The 5-Stripes are back in action this Thursday after a tough first match in the MLS is Back Tournament. Atlanta United fell 0-1 to the New York Red Bulls on Saturday but are looking to bounce back in the early morning game against FC Cincinnati.
Ahead of this early morning matchup, we broke down the Tools to the Match, presented by The Home Depot:
Attack Early and Often
Cincinnati’s defense took a big hit in their opening match of the tournament, giving up four goals to Columbus Crew. Thus far in 2020, Cincinnati has conceded a league-high nine goals coming into Thursday's contest. In Atlanta’s first two wins of the MLS season, Emerson Hyndman and Ezequiel Barco both scored goals. Meanwhile, Pity Martinez has created a team-high nine chances and will be looking to power the offense as it looks to find the back of the net for the first time in this tournament.
Defend our Turf
As the Kings of the South, Atlanta needs to be ready to defend its reign. After failing to score in its opening match, Cincinnati’s attack is hungry for goals. Brad Guzan had several big saves on Saturday and will be seeking his first clean sheet of the season tomorrow. He was tied for the league-lead in clean sheets in 2019. Atlanta's defense is boosted by the return of Miles Robinson, who had a team-best 12 recoveries against the Red Bulls.
The 5-Stripes defeated FC Cincinnati 2-1 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in the 2020 MLS home opener in March. Our team is ready to earn another three points.
Beat the Heat
Thursday will be an early wakeup call for Atlanta United and the 17s.
The 5-Stripes have had time to recover from their first match and adjust to the Florida heat and humidity. Early practice times this week were specifically designed to get the team ready for the earliest kick-off in club and Atlanta pro sports history on Thursday.
Atlanta will need to be alert from the beginning in order to secure the win. A few good looks and stops should put Atlanta in a position to defeat Cincinnati for the second time this season.
Catch all the action Thursday morning at 9am ET on ESPN.
