Atlanta United (4-1-3) will host Chicago (2-1-4) at 4:30 p.m. Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The game will be broadcast on FS1 and on the MLS channel on AppleTV. 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:
Chicago manager: Ezra Hendrickson
Chicago on road: 1-1-0
Atlanta United at home: 1-1-1/3-0-1
Chicago goals for/against: 11/10
Chicago expected goals for/against: 9.4/9.0
Atlanta United goals for/against: 16/12
Atlanta United expected goals for/against: 10.4/7.4
Chicago key players
Kei Kamara: Three goals
Chris Mueller: Two goals
Kacper Przyzbylko: One goal, one assist
Atlanta United key players
Thiago Almada: Four goals, five assists
Giorgos Giakoumakis: Four goals
Caleb Wiley: Three goals, two assists
Talking points
1. Who will start at striker? Giakoumakis resumed training after sustaining a minor hamstring injury last week. Atlanta United has a history of not rushing players back from injury. If Giakoumakis can’t start, manager Gonzalo Pineda has several choices, but none offer the same set of skills as Giakoumakis.
2. Who will start at defensive midfielder? Franco Ibarra served his one-game suspension after receiving a red card two weeks ago. Santiago Sosa started at defensive midfielder against Toronto. Both of Toronto’s goals came from Atlanta United players being slightly out of position. Sosa was one of those players.
3. Staying focused. Toronto’s goals were scored in the final minutes of each half. Can Atlanta United keep its focus for 90 minutes against a Chicago team that can punish opponents quickly.
Injury reports
Atlanta United
Out: Ozzie Alonso (recovery from torn ACL) and Brad Guzan (MCL)
Chicago
Out: Victor Bezerra (left upper leg)
Questionable: Xherdan Shaqiri (right upper leg), Jairo Torres (right upper leg) and Federico Navarro (left upper leg)
What was said
“He knows how to prepare his team for a battle. That’s how I will describe Ezra, a very smart coach that knows how to get the best out of his players. He put a very good group, a solid group together. And they have gotten some good results.” – Pineda on Chicago’s Ezra Hendrickson. They worked together at Seattle.
“They’re hungry, they’re hungry, not just the guys that play, but also the guys that don’t play. I see a lot of competition, probably that’s what is in the back of my head is there’s a lot of competition. Everybody shows well. In the training sessions, it’s hard to tell at times who are the starters, who are not. And that’s a blessing.” – Pineda on his team
“They have players that if you allow them space and time they’ll be able to create chances. So we have to be careful of that. And then, trying to break any transitions that they have, but also be willing to break out in transition because I think we have a team that we can do that. But then, we also have a good-enough team that we can keep the ball. So at home, the most important thing is those three points, putting them under pressure and making them feel uncomfortable playing at the Benz.” – Etienne on Chicago
Officiating crew
Referee: Victor Rivas
Assistants: Kathryn Nesbitt and Ben Pilgrim
Fourth official: Drew Fisher
VAR: Kevin Stott
AVAR: TJ Zablocki
Atlanta United’s predicted 11
Goalkeeper Quentin Westberg
Centerback Miles Robinson
Centerback JuanJo Purata
Right fullback Brooks Lennon
Left fullback Andrew Gutman
Defensive midfielder Franco Ibarra
Midfielder Amar Sejdic
Attacking midfielder Thiago Almada
Right wing Luiz Araujo
Left wing Derrick Etienne Jr.
Striker Machop Chol
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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 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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