Match Preview

Match Preview: Atlanta United vs. D.C. United

Atlanta United vs. D.C. United Saturday, September 18, 2021 Match Preview

ATLANTA – Atlanta United returns to action Saturday when it hosts D.C. United at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The match, Atlanta United’s annual Unite and Conquer Cancer match presented by Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, is set to kick-off at 3:30 p.m. ET and will be nationally broadcast on Univision.

September marks the start of the club’s annual Unite and Conquer Cancer campaign while MLS WORKS – Major League Soccer’s social responsibility platform – and Continental Tire are teaming up to support Childhood Cancer Awareness Month with the 8th annual “Kick Childhood Cancer” campaign to raise awareness of pediatric cancers and fundraise for childhood cancer research.

Atlanta United is proud to welcome back pediatric cancer fighters and survivors to Mercedes-Benz Stadium for the first time since 2019 to enjoy a tailgate and pre-match ceremony on the field, as it will host five ‘Conquer Kids’ at the club’s training ground and at the match for a VIP experience.

  • Atlanta owns an all-time record of 5-6-0 against D.C. United: 3-1-0 at home and 2-5-0 on the road in the series. This will be the second and final meeting between the teams during the regular season after a 2-1 win at Audi Field on Aug. 21 with Atlanta goals from Josef Martínez and Marcelino Moreno.
  • Atlanta won its sixth match in its last seven games Wednesday, defeating FC Cincinnati SC 4-0 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Luiz Araújo scored the first goal of his Atlanta career in the fifth minute and also added an assist, while Alan Franco became the first player to record three assists in a match for the club.
  • Martínez became the third player in club history to reach 100 MLS regular season appearances. His two-goal performance brought his regular season goal total to 85, smashing the league’s record for most goals in a player’s first 100 appearances previously held by Roy Lassiter at 69. 
  • Ezequiel Barco scored his sixth goal of the year and added his fifth assist Wednesday, both personal season bests with Atlanta. He has recorded five goals and three assists in his last seven matches.
  • D.C. United is coming off a 3-0 home win against Chicago Fire FC on Wednesday with a first-half hat trick from MLS Golden Boot leader Ola Kamara, who has 16 goals on the season. D.C. is currently in fifth place in the Eastern Conference standings on 34 points, one point above Atlanta in seventh.

MATCH INFORMATION

Saturday, Sept. 18 | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA | 3:30 p.m. (ET)

Atlanta United (8-7-9, 33 points) vs. D.C. United (10-10-4, 34 points)

BROADCAST SCHEDULE

TV | Univision

English Radio | 92.9 The Game

Spanish Radio | La Mejor

ABOUT ATLANTA UNITED

Atlanta United joined Major League Soccer in 2017 and won the 2018 MLS Cup in just its second season, the earliest an expansion team has won the title since 1998. The club has set multiple league records including season tickets sales (36,000-plus), single-game attendance (72,548), single-season average (53,002) and total home attendance (901,033). Owned by Arthur M. Blank, and led by club President Darren Eales, Atlanta United plays its home matches at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. For more information about Atlanta United, including how to purchase season tickets, visit:www.atlutd.com, and follow @ATLUTD.

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