Atlanta United (4-1-1) will play at NYCFC (2-2-2) at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Yankee Stadium. The game will be broadcast on the MLS channel on AppleTV and will kick off at 7:39 p.m. You can sync the radio broadcast from 92.9 FM through the app. You can follow the coverage of Doug Roberson, who has covered the franchise since 2014, on Twitter @DougRobersonAJC.
Here is a scouting report for the game:
NYCFC manager: Nick Cushing
NYCFC at home/overall: 2-0-0/2-2-2
Atlanta United on road/overall: 0-1-1/4-1-1
NYCFC goals for/against: 6/7
NYCFC expected goals for/against: 6.4/5.7
Atlanta United goals for/against: 13/9
Atlanta United expected goals for/against: 8.8/6.3
NYCFC key players
Talles Magno: Two goals
Gabriel Pereira: One goal, two assists
Santiago Rodriguez: One goal, one assist
Atlanta United key players
Thiago Almada: Four goals, four assists
Caleb Wiley: Three goals, two assists
Luiz Araujo: Two goals
Giorgos Giakoumakis: Two goals
Talking points
1. Can Atlanta United bounce back on road? Things didn’t go well for Atlanta United in its previous road game, a 6-1 loss at Columbus on March 25. The team was missing several starters who were with their national teams. They returned for the team’s 1-0 victory Saturday against the Red Bulls at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
2. Can Atlanta United make history two consecutive weeks? Atlanta United’s victory against the Red Bulls was its first against them in 13 regular-season matches. Atlanta United has yet to defeat NYCFC at Yankee Stadium in a regular-season match. It is 1-4-2 there in all matches.
3. Will Atlanta United score on a corner? The small confines of the field make executing on set pieces a priority. The team has one goal from corner kick this season, it coming on a long-range shot by Thiago Almada against San Jose in the first game.
Injury reports
Atlanta United
Out: Ozzie Alonso (recovery from torn ACL).
NYCFC
Not available
What was said
“It’s one of those things (where) we go in trying to play our best. And in our style, it’s obviously a tough environment, based on a lot of different circumstances. But, I think if we stick to our game plan, I think we’ll get a positive result.” – Miles Robinson
“I mean, records and all, that’s the less important thing to me. For me is the consistency in the performances. And last week was about coming back to who we are. This year is to remain there and stay there and and stick to that, don’t have ups and downs throughout the season. And rather than playing a (performance rated a) 10, and then a five, and then an eight, and then a seven, I prefer always be 7.5 all the time. And from there a couple times eight, and aiming for always hit one five, but more established caliber every week. So that’s for me consistency, that’s what we aim for.” – Pineda
Officiating crew
Referee: Drew Fisher
Assistants: Logan Brown and Kevin Klinger
Fourth official: Ryan Graves
VAR: Kevin Terry Jr.
AVAR: Tyler Wyrostek
Atlanta United’s predicted 11
Goalkeeper Brad Guzan
Centerback Miles Robinson
Centerback JuanJo Purata
Right fullback Brooks Lennon
Left fullback Caleb Wiley
Defensive midfielder Franco Ibarra
Midfielder Amar Sejdic
Attacking midfielder Thiago Almada
Right wing Luiz Araujo
Left wing Derrick Etienne
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 at New York City FC, 7:30 p.m.
April 15 at Toronto FC, 7:30 p.m.
April 23 vs. Chicago Fire FC, 4:30 p.m., FS1
April 29 at Nashville SC, 1:30 p.m., Fox
May 6 at Inter Miami CF, 7:30 p.m.
May 13 vs. Charlotte FC, 7:30 p.m.
May 17 vs. Colorado Rapids, 7:30 p.m.
May 20 at Chicago Fire FC, 8:30 p.m.
May 27 at Orlando City SC, 7:30 p.m.
May 31 vs. New England Revolution, 7:30 p.m., FS1
June 3 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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