After a 1-0 loss to Nashville SC, it’s another derby for Atlanta United as they face Charlotte FC at Bank of America Stadium on Wednesday night. While it’s their first regular-season meeting of the year, it’s their second across all competitions, with Atlanta beating Charlotte 2-0 in the U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 behind goals from Alexey Miranchuk and Cooper Sanchez.
Get ready for Atlanta United at Charlotte FC
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The scoop on Charlotte FC
6-6-3, 21 points, 6th in East
Last result: W 1-0 vs. New England Revolution (May 23)
Charlotte is a side that probably should be higher up in the table than it is now. After a 4-2-2 start to the season, it went on a 0-4-1 slump before winning back-to-back matches against Toronto FC and the New England Revolution. So The Crown, in the midst of their third season under Dean Smith, have definitely left some meat on the bone in that regard.
Statistically, Charlotte is led by Pep Biel (7g/6a), who has a goal involvement in all but five of his team’s regular-season matches this season. Outside of that, Idan Toklomati has five goals and Archie Goodwin has three.
The big news, though, is Wilfried Zaha. After he left the team after his loan from Galatasaray expired, that opened up a DP slot that Charlotte filled with former Ligue 1 and Premier League forward Allan Saint-Maximin. Saint-Maximin, a former teammate of Miguel Almirón’s at Newcastle United, won’t be available for selection as he waits to receive his visa.
This is the 10th meeting between the two teams; Charlotte leads the series 5-4.
Atlanta United vs. Charlotte FC injuries
As mentioned above, Alonso is available for selection, but Díaz’s visa is still being worked on. Atlanta will have Stian Gregersen back in the fold, though.
Jay Fortune’s out for at least three weeks with a strained hamstring; Matt Edwards, who also injured his hamstring against Nashville, is day-to-day but will travel with the team. Sergio Santos (calf) and Pedro Amador (Achilles tendon) are out.
We will see Toto Majub, Iggy Suarez-Couri, and Arif Kovac in the team as they’re short-term callups from ATL UTD 2 for tonight and Saturday against the New England Revolution. Don’t expect any significant minutes for either of them, however.
Charlotte will only be missing Aron John (upper-body injury).
Atlanta United’s projected lineup against Charlotte FC (4-3-3)
GK: Lucas Hoyos
D: Elias Báez, Tomás Jacob, Enea Mihaj, Ronald Hernández
M: Tristan Muyumba, Cooper Sanchez, Will Reilly
F: Emmanuel Latte Lath, Alexey Miranchuk, Miguel Almirón
Score prediction: Charlotte FC 2-0 Atlanta United
Rust will be a factor for Charlotte in their first match in just under two months, but it’ll eventually take control and claim the win on home soil. Atlanta’s attack just isn’t in a place where it can consistently challenge teams.
Another scoreless loss seems imminent. I like Sanchez, but the rest of that midfield ain’t it. The attackers underwhelm and that’s a makeshift back line. At least we won’t have to see ASM for Charlotte, so there’s that.
ASM may be really good for CFC, but he was not really that good a LW at Newcastle. He dribbled into cul de sacs or triple teams constantly and spent too long on the ball. Seemed sort of selfish.
I would rather have Atlanta release Cooper Sanchez for national team duty, so he can be exposed to more international scouts, so we can sell him for money that we can then use to overpay some over the hill Latin American talent.
Ouch. prediction is probably going to be right.
Yeah, at this point we couldn’t score in a women’s prison with a fistful of pardons.