Atlanta United opens the MLS regular season on Sunday against Sporting Kansas City at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. ET and the game will be nationally broadcast.
It’s been a short offseason but a full preseason for Atlanta United. The team opened preseason with a friendly against the Georgia Storm before traveling beyond Atlanta to Athens and Mexico. Now, the Kings of the South are back home to kick off a new MLS season, the first time in club history Atlanta United opens at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Head coach Gonzalo Pineda enters his second season with Atlanta United after coming on board in the middle of the 2021 season. Pineda’s arrival meant good things for Atlanta United as it closed out 2021, leading the team to 33 points, a 7-3-3 record and a spot in the Audi 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs. No other club earned more points in the table during the second half of the season than Atlanta United, so the club is hopeful that success will carry over into Pineda’s first full season at the helm.
“It’s very good to have that preparation and see the progress from the very beginning, almost from scratch,” Pineda said on Friday. “You start to build all the principles or the situation that you want to see in the game. And it’s been fantastic to see that.”
The team has a slew of starters returning, including Josef Martínez up top and Brazilian striker Luiz Araújo. The backline is anchored by veteran Brad Guzan and Defender of the Year finalist Miles Robinson. Midfielder Mattheus Rossetto, defender George Campbell and defender Ronald Hernández are also a few set to return.
Atlanta United made several additions this offseason that will play important roles. Ozzie Alonso, the veteran midfielder from Seattle Sounders, provides leadership and poise. Defender Andrew Gutman has gotten high praise out of preseason camp and started with the first team during preseason friendlies at left fullback. Dom Dwyer, another league veteran, could be a potential option to come off the bench and provide a spark in later match minutes.
“I’m very happy with what the team has accomplished and what we’ve been doing in the six weeks of preparation before Kansas,” Pineda said.
About The Opponent
Sporting Kansas City is a Western Conference club based in Kansas City, Kan. As one of the league’s 10 charter clubs, Sporting Kansas City has a long and storied history. The club ranks second-most all-time in MLS regular season wins (339) and will be looking to reach 350 this season. Only one other club has ever surpassed 350 regular season wins (L.A. Galaxy).
In 1995, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt, owner of the Kansas City Chiefs in the NFL and one of the founders of MLS. Sporting Kansas City began play in 1996 and was known as the Kansas City Wizards (or Wiz). The team now plays its home matches at Children's Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kan., making the club the only major professional sports franchise to play in the state of Kansas. The team rebranded to Sporting Kansas City in 2010.
In its 26-year history, Sporting Kansas City has won seven titles. The most recent title came in 2017 when it won the U.S. Open Cup. The club has won the MLS Cup twice (2000, 2013).
The 2000 season was a significant year for the club. It won the MLS Cup and Supporters’ Shield with a roster led by Peter Vermes at center back. Vermes was later named manager of Sporting Kansas City in 2009 and is the club’s current head coach. Under his leadership, the club has made the playoffs 10 times in the last 11 seasons, making Sporting Kansas City a model of success and consistency.
“Throughout the years, they’ve been applying the same system, the same style, and it’s a very good style,” Pineda said. “I have a lot of respect for Peter Vermes. They’ve always been consistent, which is something I admire.”
Series History
This will be the fourth all-time meeting between Atlanta United and Sporting Kansas City. In the three previous matchups, the series is evenly split 1-1-1 between the two clubs. The home team has yet to win a game in the series, a trend Atlanta United will be looking to break on Sunday. At Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Sporting Kansas City has won once (2019). In two trips to Kansas City, Atlanta won once (2019) and tied once (2017).
Last Meeting
The last meeting between the two sides was on May 5, 2019. Atlanta won the contest 3-0 at Children's Mercy Park in Kansas City. Martínez scored two goals and midfielder Ezequiel Barco had one goal and an assist. The performances earned both players MLS Team of the Week honors.
2021 Results
Both Atlanta United and Sporting Kansas City made the MLS Cup Playoffs in 2021. Atlanta United finished fifth in the Eastern Conference with 51 points and a 13-9-12 regular season record. The club lost to eventual MLS Cup champion New York City FC in the first round.
Last season, Sporting Kansas City finished in third place in the Western Conference table and reached the conference semifinal match in the 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs. It lost to Real Salt Lake on a stoppage-time goal.
Going back to the end of last season, Atlanta United has a seven-match unbeaten streak at home. On the flip side, Sporting Kansas City struggled in the final stretch of the 2021 season, losing four of its final five matches, including the playoffs.
Atlanta United |
Sporting Kansas City |
|
|---|---|---|
Possession |
57.5% (1st) |
55.2% (2nd) |
Goals |
45 (T-18th) |
58 (2nd) |
Save Percentage |
79.6 (1st) |
67.5 (19th) |
Passing Accuracy |
85.5% (T-2nd) |
85.5% (T-2nd) |
Milestones Within Reach
- He's already scored 100 goals in MLS competition, but Martínez has the chance to join the century club in another category on Sunday. He currently sits at 99 career MLS regular season starts and could reach No. 100 on Sunday. He’d become just the second Atlanta United player to reach that regular season mark (Guzan has 133).
- Caleb Wiley could make his MLS debut on Sunday for Atlanta United. The 17-year-old defender signed a Homegrown deal in January.
Players To Watch
Luiz Araújo – The Brazilian starts the season with Atlanta United after transferring to the club from Lille OSC in France last August. The left-footed attacker has shown flashes of brilliance with his sharp foot skills and unrivaled speed. He scored four goals in 15 matches last season and will be looking to take the next step and make significant contributions to Atlanta United’s attack this year.
Andrew Gutman – If you haven’t heard his name yet, you'll know it well very soon. Gutman joined Atlanta United this offseason after being on loan with the New York Red Bulls in 2021. Gutman has slid into the left fullback role and gotten praise from teammates during preseason. He brings a “nastiness” to the backline and has worked with the midfielders and attacking players well so far.
Daniel Salloi – Salloi signed with Sporting Kansas City as a Homegrown player in 2016. He led the team in scoring with 16 goals in 2021 and is the only active player on Sporting Kansas City’s roster to score a goal against Atlanta.
Johnny Russell – The Scottish striker scored 15 goals for Sporting Kansas City in 2021. He contributed to at least one goal in his last 10 regular season appearances, scoring 11 goals and recording three assists, which was the longest streak in MLS last season.
Other Tidbits
- Sunday will be the first time in club history Atlanta opens the MLS regular season at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
- Atlanta United led MLS in total attendance and average attendance in 2021. The match on Sunday will be the first of three full-venue matches at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in 2022.
- Dwyer, Atlanta United’s most recent acquisition, was drafted No. 16 overall by Sporting Kansas City in 2012. He played six seasons in Kansas before moving on to Orlando City SC and ranks No. 2 all-time in Sporting Kansas City history in goals scored (68).
It’s a 3:00 p.m. ET kickoff for Atlanta United and Sporting Kansas City on Sunday.
