Atlanta United (5-4-3) will host Colorado (2-4-6) at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The game will be broadcast 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:
Colorado manager: Robin Fraser
Colorado on road: 2-2-3
Atlanta United at home: 4-1-1
Colorado goals for/against: 10/14
Colorado expected goals for/against: 17.1/16.5
Atlanta United goals for/against: 21/21
Atlanta United expected goals for/against: 15.4/15.7
Colorado key players
Michael Barrios: Two goals, two assists
Kevin Cabral: Two goals
Connor Ronan: One goal, two assists
Atlanta United key players
Thiago Almada: Five goals, seven assists
Giorgos Giakoumakis: Five goals
Brooks Lennon: One goal, four assists
Talking points
1. Who will start at striker? Giakoumakis came on as a second-half sub in Saturday’s 3-1 loss to Charlotte. It was a planned substitution to get him minutes and regain his fitness. With the team’s struggles scoring (four goals in past four games), and it desperately needing a win at home, it seems likely that Giakoumakis will start. The loss to Charlotte was the first for the team when Giakoumakis has played this season.
2. Will Atlanta United’s wingers produce? This has been a key for the past few games and will remain so until one of them has a breakout performance. Luiz Araujo has no goals and one assist in his past eight MLS games. He has one shot on goal in his past six league matches. Derrick Etienne Jr. doesn’t have a goal or assist in his past seven league matches.
3. Finding aggressiveness. The team has played tentatively for most of the past four matches. Manager Gonzalo Pineda said after the loss to Charlotte that opponents are playing as if they want to win more than Atlanta United does. The team needs to get off to a fast start against Colorado, or this same issue likely will resurface.
Injury reports
Atlanta United
Out: Amar Sejdic (calf), Erik Lopez (ankle), Brad Guzan (MCL), Ozzie Alonso (ACL recovery), Caleb Wiley (international duty), and Andrew Gutman (red-card suspension).
Colorado
-Not available
What was said
“I think most of the goals that we have conceded, especially let’s say the last eight goals we concede in the last three games, the big majority are solvable goals. I mean, two penalties, and some some others that I feel like we can do better in there. So, no expectation on changing the formation.” – Pineda
“We need to try to play with the same type of urgency, whether it’s attacking or defending. They (Charlotte) put a lot of numbers inside the box. We have to put also a lot of numbers inside the box and be more patient in how we attack more dangerous areas. So we need to put all that together because it’s not lack of effort. It’s not like that.” – Pineda
“We put ourselves in a situation where we’ve played so well in a bunch of game that it creates fear on the one hand, and then every team brings their ‘A’ game here thinking they’re in danger. And the natural response is, when you feel in danger, you are more aware, and you usually level up or have like, an extraordinary performance. And so this is the downside of being a team and a club with high expectations.” – Quentin Westberg
Officiating crew
Referee: Fotis Bazakos
Assistants: Adam Wienckowski, Mike Rotteersman
Fourth official: Ian McKay
VAR: Kevin Broadley
AVAR: Jonathan Johnson
Atlanta United’s predicted 11
Goalkeeper Quentin Westberg
Centerback Miles Robinson
Centerback JuanJo Purata
Right fullback Brooks Lennon
Left fullback Ronald Hernandez
Defensive midfielder Santiago Sosa
Midfielder Matheus Rossetto
Attacking midfielder Thiago Almada
Right wing Machop Chol
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 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 p.m., FS1
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
