Atlanta United (6-4-6) will face LAFC (7-1-4) at 10:30 p.m. Wednesday at BMO Stadium. The game will be broadcast on FS1 and is free on Apple TV. You can sync the radio broadcast from 92.9 FM through the app.
Here is a scouting report for the game:
LAFC manager: Steve Cherundolo
LAFC at home: 5-0-1
Atlanta United on road: 1-3-4
LAFC goals for/against: 23/10
LAFC expected goals for/against: 20.6/12.4
Atlanta United goals for/against: 32/28
Atlanta United expected goals for/against: 24.1/19.4
LAFC key players
Denis Bouanga: 10 goals, one assist
Carlos Vela: Four goals, four assists
Kwadwo Opoku: Two goals, one assist
Atlanta United key players
Thiago Almada: Seven goals, eight assists
Giorgos Giakoumakis: Nine goals
Luiz Araujo: Three goals, three assists
Talking points
Will the Five Stripes find a road form? Atlanta United has been underwhelming on the road (1-3-4). LAFC has the best home record (5-0-1) of Western Conference teams. Atlanta United could benefit from LAFC losing Sunday in the second leg of the Champions League. The hosts likely won’t field its strongest lineup Wednesday.
Battle of the goal scorers. Wednesday’s match features two of the better scorers in MLS: Bouanga (10 goals) and Giakoumakis (9). Bouanga played in the Champions League final Sunday, so he isn’t guaranteed to start Wednesday. Giakoumakis should make his second consecutive start.
Soft goals. Atlanta United has given up the second-most goals of any team in MLS. Manager Gonzalo Pineda said it’s not the volume of chances created against them, but the quality. Atlanta United hasn’t helped itself by failing to block crosses or by committing turnovers in dangerous places on the pitch.
Injury reports
Atlanta United
Questionable: Amar Sejdic (calf), Caleb Wiley (international duty) and Ozzie Alonso (ACL recovery).
Out: Erik Lopez (ankle) and Santiago Sosa (ankle).
LAFC
Not available.
What was said
“Every every game in this league is difficult, whether you’re playing a team at the top or the bottom. So we are focused on LAFC. And yeah, we’re focused on those points. And then we’ll take the games as they come after that.” – Brad Guzan
“It’s always a privilege to to play the team that did very well. And I have a lot of respect for that franchise, for that team. They’ve been fighting since the very beginning of their existence.” – Pineda on LAFC
“We need to be very, very good on the ball. Because if we give them a lot of time and space, we give them the control of the game, they certainly can punish. They have very talented players up front, so we will see what they present in terms of lineups, but I expect the best LAFC.” – Pineda
Officiating crew
Referee: Joe Dickerson
Assistants: Logan Brown and Diego Blas
Fourth Official: Ricardo Fierro
VAR: Geoff Gamble
AVAR: Emma Richards
Atlanta United’s predicted 11
Goalkeeper Brad Guzan
Centerback Miles Robinson
Centerback JuanJo Purata
Right fullback Brooks Lennon
Left fullback Andrew Gutman
Defensive midfielder Franco Ibarra
Midfielder Matheus Rossetto
Attacking midfielder Thiago Almada
Right wing Luiz Araujo
Left wing Derrick Etienne Jr.
Striker Giorgos Giakoumakis
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Atlanta United’s 2023 MLS schedule
Feb. 25 Atlanta United 2, San Jose Earthquakes 1
March 4 Atlanta United 1, Toronto FC 1
March 11 Atlanta United 3, Charlotte FC 0
March 18 Atlanta United 5, Portland 1
March 25 Columbus 6, Atlanta United 1
April 1 Atlanta United 1, New York Red Bulls 0
April 8 Atlanta United 1, New York City FC 1
April 15 Atlanta United 2, Toronto FC 2
April 23 Atlanta United 2, Chicago 1
April 29 Nashville SC 3, Atlanta United 1
May 6 Inter Miami CF 2, Atlanta United 1
May 13 Charlotte 3, Atlanta United 1
May 17 Atlanta United 4, Colorado 0
May 20 Atlanta United 3, Chicago 3
May 27 Atlanta United 1, Orlando 1
May 31 Atlanta United 3, New England 3
June 7 or Sept. 13 at Los Angeles FC, 10:30 p.m.
June 10 vs. D.C. United, 7:30 p.m.
June 21 vs. New York City FC, 7:30 p.m.
June 24 at New York Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m.
July 2 vs. Philadelphia Union, 4 p.m., Fox
July 8 at CF Montreal, 7:30 p.m.
July 12 at New England Revolution, 7:30 p.m.
July 15 vs. Orlando City SC, 7:30 p.m., FS1
Aug. 20 at Seattle Sounders, 10:30 p.m.
Aug. 26 vs. Nashville SC, 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 30 vs. FC Cincinnati, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 2 at FC Dallas, 8:30 p.m.
Sept. 16 vs. Inter Miami CF, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 20 at D.C. United, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 23 vs. CF Montreal, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 4 at Philadelphia Union, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 7 vs. Columbus Crew, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 21 at FC Cincinnati, TBA
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