Atlanta United (13-9-10) will host Columbus (15-9-8) at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Kickoff will be at 7:39 p.m. The game will be televised on Apple TV. You can sync the radio broadcast from 92.9 FM through the app.
Columbus manager: Wilfried Nancy
Columbus on road: 4-8-4
Atlanta United at home: 10-3-3
Columbus goals for/against: 64/44
Columbus expected goals for/against: 52.8/39.6
Philadelphia past five league matches: L-W-T-T-W
Atlanta United goals for/against: 63/50
Atlanta United expected goals for/against: 45.7/41.6
Atlanta United past five matches: T-W-T-W-L
Columbus key players
Cucho Hernandez: 14 goals, seven assists
Christian Ramirez: Eight goals, three assists
Diego Rossi: Three goals, two assists
Julian Gressel: One goal, one assist
Atlanta United key players
Thiago Almada: 11 goals, 16 assists
Giorgos Giakoumakis: 15 goals, two assists
Brooks Lennon: Four goals, 10 assists
Caleb Wiley: Four goals, four assists
Saba Lobjanidze: Three goals, three assists
Talking points
1. Bouncing back. Atlanta United was beaten 3-2 by Philadelphia on Wednesday in a match marred by several questionable refereeing decisions, most of which went against the Five Stripes. How will the team react Saturday if a call goes against it early in the match?
2. The chase. Atlanta United must win this match to have any chance of making the top four in the Eastern Conference and securing home-field advantage in the first round of the best-of-three playoffs. This should be a high-scoring match.
3. Other matches to watch. Atlanta United supporters may want to set alerts for scores from these games because they will help determine if their team can finish top four: Orlando at New England and Nashville at Philadelphia.
Officiating crew
Referee: Ismail Elfath
Assistants: Chris Elliott, Ben Pilgrim
Fourth official: Malik Badawi
VAR: Jose Carlos Rivero
AVAR: Nick Uranga
Injury reports
Atlanta United
Out: Machop Chol (leg), Ozzie Alonso (leg) and Tyler Wolff (leg).
Columbus
TBD
What was said
“I think it’s great that we play at home. Obviously, when you play at home, we’re a different team almost. We’re so lively; we’re so aggressive. We’re so up for the game and the battle, and it’s gonna be a battle, tactically. But it should be a good, good game.” – Miles Robinson
“What I told the players is I don’t want the distraction to be on external things that affect our attention from the game and from our process and from what we are doing. And by that, I’m saying like, ‘yeah, the referees,’ and the very bad referee we haven’t gotten in many games cannot be a distraction for us to just be focused on that. So I can take care of that on the sideline, whatever. But they have to remain focused on the process and what they have to do on the field.” – Gonzalo Pineda
“We have a lot of respect for their coach and for what he has done with that team. Their game model is very, very good. In some ways, we’re similar, some tendencies that we both have. But they’ve been very, very consistent in that, so it’s a tough game, and for us, it’s great to face those type of matches where you’re facing good opponents.” – Pineda
Atlanta United’s predicted 11
Goalkeeper Brad Guzan
Centerback Luis Abram
Centerback Miles Robinson
Right fullback Brooks Lennon
Left fullback Caleb Wiley
Defensive midfielder Matheus Rossetto
Midfielder Tristan Muyumba
Attacking midfielder Thiago Almada
Winger Xande Silva
Winger Saba Lobjanidze
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 Atlanta United 0, LAFC 0
June 10 Atlanta United 3, D.C. United 1
June 21 Atlanta United 2, New York City 2
June 24 New York Red Bulls 4, Atlanta United 0
July 2 Atlanta United 2, Philadelphia 0
July 8 Atlanta United 1, Montreal 0
July 12 New England 2, Atlanta United 1
July 15 Orlando City 2, Atlanta United 1
July 25 Miami 4, Atlanta United 0 in Leagues Cup
July 29 Cruz Azul 1 (5), Atlanta United (4) 1 in Leagues Cup
Aug. 20 Atlanta United 2, Seattle 0
Aug. 26 Atlanta United 4, Nashville 0
Aug. 30 Cincinnati 2, Atlanta United 1
Sept. 2 Atlanta United 2, FC Dallas 2
Sept. 16 Atlanta United 5, Inter Miami 2
Sept. 20 Atlanta United 1, D.C. United 1
Sept. 23 Atlanta United 4, Montreal 1
Oct. 4 Philadelphia 3, Atlanta United 2
Oct. 7 vs. Columbus Crew, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 21 at FC Cincinnati, 6 p.m.
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