On Saturday, Atlanta United collected their first road point of the season in a 1-1 draw against New York City FC. With four of the next five games played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and multiple injuries to account for, the 5-Stripes hope to continue their dominance at home. This coming Sunday, Atlanta hosts Philadelphia Union at Mercedes-Benz Stadium at 2:30 p.m.
Homegrown Noah Cobb and winger Edwin Mosquera spoke to media on Tuesday about the last match against NYCFC, how the team is handling injuries and what to look forward to on Sunday.
Noah Cobb
The match against New York City FC marked the third consecutive start for homegrown Noah Cobb. He made his MLS debut in 2023 against Columbus Crew. Cobb is used to adapting and learning on the fly that comes with being called up to the first team. With the injuries to Derrick Williams and Jamal Thiaré (both are expected to miss 2-4 weeks), as well as Stian Gergersen recovering from meniscus surgery, the rest of the team knows how important it is to stay the course through the next couple of weeks.
“You never want anyone to get injured,” said Cobb after being asked about the feelings in the locker room. “When someone gets hurt, it is never good. But I think we have good depth, and we have good pieces. With Stian’s injury, I had to step in. It is the same for other guys. I think it is just a next man up mentality.”
Cobb also expressed that the approach for the 5-Stripes will not change for the match against the Union. Three points is the goal for each match regardless of who they are playing and who’s in the lineup.
With a road point under their belt, the squad feels that what they did in New York can be continued at home, and when they go back on the road in a couple of weeks.
“The conditions were obviously the conditions. It is what it is,” said Cobb. “You can say they are bad, but it was the same for both teams. I think the takeaway is that there was time we could play more. In the moment, maybe we felt like it was a little too congested. But looking back at the film, I talked to Brad [Guzan] and I talked to Derrick [Williams], and because the buildup normally starts with us, we feel like we could have played more. The takeaway is that the bare minimum was there. We ran, we worked hard for each other, and that is something we can build on.”
Edwin Mosquera
The Columbian winger is coming off a strong showing against New York City. Mosquera earned his first assist of the season, along with help from Guzan’s incredible long ball up the right flank, that set up Jamal Thiaré for the tying goal of the match.
“I was not surprised,” said Mosquera when he was asked if he was stunned about the pass from Guzan. “They were yelling from the bench for me to be aware, so I was not surprised.”
Mirroring what his teammate Cobb said about the approach when it comes to the injuries, Mosquera voiced confidence in the squad and their ability to continue despite the setback. The bond they're building is something that will help them during this time.
“I think you can see it on the field, that there is a good mood around the team,” said Mosquera.
The match against Philadelphia will be a test for the 5-Stripes. The Union is a club near the top of the table and Philadelphia plays a very direct style. But if Atlanta has proven anything, it is their ability to play well at home. The team is undefeated at Mercedes-Benz Stadium so far this season and will be striving to take points against a top Eastern Conference club.
“I do not think it will affect my role,” said Mosquera when asked about Philadelphia’s playing style. “I think at home, we are strong, and we try to have possession of the ball. I think it [Philadelphia playing high on the pitch] will give me a lot of one-on-one opportunities.”
On HBCU night, Atlanta United will look to get three points at home.
