Match Preview: Atlanta United hosts Santos Laguna in must win Leagues Cup match up

First Touches

• Atlanta United will wear the 17s Kit | Learn the story.
• Atlanta United kicked off Leagues Cup with a 3-3 draw against D.C United where they earned one point but dropped the second in the penalty kick shootouts.
• With D.C beating Santos 3-0 on Wednesday, the 5-Stripes will need to get a win over Santos, either in regulation or after going to penalty shootouts, to move onto the knockout stage.
• Atlanta United have a chance to go back to where it all started, Bobby Dodd Stadium, if they make it to the knockout round. Check out all the possible Bobby Dodd scenarios.

Match Details

• Date: Sunday, August 4
• Kickoff time: 4:00 p.m. ET
• Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium
• Tickets: View tickets

Going to the match? Check out our detailed timeline and things to do before kickoff.

How to watch, listen, and live stream Atlanta United vs. Santos Laguna in Leagues Cup

• TV: Watch on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
• Listen: Local radio 92.9 The Game and La Mejor.
• Live stream: Watch on MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app or visit https://tv.apple.com/
• Follow along: Follow the match with real-time stats and live play-by-play on our Matchday Hub page.

What is Leagues Cup?

Leagues Cup is an annual, World-Cup style tournament featuring all the clubs in MLS and LIGA MX. This year's competition runs July 26-August 25.

Every team will play two group stage matches. Atlanta United was drawn into group East 7 along with D.C. United (MLS) and Santos Laguna (Liga MX). Both matches will be played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The top two teams from the group, as determined by points, will move on to the single-elimination knockout stage.

What happens in Leagues Cup when there's a tie in regulation? It will be decided in a penalty shootout. Read more about the tournament format and rules here.

Recent Form

As mentioned before, Atlanta’s last match was a Leagues Cup match against D.C United. Despite going down 3-1 in the first half, they rallied with goals from Saba Lobjanidze and Daniel Ríos. Both Lobjanidze and Rios have racked up goals as of late; they tie each other with a club leading 6 goals on the season so far. Before their third meeting of this season against D.C, their last MLS match was a 2-1 win over a dominant Columbus team. A brace from defender Stian Gregersen lifted them over the Crew.

Santos Laguna is coming off a 3-0 loss against D.C; they have zero points in the group stage of Leagues Cup. They are 0-3-1 in LIGA MX play.

Players to Watch

Daniel Ríos (Atlanta United) – It comes as no surprise that all eyes have been on Ríos due to his recent hot streak. Since acquiring him in March from C.D Guadalajara, a LIGA MX club, Ríos has consistently produced for the 5-Stripes. In the month of July, he scored 5 goals on 7 shots on goal. He averaged 1.01 goals per 90 minutes.

Santiago Muñoz (Santos Laguna) – Munoz has scored the lone goal for Santos this season in Liga MX play. He made his debut for Santos Laguna in 2020. Before coming back to Mexico in 2023, he spent 18 months on loan at Newcastle United starting in August of 2021.