The Five Stripes are back in the Benz for a second straight week tonight as sixth in the East Atlanta United (3-2-2) welcomes fifth place FC Cincinnati (3-2-3) looking to carry on an unbeaten home record against last year’s Supporters’ Shield winners.
Despite a list of injury-related absences, Atlanta United put on a (mostly) strong performance against a good Philadelphia Union team last week before dropping a lead and settling for a 2-2 draw. Now, with the status of locked in starters such as Giorgos Giakoumakis and Xande Silva upgraded from “Out” to “Questionable” per the latest availability report, Atlanta has a great chance to return to winning form against a Cincinnati team going through a rough patch of three matches without a win, including consecutive losses to NYRB and Montreal.
Will we see Atlanta United’s leading goalscorer return to the lineup tonight? How will the Cobb-Abram duo perform for the second game, this time against last year’s MVP Lucho Acosta? What kind of reception will our old friends Miles Robinson, Alec Kann, and Yamil Asad get from the Atlanta faithful?
Kickoff from the Benz is advertised for 7:30 PM ET, with actual kickoff approximately 10 minutes later at 7:40 PM. As always, the match is also streaming on Apple TV as a part of MLS Season Pass. Radio coverage is provided in English on 92.9 The Game and in Spanish on La Mejor.
As we get ready for tonight’s match, be sure to check out our match preview and predictions for all the info you could want, then jump back over and join us in our match thread below to discuss all the action from MBS.
Atlanta United’s Lineup:
FC Cincinnati’s Lineup:
How to Watch:
Venue: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia
Kickoff Time: Saturday, April 20th; 7:30 PM ET
Available TV/Streaming: Apple TV+ (with MLS Season Pass subscription)
Available Radio: 92.9 The Game, La Mejor 1600/1460/1130 AM
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Braves won 5-2
Pineda said the 100 yard counter goal was a set play poorly executed and poorly timed with two new subs. Whose fault is it for calling that play?
Cobb got a migraine during halftime per Pineda.
Dear Atlantistas:
Do we agree on new coach, and talent addition asap?
Talent is as good as it gets for the most part in MLS.
Pineda shouldn’t be renewed.
Respectfully disagree. I think this is one of your least talented rosters ever.
We are not as talented as the championship squad, but our talent level is well above average for our league.
Disagree. This squad (on paper) is one of our most talented in our eight years. The coaching on the other hand……..
100% on the new coach. I think talent is competitive. Just not close to maximized. You can’t bleed stupid goals and expect to compete.
Do f’ing push-ups and laps, Pineda. You suck and need to go! How do you like losing to our back-up GK and CB in our own house, Boca!?! I pray Garth sends your a$$ packing too! This game pissed me off more than anything before.
If we could combine Wolff and Mosquera into one player, they would actually be starter level on a good team. Wolff has genuinely good positioning, decision making, and passing at the wings, while Mosquera has decent dribbling, speed, and general unpredictability. They’re just so opposite
Anyone gonna defend Wiley on that one?
Yeah… I’m going to go ahead and call it. Two things need to change – we need a real coach (Pineda needs to go) and we need to switch to grass… the turf is killing our players (way too many injuries each year). We won’t be a serious threat to win a MLS trophy until at least one of those are fixed. I’m so sick and tired of dealing with both!
Type of field doesn’t cause you to give up a corner to the other team for a break away goal. Doesn’t cause you to nit mark TWO players on their second goal….
Doesn’t cause you to have little to no offense only depending on crossing the ball…
Can I go on? This team needs a new coach. The pieces are there….The putting them together is on the coach
#PiendaOUT
#BarcaOUT
Don’t disagree with anything you said, brother.
Well, Wolff coming in…white flag.
Wolff was decent last year as a sub.
Has not been this year, though. I said it to tempt him to prove me wrong.
I feel he has mostly started this year because of the injuries.
Yes he made the mistake of passing it to Wiley in a threatening spot
Wait why would the player not have to come out if it’s a head injury? That seems to be the most needed time for a player to come out
We’ve clearly seen the defect in the new rules. Abram BARELY grazed Robinson and Robinson went down like he was shot, grabbed his head and demanded a concussion check. This is going to be how time wasting is done going forward. Sigh.
Yes but that doesn’t work if their head isn’t hit. So it’s better than nothing
Miles was faking the head injury to waste time. So say the radio guys after viewing the replays.
