The last few weeks for Atlanta United has been all about responding to adversity. On Saturday, they’ll face their biggest task yet: beating Inter Miami to force a third and deciding game in their MLS Cup Playoffs Round One series.
It’s not impossible, especially with a potentially sold-out Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta’s final game at the venue in 2024, but one starter out (Brooks Lennon) and probably a second (Stian Gregersen) throws a wrench in the plans of Rob Valentino as he looks to fill the void in his starting XI — and probably dampens the confident figure the Five Stripes have cut during their recent run.
For Atlanta, it’s all about who fills in at right back and potentially center back. Ronald Hernandez is the easy (and only) choice at RB, but if (IF) Stian Gregersen can’t go, do you go with the veteran in Luis Abram or insert Noah Cobb in the biggest match of his career against the most lethal attack in MLS?
Miami’s objective is clear: win and advance. If they can take a raucous Benz out of the match early (they’ll be pushing for a goal or two right out of the gate), things benefit them enormously. If Atlanta falls behind, they’ll need to pace themselves and avoid completely capitulating in front of a home crowd.
One other item to watch: the likelihood of Pedro Amador and Xande Silva on the left. The two haven’t played together all that much, so if Silva starts — Edwin Mosquera is out 4-6 weeks — how will the countrymen combine?
Looking Back
We won’t spend too much time here since the last time these two teams met was just days ago. Miami won 2-1 but outshot Atlanta 22-8 with a 12-2 edge in shots on goal. Limiting those Miami chances, whether or not that looks like a more possession-based approach, is key for Atlanta if their 2024 season is to continue for at least one more day.
Availability Reports
Will be updated.
Atlanta United Predicted Starting XI
Prediction: Atlanta United 1-3 Inter Miami
Atlanta United will be up for the challenge early in front of home fans, but ultimately Miami’s quality will be too much to overcome. Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez will score, with Atlanta pulling one back in the second half before Leo Campana seals the deal with an insurance tally to send the Herons to the next round.
Image credit: Sam Navarro – Imagn Images
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[…] Preview: Atlanta vs. Miami, Round 1, Game 2 […]
Football is science, dear Atlantistas, and Miami is, by far, the best team in your league. What I would like to see, is a new top class coach being announced, and a full rebuild of your team, so Atlanta goes back to being a first class MLS team. My Gremio is in the middle of the standings, in a year my home state was devastated by floods, and we have just fired our coach. Football is for the strong.
I expect the suspense to be ended pretty quickly.
So that obviously means we will winIf we can defend and counter, kind of how we did in the last game (with Guzan putting in another massive performance) then we might have a chance. Of course it’s not great when Miami get in full flow, but when they do so, they send so many numbers up (fullbacks and the center mids push up) untimely leaving plenty of space in behind. On the counter. If we can hang on late to where Miami have tired legs and won’t be able to track back as effectively, then we will stand a chance.
Ultimately kudos for grinding it out to make it into the playoffs but this one might sting a bit…
I think Atlanta will run 3 CBs with Abram, Williams, and Cobb. Play Amador and Hernandez as the wingbacks, maybe have Amador play up a bit higher. I don’t think Silva will end up in the starting line up.
Agreed. I think if Brooks is out you throw a different formation at them since that’s been what they’ve been looking at tapes of lately (probably). Hopefully Stian decides he’s good to play, but c’est la vie.
Would love to see Brennan get a late sub in to inject some speed into the equation in those late minutes. If Silva is in he needs to leave it all out there.
Lennon is probably done for the year. I saw somewhere that he got surgery for his dislocated shoulder. If that is true, he is done.