On March 12, 2017, Atlanta United played their second match in club history at fellow expansion side Minnesota United, who were playing their first ever home match. The game will be remembered for three things: the snow, the orange ball, and Atlanta’s 6-1 win that featured a Josef Martinez hat trick and a Miguel Almiron brace. (Bonus points if you can name the other scorer without looking.)
Nine years later, the two clubs meet again, and so much has changed that it’ll take more than this post to cover. (Remember when they played each other in a cup final in 2019?) Today’s Minnesota United is barely hanging on to a playoff spot. Atlanta United would give anything to at least be in the postseason discussion. Maybe Saturday’s win against Red Bull New York can be some form of inspiration for the rest of the year? (One can dream.)
Get ready for Atlanta United at Minnesota United
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The scoop on Minnesota United
6-6-7, 25 points, 9th in West
Last result: D 1-1 at Real Salt Lake (August 15)
Minnesota, led by Cameron Knowles, started the season a respectable 6-3-2. Since then, the Loons haven’t won a game, going 0-3-5. In fact, they’ve tied their last three, most recently on Saturday against Real Salt Lake as Joaquin Pereyra scored in the 89th minte to rescue a point. They’re still in ninth place but just one point ahead of three teams for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
Their attack, like Atlanta’s has been disappointing, with their 21 goals tied with the Five Stripes for third-fewest in MLS. Kelvin Yeboah leads the way with eight while Pereyra has seven assists. Minnesota still has Bongi Hlongwane, but he’s far from the player that scored 11 a couple of years ago.
Defensively, the Loons have been pretty decent with 26 goals allowed. But they’ve given up more than one goal just three times during their winless streak.
In six previous meetings (including the aforementioned 2019 Open Cup final) Atlanta is 4-2-0, but Wednesday marks its first trip to Minnesota since 2018.
Atlanta United at Minnesota United injuries
Outside of Mauricio Amaro’s visa still in process, Jay Fortune’s injury setback means he’ll be out for three to four weeks longer. Will Reilly is still questionable with an ankle injury.
For Minnesota, Peter Stroud is out with what’s listed as a lower extremity injury. Nicolás Romero and Nectarios Triantis are questionable with the sme injury.
Atlanta United’s projected lineup against Minnesota United (4-3-3)
GK: Lucas Hoyos
D: Elias Báez, Júnior Alonso, Paulo Díaz, Tomás Jacob
M: Tristan Muyumba, Cooper Sanchez, Adrian Gill
F: Fafá Picault, Alexey Miranchuk, Miguel Almirón
Score prediction: Minnesota United 1-1 Atlanta United
This is going to be a slog. Both of these teams have struggled to score goals this year, and while I don’t think Atlanta will necessarily win this one, a low-scoring draw will speak better to the state of both clubs right now.