That behavior should be punished. Post game if it has to be.
He does have to come out. But it is not for an enforced two minutes.
Are we the slowest team in the league? I feel like speed is the most important thing in this league
Slowest soccer speed and soccer processing
Coach needs to go
But why didn’t we get faster players?
We are to busy goofing around and celebrating birthdays than training soccer.
I don’t think that’s relevant…
#PiendaOUT
#BarcaoutOUT
Couple shots in?
I agree with your intended sentiment though on Pineda. I think now that Boca has oversight from Garth, we’re ok and he is actually good with fewer responsibilities. But, he did hamstring our team for 3-4 years, so 🤷
Saba, dude lol
Acosta beefing with Wiley as if he wouldn’t get the crap beaten out of him by a literal high schooler.
Maybe Wiley should take up boxing!
Is he really still like 18? It feels like he’s been starting for us for like 3 years
Might be 19 by now, idk
Yeah 19, still a kid.
He looks like he has more of a kickboxing build, which makes sense since… soccer.
Happier note, the Braves are up 3-2 in the bottom of the 6th. Morton pitched 6 innings pretty well.
At least we’ll always have the Braves
As soon as we swapped Fortune in for Muyumba, our midfield became mush and we lost all pressure.
Not a good decision.
Yes, why did we take Muyumba off?
Pienda is a dumbass.
Surely he’s 90 minutes fit by now…
Yea unless it was just because muyumba was tired and needed to be subbed. Pineda probably thought the net benefit of GG and Silva would be enough to sneak Muyumba off
It would be understandable if he decided that at 1-0, but it was 0-0 when he lines them up.
Yea, but if you need to be subbed it probably doesn’t matter what the score is. I’d hope he didn’t just willingly take him off
I’d rather see Morales or McCarty if he has to off. Fortune has not improved this year as far as I can see.
True on that. It’d be at most 1-1 if it had been McCarty
4 freaking minutes and we give up 2 goals. Just like last game. I’m starting to get really pissed off at this trend!
Done with Pineda. This team has leaked stupid goals his entire tenure. Don’t see that changing. His defensive scheme is crap.
I’ve been on the fence about Pineda for a while now, basically since 2021; but this is largely on him. Fortune cannot hold our midfield together. Hernandez cannot function as a CB. Our defense is thin on numbers, but bad decisions from coaching makes it worse
I’m with you being on the fence… but the trends are definitely starting to show he is out of his league. I’ll be amazed if we win this game, satisfied with a draw, and not surprised if we lose (and a lot of that is on Pineda tonight).
Radio guys openly wondered by Formino didn’t get subbed in for Cobb instead of Hernandez. Speculated experience was the reason.
My bad, Morales, not Firmino.
We should probably mark that Acosta guy, maybe.
Lenon knows how to mark?
I think he knows how, he’s just not very good at it. Good motor overcomes some of that, but Acosta is good, so you need more than just effort.
At the game, so can’t see, but how was he not offsides?
Hernandez keeps him on.
He timed it perfectly
One of the MLS favorites getting a.pass. He looked offsides. But we didn’t get.much of a replay.
Longshore thought he was onsides, but it was close.
Right before that ball went in: “Why are we letting their players sit goalside?!”
The frustrating part is there is there isn’t a teaching point to make. We’re down to our 5th string centerback and they’re just better.
You mean Lenons man scores again??????
Looks lien they were setting up the trap, except for Hernandez
Acosta always has our number.
What the fuck is Wiley doing?
Recovering well, stopping an attack, making a minor mistake and then getting fouled
There’s no way he’s good. In sorry I just don’t see it. I also don’t have as much knowledge as yall but he just looks like a nervous wreck out there to me, maybe it’s just because he moves around so much
My exact words right before the corner was taken: “As long as we keep the pressure in their half, we’re fine. But as soon as they get a counter and push Hernandez we’re screwed”
Damnit almada. It’s like he doesn’t want to go to Europe lol
This team is turning into the falcons…..doing great then shoot yourself in the foot….
We lose focus EVERY SINGLE TIME we score a goal or take the lead… Pineda has to fix this and the away performance or he should be gone next season. This is absolutely ridiculous and embarrassing.
We are a joke.
W
Conti called Almada the Marietta Magician…
That’s called trying too hard.
