Tuesday night may have been an exciting night of celebration, but the job’s not done yet. Atlanta United’s game two win over the Columbus Crew merely tied the series entering the final and decisive match at Lower.com Field on Sunday.
The Five Stripes’ electric 4-2 win on Tuesday was Gonzalo Pineda’s first win against the Crew since he took the reigns in Atlanta. His record against the Ohio side now stands at 1-3-2. It was also the club’s first victory against Columbus since Aug. 7, 2021.
Although the game one result paired with a lackluster away record of 3-6-8 this season paints a rather dismal picture of Atlanta’s prospects heading into Sunday, there are reasons to believe that game three could go very differently. For starters, Atlanta United will come into this game with a full-strength squad and the momentum from an electric win at home earlier in the week.
Of Atlanta’s three designated players, only Giorgos Giakoumakis started in the 2-0 loss that kicked off the series. You’ll almost certainly see all three in the starting lineup on Sunday. The trio accounted for 31 goals and 26 assists this season, so having all hands on deck will surely help the Five Stripes’ cause.
Another interesting statistic that has held true with the last match is that the Crew has never won a game this season in which it was trailing at halftime. If Atlanta’s attack can give Columbus an early surprise, trends from this season suggest that the team will be more likely to succeed.
I know this was in the last preview, but it’s worth reiterating: watch Cucho!!! The Colombian had 16 goals, 11 assists in the regular season and has scored three goals against Atlanta in this playoff series. While he may not have the aerial ability that Giakoumakis possesses, the 24-year-old Pereira native has a talent for finishing in tight spaces with the smallest opening toward goal.
If the Five Stripes can finish the series comeback, they will travel to Exploria Stadium for an Eastern Conference semi-final against Orlando City SC. Date and time have yet to be determined.
Availability Reports
Columbus Crew
Questionable:
- Sean Zawadzki – Thigh
Out:
- Will Sands – Knee
Atlanta United
Out:
- Machop Chol – Hamstring
Predicted Lineups
Columbus Crew
Atlanta United
Referee Crew
Referee: Armando Villareal
First Assistant: Corey Parker
Second Assistant: Jose Da Silva
Fourth Official: Tori Penso
VAR: Daniel Radford
AVAR: Jonathan Johnson