Good morning! Sydney here with this edition of the Scarves and Spikes Daily newsletter. Follow me on X, BSky, IG, and Threads.
Atlanta United’s first match at Mercedes-Benz Stadium since May 9 will be played amid some big news from the transfer front: Switzerland international striker Breel Embolo is reportedly finalizing a $18 million transfer from Ligue 1 outfit Rennes.
Those skeptical of the move will point to Embolo’s injury history, specifically a torn ACL in 2023 that sidelined him for over seven months. They’ll also balk at the price tag, one of the highest incoming transfers in MLS history, and note that Atlanta’s $22M investment to bring in Emmanuel Latte Lath didn’t work out. The red card he accrued during the World Cup hasn’t helped, either. Those in favor will insist that this isn’t Latte Lath 2.0, that Emolo’s body of work speaks for itself. On the international stage, he’s been capped 92 times, scoring 2g/2a in Switzerland’s run to the World Cup quarterfinals.
All of the concerns around him, though, are completely legitimate! No matter where you land, it’s clear that Embolo won’t have a ton of time to endear himself to Atlanta United fans who have been waiting for a consistent striker since Giorgos Giakoumakis.
Tyler and I talked about the Embolo news yesterday — check out the video here.
How do you beat the Red Bulls?
That’s what I asked Daniel Rebain, who covers Red Bull New York for Area Sports Net. Michael Bradley’s men enter today’s match sitting in seventh in the league, and it’s a roster that has benefitted from the presence of some talented youngsters. At the top of the list is 18-year-old Julian Hall, whose nine goals lead RBNY. Not only could he be not long for Europe, but he’s at the center of a tug-of-war between U.S. Soccer and Poland (who he’s eligible for through his mother).
So how does Atlanta get the win on Saturday? Here’s Dan:
“Take the game to Red Bull, early and often. When NY hasn’t been able to get off to a fast start this season and settle into their game, they tend to struggle, giving up high-danger chances and conceding first. That forces them to chase, and for the most part they haven’t been able to regroup and mount a comeback.
“The weak part of the team has been the defense, specifically down both wings. Matthew Dos Santos is a young LB, learning how to play MLS soccer on the job, and he has seen his ups and downs. On the other side, it’s been mostly Dylan Nealis since Bazan has come into the lineup, and Nealis has been the team’s worst player since coming back from the World Cup.“
Catch my full chat with Dan here.
LIVE Tonight at 6:30 p.m. ET: Scarves and Spikes Prematch Show
We’re live from the Benz one hour ahead of the match with instant reaction to the starting XI, plus last-minute predictions. Click here →
Across MLS
- Atlanta v Red Bull NY, 7:30 PM ET
- CF Montréal v D.C. United, 7:30 PM ET
- Charlotte v Columbus, 7:30 PM ET
- Orlando v Cincinnati, 7:30 PM ET
- Toronto v New England, 7:30 PM ET
- Houston v LA Galaxy, 8:30 PM ET
- Nashville v Miami, 8:30 PM ET
- Colorado v Kansas City, 9:30 PM ET
- Salt Lake v Minnesota, 9:30 PM ET
- LAFC v San Diego, 10:30 PM ET
- San Jose v St. Louis, 10:30 PM ET
ATL UTD 2 fall to RBNY II 2-1
Christian Gallagher opened the scoring in the 41st minute, and Andy Rojas converted a penalty in first-half stoppage time, as Red Bull New York II defeated ATL UTD 2 2-1 at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Training Ground yesterday afternoon. Enzo Dovlo pulled one back for the 2s in the 47th minute off an assist from Cameron Dunbar, his club-record eighth of the season. Atlanta, winless in its past three matches, host Chicago Fire II on Tuesday at 11 a.m. ET.
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That’s it for now. See you in the next one.