Atlanta midfielder Darlington Nagbe (6) and NYCFC defender Alexander Callens (6) fight for a loose ball during the second half. (Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports)

BRONX, N.Y. — All was not lost, at least not yet.

That was the unofficial motto of New York City FC after its distressing 1-0 home defeat to Atlanta United Sunday night.

Not only did City surrender a goal in the match, but it was a valuable road goal for the visitors, which could be worth double in the second leg of the MLS Eastern Conference final next week.

Next Sunday, NYCFC will try to accomplish what Atlanta did at Yankee Stadium — score on the road and win the game and know leave the opposition destitute.

“We need to win the game,” NYCFC head coach Domenec Torrent said. “I have to find the best solution and the best team to play better. The second half we played much better. We can play side-to-side, we can play two against one. They defend very well but we just need to win the game. We don’t need to win 2-0, 3-0, 4-1 – no, no – we need to win. If we win at least 1-0, it’s extra time, if you score two, you are in the [Eastern Conference final], it’s as simple as that.”

Goalkeeper Sean Johnson echoed his coach’s remarks and then some.

“It’s one game and we have played there before, we know we can score goals there so yeah, I’m not worried,’ he said. I’m looking forward to it, like I said, [the] playoffs are what we’ve been working for all year and I’m sure we are going to bring our “A” game when we show up there.”

Defensive midfielder Alex Ring noted that City once had a 2-2 draw in Atlanta earlier this season.

“It’s one game and we have played there before, we know we can score goals there so yeah, I’m not worried,” he said. “I’m looking forward to it, like I said, [the] playoffs are what we’ve been working for all year and I’m sure we are going to bring our “A” game when we show up there.”

Anything else could mean an early exit from the playoffs.

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.