MLS Cup Playoffs Round One, Atlanta United vs Inter Miami CF: Match Thread and How to Watch

Atlanta United is back against the wall.

Once again, the Five Stripes find themselves in a do-or-die situation, on the cusp of playoff elimination following last week’s 2-1 defeat in Ft. Lauderdale at the hands of not Messi (shoutout Bradley Guzan for that), but a couple of his friends, Luis Suarez and Jordi Alba, who put Inter Miami ahead in the Best-of-3 series.

It’s a familiar position for Atlanta, having overcome the threat of elimination three times already, defeating the New York Red Bulls, Orlando City, and CF Montreal to bring them to this Round One series against the league’s favorite number one seed. It’s a familiar place to be at, too. One more improbable home match in Mercedes-Benz Stadium, against one of the most star-laden teams the league has ever seen, with everything on the line. It’s an unlikely yet welcome gift for the fans who followed through the lulls of the season, one final hurrah in Atlanta this year. 70,000 plus should fill the seats of the Benz in a way that hasn’t been seen in years. Even last season’s home playoff meeting with eventual champions Columbus was played on a Tuesday night with typical reduced capacity. Tonight will be an atmosphere unlike any since 2019, and hopefully a sign of what’s to come in the seasons beyond.

Atlanta will be without some familiar faces, however. Both Brooks Lennon and Stian Gregersen picked up injuries last week against Miami, and while Gregersen is listed as questionable, Lennon’s dislocated shoulder is a more long term injury and rules him out for the remainder of the year. Two injuries to the backline are a blow to Atlanta’s chances against the highest scoring team in the league, making the quest to stay alive all the more difficult. Both Ronald Hernandez and Luis Abram will have a good deal of responsibility placed on them if this Atlanta United team wants to keep playing on past tonight.

Game Two of the Round One series will stream on Apple TV with a subscription to MLS Season Pass. Radio coverage for this evening is provided in English as usual on 92.9 The Game and in Spanish on La Mejor.

As we gear up for a 7:10 PM kickoff, check out our match preview and lineup prediction, then bring it back here and into the match thread using the comments below to discuss all the action from a rocking Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Atlanta United’s Lineup:

Inter Miami CF’s Lineup:

How to Watch:

Venue: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia

Kickoff Time: Saturday, November 2nd, 7:10 PM ET

Available TV/Streaming: Apple TV (with MLS Season Pass subscription)

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.