Match Preview: Atlanta United travels to Subaru Park to face Philadelphia Union

First Touches

• Atlanta United will wear the Resurgens Kit | Learn the story
• Atlanta United interim head coach Rob Valentino expressed that the club has plans and backup plans given the weather situation with Hurricane Helene. "At the moment, we're keeping everything on schedule... We can't make a plan without knowing what exactly's going on. Like everything, we just approach it as it comes," he said Thursday.
• Speaking of Valentino, the team seems to be playing more direct under his guidance. Read the latest Staying on Track
• The group is coming off a 2-2 draw on the road to fourth-place New York Red Bulls. Goalkeeper Brad Guzan made a season-high eight saves.
• Following Saturday's away match, Atlanta United returns to Mercedes-Benz Stadium for a two-match homestand on October 2 and October 5. Click here to view tickets and join us for the last home matches of the regular season.

Playoff Picture

• Atlanta United current conference standing: 11th
• Points below the playoff line: Three below Philadelphia in 9th

View the Eastern Conference standings

Match Details

• Date: Saturday, Sept. 28
• Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
• Location: Subaru Park

Traveling to Philly for the match? View the Traveling Supporters Guide.

Staying in Atlanta? Check out some of our local pub partners and watch the match with fellow 17s!

How to watch, listen and live stream Philadelphia Union vs. Atlanta United

• 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 play-by-play on our Matchday Hub Page

Battle between playoff hopefuls

The MLS Cup Playoffs are closer than it feels, and following this weekend, we'll enter the same month as Decison Day. October 19 is looming, and a postseason berth is not out of the cards for both these Eastern Conference teams. Philadelphia Union enters Saturday's contest in ninth place with 36 points. Atlanta United sits two spots below in 11th with 33 points.

Just three points separate Atlanta United from the playoff line in the table, which would mean a wild card play-in match between the No. 8 and No. 9 teams in the conference. Nine Eastern clubs are within a 10-point range of each other, and there's a lot that could shake up with four matches remaining in Atlanta United's season.

Last Meeting and Series History

Atlanta holds an all-time record of 5-4-5 against Philadelphia Union. The last time these two teams met was earlier this season back in April. Daniel Ríos and Caleb Wiley each scored in the second half to give Atlanta a comfortable lead, but the Union fought back with a pair of goals in four minutes to split the points at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Players To Watch

Brad Guzan (Atlanta United) - The veteran goalkeeper for Atlanta United is quietly having a good season in his eighth year with the club. Last weekend, Atlanta's big, bald wall recorded a season-high eight saves in the draw at Red Bull Arena, including a clutch penalty kick save in the 87th minute. The standout performance earned the 40-year-old a nod on MLS Team of the Matchday, his second time earning the honor in 2024.

Quinn Sullivan (Philadelphia Union) - On the other side of the pitch, the player to keep an eye on for Philadelphia Union is another MLS Team of the Matchday representative. Homegrown midfielder Quinn Sullivan's two assists powered the Union to a 4-0 win over D.C. United last time out. The result strengthened Philadelphia's hold on the ninth and final postseason bid.