There’s no time for Atlanta United (18-5-6) to celebrate their wild mid-week win in San Jose, as the next challenger awaits this Saturday in a matter of hours. While the Five Stripes will be confident facing anyone in front of 70,000+ fans at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Real Salt Lake (13-10-6) come in to the match ready to put it all on the line as they sit in a tight playoff fight of their own in the Western Conference.
Ahead of yet another crucial match, we broke down the Tools to the Match, presented by The Home Depot:
Disciplined defense
When Real Salt Lake’s attack is on form, they are a tough prospect for any team to handle. Two dynamic young attackers in Jefferson Savarino and Albert Rusnak were joined this season by Croatian veteran Damir Kreilach, and the combo has been one of the most effective in the league this season with 27 goals and 16 assists between them. They will try to use their speed and quick passing to pull Atlanta United’s defenders all over the field, so it’ll be crucial for the Five Stripes to stay disciplined and not get pulled too far out of position, leaving holes where they usually cover. But they also have to help each other out; finding themselves in one-on-one situations with dynamic attackers leaves you vulnerable as well. It’s a thin line they’ll have to walk, but a defense who is confident against anyone –– especially at home –– will be ready for the challenge.
A new face in defense
In Justen Glad and Brooks Lennon, RSL has two of the best young Homegrown talents in MLS. Joining them this week could be former Manchester City center back Nedum Onouha, who was announced as the team’s latest signing just last week. A powerful defender with European experience, he could slot right in this weekend in a vital match for the squad’s first visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium. But that could mean some miscommunication between a back line that has yet to gel. It takes time for chemistry to build in the back line, so the red, black and gold can hopefully exploit that if RSL’s newest signing takes the field this weekend.
Beat the press
RSL has a dynamic attack and a solid defense, and they have creative players in the midfield as well. But if they lack anything, it’s a true midfield destroyer. Between Kyle Beckerman, Sunny and Joao Plata, they have a midfield that covers a lot of ground and is capable of defending man-to-man. But if you can beat that initial press, there is space behind them to exploit without that disciplined midfielder sitting in front of the back line. So Atlanta United will have to focus on careful, disciplined passing to get past that first wave of pressure. But once they do, it’ll be crucial to act quickly and decisively to take advantage of open areas behind the midfield.
Follow the Match:
Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m. EST on Saturday, with the match set to be broadcast on Fox Sports Southeast and streamed on Fox Sports GO. You can listen to the game on the Atlanta United app or through one of our radio partners: 92.9 The Game or, for Spanish-speaking listeners, La Mejor Atlanta. Click here for a full rundown of how to follow along with the game.
