Season 10 for Atlanta United starts off in the state of Ohio as it travels to face FC Cincinnati at TQL Stadium. After the disaster of last year, Tata Martino’s return to the club will surely lead it back to the glory days of 2017 and 2018. Right?
Get ready for Atlanta United at FC Cincinnati
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The scoop on FC Cincinnati
They’re coming off a second-place finish in the Supporters’ Shield standings and earned a spot in the Concacaf Champions Cup, where they have a commanding lead over Dominican side O&M after Wednesday’s first leg of their Round of 16 tie. But as FC Cincy beat writer Laurel Pfahler told me, the Garys left a little meat on the bone last year.
A four-match winless stretch at the end of May (0-2-2 — one of those losses coming to Atlanta) kept FCC from a second trophy in three seasons. In the playoffs, it needed three games to oust the Columbus Crew in a Hell is Real first round before suffering a heavy 4-0 loss to Inter Miami in the conference semifinals.
Roster-wise, it’s a different group than last year. They sold Luca Orellano to Monterrey while parting ways with Yuya Kubo (free agent), with Lukas Engel (Real Salt Lake) and Brenner (Vasco de Gama) joining new clubs after seeing their loans expire. It brought in Bryan RamÃrez (LDU Quito) to fill Orellano’s spot at right wing and exercised its purchase option on Ayoub Jabbari.
Outside of those moves and the addition of Tom Barlow, Kristian Fletcher, and Kyle Smith, it was a relatively quiet offseason, albeit one that featured several overtures from Europe for the services of Kévin Denkey. FC Cincy has taken a hard-line stance in putting the Togo international’s starting price at around $20M, and there’s a chance that a quick start out of the gate could see him approach Miguel Almirón’s record for an outgoing transfer.
For now, Denkey (15g/2a in 2025) will look to further build his partnership with Evander (16g/15a). Don’t forget Cincinnati’s defense, featuring newcomer Smith, Miles Robinson, Nick Hagglund, and the recovering Matt Miazga — plus one of the league’s top young keepers in Roman Celentano — which yielded just 40 goals last season.
It’s a solid group that should compete for a Top 4 spot once again. But it’s also a group with a fanbase that feels it somewhat underachieved a season ago.
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Atlanta United at FC Cincinnati injuries
Dom Chong Qui won’t be available as he continues to recover from his MCL sprain suffered during Atlanta United’s preseason. Jay Fortune — still on the road to recovery after his own injury last year — trained with the team on Thursday, but isn’t ready yet and is out tomorrow.
Meanwhile, Will Reilly has picked up a hamstring strain and is out for about 3-4 weeks.
Atlanta United’s projected lineup against FC Cincinnati (4-3-3)
GK: Lucas Hoyos
D: Pedro Amador, Enea Mihaj, Juan Berrocal, Ronald Hernandéz
M: Steven Alzate, Alexey Miranchuk, Tomás Jacob
F: Miguel Almirón (C), Latte Lath, Saba Lobjanidze
Score prediction: FC Cincinnati 1-1 Atlanta United
Atlanta United won’t win this one, but they’ll give just enough of an account of themselves against FC Cincinnati to grab a point in front of an impassioned TQL Stadium.
I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that the starting line-up might look like a 4-3-3 that switches to a 3-4-2-1:
Miggy – Ell – Mirancuk
Alzate – Muyumba
Jacob
Amador – Berrocal – Mihaj – Hernández
Hoyos
Jacob drops in between the centerbacks or to the weak side of the defense in possession to allow the fullback to advance and for Amador to take up a position in the attacking midfield zone between the center circle and the top of the 18-yard box.
That shape becomes something like:
ELL
Miggy – Amador – Miranchuk
Alzate – Muyumba- Hernández
Berrocal – Mihaj – Jacob
Hoyos
Coming out of my offseason hibernation to simply say… vamos Atlanta
Your season is beginning? Good luck, Atlantistas. I looked at your lineup, and the only ones I recognized – and play ball – are Almiron and Soviet Mechanic.
Do you feel there is a team, or the skeleton of one already?
Well, beginning away, against a tough opponent, with a very changed group. In normal world that means good chances of losing, but, at the same time, not hurting too much.
I would park the bus, but that is not Tata´s way.
3-3
united score last minute
Edwards and Hibbert needs to start.
While the odds are against us, I think there is a chance for a draw – and that would be a good result for an away opener.
1-3 FC Cinci