I think that last one by Saba was on target
haha, you guys are well ahead of the Audacy broadcast
Who is audacy
The App I’m listening to the radio broadcast through
Hell of a shot.
Fine All Lee!!! God bless America and everything that is holy!
Great job by armada and good by mosquero to see him
GOAL¡!!!!!!!
Thank God for subs… let’s go get one boys!
This game is a pinball mess.
This game just feels like it’s not our night… we can’t buy a goal (Kahn is standing on his head with saves) and Cincinnati has hit the post twice.
WTF is Guzan doing?????
It’s like watching a WWE wrestler acting at playing goal keeper
We are getting closer.
and so are they
Right post gets a 10
Comment of the night!
Is Cobb hurt? He was playing pretty well
How’s Saba’s volleying skills? I assume not great
Can we sub mosquereo
Please
I am begging them lol
Nevermind lol
Cobb is off…must be a knock.
Or the instant analytics and player feedback devices suggested Cobb’s muscles were firing at 1% under where they were at the start of the game, so complete and utter panic set in that “He is about to get a horrible injury!” and they replaced him. I’m NOT joking about that. Most likely it’s a knock, but my scenario is less likely but actually possible. Players get pulled all the time because on the pitch feedback devices send the staff who monitor the players into panic that “X is showing troubling signs”.
Radio guys are trying to find out.
I thought Cobb was doing good
I’m guessing he felt something? Hopefully he’s fine.
I wasn’t aware of the new 15 second injury rule. While I like that it prevents a bunch of BS, time wasting – what happens if the goal keeper gets rocked and is down for over 15 seconds?
Good points they said there’s some exceptions and I assume that’s one of them
I’m speculating that the Philadelphia Union will have absolutely no idea how to adjust to these new rules after years of bs time wasting and I’m waiting for them to give up a goal while a player is off temporarily.
I don’t know what the rule is for goalkeepers. Perhaps the other team gets to. pick someone to sit out. That would be how I would do it if I was writing the rule.
Mosquera just cannot play football unless hes playing against tired legs.
Overall – I’m not impressed with the first half performance and don’t feel we are the better team tonight. Hope something changes or clicks second half!
Apple announcers say this is an exciting game….I’m bored and almost fell asleep. (Sick spring cold or allergies)
More shots on goal for Cincy, but really just one good chance for each team. Of course, radio makes it hard to form a full impression.
Radio says the refs are taking a lot of lip and letting it go.
So why is this rule a bad thing?
I don’t think it is, but apparently it’s the first time it’s being enforced so I guess the players are not used to it?
Other than the team a man down being allowed to waste half of it delaying play nothing.
It will make you get up or hurt your team
Hurray….we get tons of time wasting now…..
Why are we wasting time too?
Our players look exhausted
Well if the managers have a problem they need to tell their player to stand up. If someone can’t get up after 15 seconds then they truly need to be evaluated on the sidelines. I don’t see the issue?
Miles with the block…
Also I love that rule.
Why is mosqueto (however it’s spelled) starting?
Well, nice seeing Alec Kann having a hell of a game.
Well he paid for that one
I feel we need to score first in this game if we want the W (especially if GG doesn’t get much time to play).
I don’t think this game is increasing mosquero’s confidence so far… he’s been in good positions though
It is inevitable they score on us at this point. Team does not look organized at all.
Cincinnati has looked tight on defense and had some serious chances (with some shanks). At this point, they look the better overall team. Hope we get some composure and start putting some smart movement together.
Not sure the hype with Lennon and Wiley…
Ugh…slow too slow
Idk why you throw Lennon in on that, he’s already made several great passes to Saba
Saba has been too timid so far as well, should have scored there and several times already he let defenders cut the pass off behind him
Ohh Saba… That was your chance.
The radio guys were impressed with the save, FWIW.
It was a good save. But it was a 0.74 xG shot.
Wiley…
So no one can pass today…
Trapping is suspect as well.
Looks like we’re not putting enough on our passes
Not moving to the ball either.
We gotta win this one right?
My clocks must be off. 730 start?
LETS GOOOOO
Did they also do a special welcome back for Alec or just Miles?
Good news for Tank and Xande to be on the bench and hopefully they will be able to play a little. And good to see Mosquera get a start.
Good news- OPEN ROOF! Should be beautiful in here this time (instead of frigid)
Sad this is the one I’m missing :/