Atlanta United will face arguably the best scoring tandem in MLS on Saturday when it takes on Jozy Altidore, Sebastian Giovinco and Toronto.
Though Altidore is the only one of the two who has scored this season, the duo has combined to score 62 goals in the 2015 and ’16 seasons.
They are different players, one like a bull and the other a ballerina.
Altidore’s game is built on power. At 6-foot, 170 pounds, he will be the hold-up forward who will battle Atlanta United’s Leandro Pirez and Michael Parkhurst for long balls. Giovinco is more about speed and imagination. Giovinco, at 5-4, 130 pounds, will run onto the balls knocked down by Altidore as he looks to take advantage of any gaps left the Five Stripes’ back four.
“We know Toronto is a really good team,” Pirez said. “They have a lot of players who are well known throughout the league. As a uiti on defense we have to not give them space because they are very dangerous. We have to be attentive the whole game.”
Atlanta United’s defense should be up for the challenge. It hasn’t allowed a goal in 240 minutes, the longest active streak this season.
The team has allowed just three goals this season. Two came in the season-opening game against New York Red Bulls. The other came on a penalty kick at Minnesota United. The squad shut out Chicago and Seattle in its past two games. Just one of the three goals has come during open play.
“As a group, we played really well, especially in the first half,” Pirez said of Seattle. “In the second half we fell out a little bit.
“We try to talk a lot, always be in constant communication. That’s important because we’ve only been together two months now.”
The key Saturday, according to right fullback Tyrone Mears, is not focus too much on Altidore or Giovinco. He said Toronto’s quality is obvious. Instead, Mears said the group must concentrate on maintaining its shape and executing its responsibilities.
“You have to play your game and as a defender do your job,” he said.
Time change: Atlanta United's game at New York Red Bulls on Oct. 15 will start at 5 p.m. It was scheduled to start at 3 p.m.
