Atlanta United is back at home on Sunday as they welcome the league’s newest team, Charlotte FC, to Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Following a tough road loss last week, Atlanta will look to get back on track in this match. Their opponents are coming off a home loss and are looking for their first points of the season. With the proximity of the two cities, fans and viewers at home can expect another electric atmosphere at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Let’s take a look at the Tools to the Match presented by The Home Depot against Charlotte FC.
Feed Off Energy of Best Crowd in MLS
Atlanta United provided the road map for how expansion teams could succeed in MLS. From opening night on March 5, 2017 at Bobby Dodd Stadium until this day, Atlanta United captured the attention, the passion and the hearts of the people of this city. Those electric atmospheres have helped Atlanta create one of the best home field advantages in MLS. The club has amassed 53 home victories since joining the league in 2017, ranking third in MLS during that time frame.
The consistency with which Atlanta United fans show up and show out has been remarkable as well. Excluding the pandemic season of 2020, Atlanta United has featured the highest average attendance across MLS in every season. That energy and passion has carried over to the team and has been one of the reasons the club is so dominant at home. Expect Sunday’s crowd to be a factor in the match and give them team energy to conquer a new opponent.
Don’t Switch Off on Set Pieces
If you look at the stats for Sunday’s opponent, you will find Austrian defender Christian Fuchs leads the team in total shots with three. The defender, who had a long career in Europe, has been dangerous for Charlotte on set pieces. Atlanta United’s defense needs to make sure to be switched on at all times come Sunday.
In midfield, Atlanta will need to make sure to keep an eye on Christian “Titi” Ortiz. Charlotte’s first No. 10 is a crafty midfielder who leads the team with five key passes so far. If the 5-Stripes are able to limit Ortiz’s creativity, that would go a long way to keeping the three points at home this weekend.
Capitalize on Transition Moments
Entering this weekend’s action, Atlanta United leads MLS in fast breaks. This continues a trend from the second half of last season when Atlanta recorded the most fast-breaks as well. The 5-Stripes need to capitalize on those transition moments when they arise against Charlotte. In the season opener vs. Sporting KC, Atlanta was excellent in transition, scoring goals from Dom Dwyer and Caleb Wiley in those situations.
In order to create those transition moments, the team has to continue to find success in their defensive pressures. After two weeks, Atlanta ranks seventh in MLS with a 32.8 pressure success rating. Regaining possession within seconds of losing the ball is something head coach Gonzalo Pineda has preached from the start of his tenure. If Atlanta does that on Sunday, then they will walk away with three points.
Kickoff is set for 4:30 p.m. ET on Sunday. Click here to learn how to watch, listen and live stream the match.
