the environment tonight. “It felt different,” he said. “The energy felt different, the intensity, the commitment in each other. It just felt different.” Valentino credited the play of right-back Ronald Hernandez and Jamal Thiare’ as an example of players showing up in big moments for the club. Starting right-back Brooks Lennon was unable to play due to yellow cards from a prior...