Atlanta United will face New York City in first round of MLS playoffs

Atlanta United won’t face New York City FC in the first round of the MLS playoffs for at least 13 days but goalkeeper Brad Guzan was already tired of the narrative about the possibility of playing on the host’s small field.

“I don’t want to see you guys kind of going and running with the storyline of Yankee Stadium,” he said after Sunday’s 2-1 win at Cincinnati secured the fifth seed in the playoffs. NYCFC is the fourth seed. “Wherever the game is being played, whether it’s in Central Park or Yankee Stadium or wherever, we’re going to be ready for it because we know we got a fantastic opportunity now to try and do something special.”

The playoff schedule hasn’t been announced by the league. The game will either be at Yankee Stadium or at Red Bull Arena.

New York City FC also finished with 51 points but is ahead of Atlanta United because it finished with one more win, which was the first tiebreaker. It is led by Golden Boot winner Valentin Castellanos, who scored 19 goals. He was held scoreless in 179 minutes against Atlanta United this season. Atlanta United went 0-1-1 against NYCFC this season.

NYCFC typically plays at Yankee Stadium. The field, 110 yards by 70 yards, is by far the smallest of the 27 in the league. Because the field is situated across the outfield, with one corner of the field going across the infield, it is an odd place to play.

“It’s challenging to play in Yankee Stadium to be honest,” manager Gonzalo Pineda said. “It’s a very small field and it’s also, like, twisted and it’s always visually not great when you’re on the field in there.”

Pineda said he has a lot of respect for NYCFC as a franchise. Atlanta United hasn’t played at NYCFC’s traditional home since it was defeated 4-1 on Sept. 25, 2019. Its games at New York City FC in 2020 and this season were played at Red Bull Arena. So most of Atlanta United’s players have no idea of the challenges the field presents.

Guzan, again, didn’t care.

“We know it’s a playoff game,” he said. “So whether we play at Red Bull, whether we play at Yankee Stadium, whatever it is, we’re gonna need to roll our sleeves up and put our big boy pants on and get out there and get after it.”

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Atlanta United’s 2021 MLS schedule

April 17 Atlanta United 0, Orlando 0

April 24 Atlanta United 3, Chicago 1

May 1 New England 2, Atlanta United 1

May 9 Atlanta United 1, Inter Miami 1

May 15 Atlanta United 1, Montreal 0

May 23 Atlanta United 1, Seattle 1