Look at us. Who woulda thought?
Atlanta United, somehow, someway, has done the improbable. At the end of a grueling regular season for pretty much everyone involved, one that equaled a team worst 14 loss record set in 2022, the Five Stripes are in the postseason.
Atlanta snuck their way into the ninth and final Wild Card spot on Saturday night thanks to a surprising, yet stress inducing 2-1 win over an in-form Orlando City side in the Lion’s den. They got just enough help, too- an own goal from Philadelphia, a smashing of D.C. United by Charlotte, and a VAR decision to overturn a late Orlando equalizer all came together in Atlanta United’s favor to push them into the MLS Cup Playoffs for a second consecutive year.
There isn’t much time to dwell, though. Hardly enough to practice, even. Atlanta United’s playoff run is here already, and it’s right back to do-or-die in a one off Wild Card match tonight in Montréal to determine the final Eastern Conference side to enter Round One against top seeded Inter Miami.
When CF Montréal and Atlanta United last met nearly three weeks ago, a Josef Martinez brace to take down the Five Stripes in the Benz was thought to be a death knell to Atlanta’s postseason hopes. Similar to Orlando, Montréal has been on a heater over the last couple months, posting a 5-1-1 record in their final seven matches of the regular season. A 2-0 win on Decision Day over NYCFC locked up their Wild Card spot despite taking heavy pressure from the Pigeons throughout the majority of the match. A Caden Clark goal and then assist to Josef in the first half secured not only a playoff spot, but home field position for Montréal in the Wild Card match- a big advantage to not travel on such a tight turnaround.
Two sides coming off of massive, morale boosting, playoff-securing wins square off for a best of three date (which includes a home game!) with the belle of the ball. I, for one, didn’t think I’d be watching another Atlanta United match at this point in the year, and I doubt many of y’all did either. But this Atlanta team has shown nothing if not determination and fight in refusing to go out quietly- and that deserves to be celebrated, and certainly not taken for granted. In a season we wish would just hurry up and turn the page already, we’ll still get to witness an Atlanta United playoff game, and now… anything’s possible.
Tonight’s standalone Eastern Conference Wild Card match will stream free on Apple TV, with kickoff scheduled for 7:40 PM. Radio coverage for this evening is provided in English on 92.9 The Game and in Spanish on La Mejor.
As we wait for kickoff to roll around, check out our match preview and predicted lineup for tonight, then head down to our match thread in the comments below to discuss all the pre-, during, and post- match action as Atlanta United go back into survival mode against Josef and CF Montréal.
Atlanta United’s Lineup:
CF Montréal’s Lineup:
How to Watch:
Venue: Stade Saputo, Montréal, Québec, Canada
Kickoff Time: Tuesday, October 22nd; 7:40 PM ET
Available TV/Streaming: Apple TV (Free)
Available Radio: 92.9 The Game, La Mejor 1600/1460/1130 AM
This thread will be your match thread. We don’t have many rules here. We just ask that you don’t insult each other personally and treat each other with respect. Debates can get heated and that’s fine, but name-calling and petty insults will get you banned. If you see a comment that you feel is out of line, please report it and it will be dealt with.
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One thing the team has not lacked this year is effort. I appreciate that.
Very happy for the team. Deserved that win. Hopefully Almador is okay and we can run the same starting lineup vs Miami. Lennon looked much better as a true winger, and the team dynamic was better. And all this with unfilled DP slots! Vamos ATL!
Pack the Benz ! We gotta home playoff game
DONT EVERY DISRESPECT THE A JOSEF
Joe Dirt with the clincher!
That is just wrong, but funny as h€ll. I love ‘Joe Dirt’.
That, and “Soviet-era mechanic”.
Oh, shit… beer hurts coming outa the nose!
Old Man says No !
Come on Brad. Let this be your redemption ark. And save Josef’s penalty.
Damn. We scored two of the prettiest goals you’ll ever see. And gave up two of the dumbest goals you’ll ever see.
Pretty good representation of the season.
To bloody penalties we go
We suuuuuck at PKs.
I stand corrected
So… I haven’t logged in and posted in a while. 49 comments on the Playoff Wildcard Match thread. If that doesn’t show that we have all moved on to next season, I don’t know what does. Meh… yeah, that about sums it up.
I swear it’s impossible for me to be mad at Josef. Just hate he’s doing it against us
Brook is always shit. We are just letting them build right in from our box. This coach give not instructions..mid got to tackle…and Rio is the biggest shit player I have ever sceen.
No respect from Josef
King … again ?!
Brooks had a good shift at wing. I never want to see him on defense again. He’s bad at it.
Very, very soft
Ahhh hell
Old man says No Goal on your free kick
Guuuuuuuzzzzzzz!!!!
Old man with the fingertip save !
Gooo..?
This is starting to feel far ro Atlanta for me.
If we were a good team able to hold leads we wouldn’t have barely snuck into the playoffs.
Guz… I feel like I can’t be mad at him because he’s the reason we’re here.
Of course … El Rey
I am liking this non possession spring for long counter attack style
Our midfield defense has been very pesky – it seems we are giving extra effort to get a foot on the ball or block passing lanes
Saba just lay it off to Thiareeee
So Hernandez to left back, Lennon to right back. Saba to right wing, and Wolf to left wing.
Noooo Pedro…
I’m afraid Pedro is finished for the night
Just returned from the fridge. Still a bit shell shocked… am I totally off or were we thoroughly outplayed the first 25 minutes or so until Brooks netted the opener? Then Montreal started pressing and losing control of the match….?
Not how I saw this playing out 15 minutes in.
Well, all it took was to wait another 30 mins and the tone has changed back to what it was 15 mins in. This is the Atlanta United way this season.
Anyone else’s Apple TV feed choppy ?
Mine is always laggy to some extent because I have really bad internet but today it’s been better than usual.
Mine is great.
I’m enjoying this. First time I have gotten this excited about Atlanta United in a while.
Based on our possession stats the last few games … I guess we are better as a give up possession and counter team ?
That’s what I have been thinking all season. How we played against Miami both times.
Can we borrow Josef though for the next round?
STIAN
Consider me shocked!
2-0 !!!!
Someone needs to get guz some different cleats.
They have the luck on them
No. Brooks you can’t miss that.
All 10 of our wins this season have come scoring first. And Amador’s crosses are starting to be on par with Lennon’s when he they were good.
Lennon back to his roots as a scoring winger
Haha – Sure!
LENNON
And then we score!!!!!!! Wat to go Brooks!
Like that!
We are SO conservative with our movement with the ball. No one will carry it forward into space.
It is what it is. We’re down at least two DP slots, and room for improvement at many others. All they can really do is try to play low block and hope for a counter. The difference in overall team talent is obvious. Nothing to do but root them on and hope for the best!
This is looking like Gonzo ball: Trying to play out the back and failing every single time. And our press is atrocious. They are playing right thru us.
Dang, Josef ain’t going easy on us.
And why are we wearing blue ?!? And they are wearing blue
LFG
( hi George , hi Josef )
Vamos Atlanta!!! Let’s win this tonight!
is Hernandez going to be playing DM? I cannot imagine a 4-2-3-1 as shown with Lennon playing right wing.
I think Hernandez is going to play as a defensive right back and Lennon more as a wingback.
Lennon is playing a straight winger position. I am not sold on it; not a fan of playing a formation for the first time at this stage of the season.