Atlanta United will host Orlando on Friday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The game will be televised on FS1 with coverage starting at 7 p.m. Kick off will be at 7:25 p.m.
Atlanta United trails D.C. United by three points for the final playoff spot with 12 games remaining.
Don’t forget to send your postgame questions to Doug Roberson at droberson@ajc.com and he will answer on tomorrow’s podcast.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Doug Roberson predicts Atlanta United’s lineup for the game:
Goalkeeper Brad Guzan
Right fullback Brooks Lennon
Centerback Anton Walkes
Centerback Alan Franco
Left fullback Mikey Ambrose
Defensive midfielder Amar Sejdic
Midfielder Matheus Rossetto
Attacking midfielder Marcelino Moreno
Left midfielder Luiz Araujo
Right midfielder Ezequiel Barco
Striker Erick Torres
You may ask where is Miles Robinson, George Bello, Josef Martinez and Ronald Hernandez?
Robinson played 270 minutes in a week for the U.S. in its World Cup qualifying games. Bello started Wednesday’s game and played 45 minutes. That work, plus the travel, likely means they won’t be available for selection.
Martinez and Hernandez have spent the past two weeks with Venezuela in its World Cup qualifiers. Martinez came off the bench Thursday to play the final 32 minutes. Hernandez didn’t appear. But playing on Thursday plus the travel means they likely won’t be available, either.
Santiago Sosa is listed as questionable and manager Gonzalo Pineda implied on Wednesday that they wouldn’t rush him back.
Definitely out are Emerson Hyndman and Franco Ibarra.
Now, your second question: why a 4-2-3-1?
We learned in the last game against Nashville that Sejdic and Rossetto as the central partners in a 3-4-2-1 have difficulty covering the space. It’s possible that Pineda worked with the two, and their teammates, on how to better cover the middle during the past two weeks.
But, considering that Sosa is questionable and Mo Adams just resumed training, Sejdic and Rossetto will be the picks and therefore Pineda will switch to a 4-2-3-1 to better handle the middle of the pitch.
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Atlanta United’s 2021 MLS schedule
April 17 Atlanta United 0, Orlando 0
April 24 Atlanta United 3, Chicago 1
May 1 New England 2, Atlanta United 1
May 9 Atlanta United 1, Inter Miami 1,
May 15 Atlanta United 1, Montreal 0
May 23 Atlanta United 1, Seattle 1
May 29 Atlanta United 2, Nashville 2
June 20 Atlanta United 2, Philadelphia 2
June 23 NYCFC 1, Atlanta United 0
June 27 Atlanta United 0, New York Red Bulls 0
July 3 Chicago 3, Atlanta United 0
July 8 Atlanta United 2, Nashville 2
July 17 New England 1, Atlanta United 0
July 21 Atlanta United 1, Cincinnati 1
July 24 Columbus 1, Atlanta United 0
July 30 Orlando 3, Atlanta United 2
Aug. 4 Atlanta United 2, Montreal 2
Aug. 7 Atlanta United 3, Columbus 2
Aug. 15 Atlanta United 1, LAFC 0
Aug. 18 Atlanta United 1, Toronto
Aug. 21 Atlanta United 2, D.C. United 1
Aug. 28 Nashville 2, Atlanta United 0
Sept. 10 vs. Orlando, 7 p.m., FS1
Sept. 15 vs. Cincinnati, 7 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
Sept. 18 vs. D.C. United, 3:30 p.m., Univision
Sept. 25 at Philadelphia,3:30 p.m., Univision
Sept. 29 vs. Inter Miami, 7 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
Oct. 2 at Montreal, 7 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
Oct. 16 at Toronto, 7:30 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
Oct. 20 vs. NYCFC, 7:30 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
Oct. 27 vs. Inter Miami, 7:30 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
Oct. 30 vs. Toronto, 6 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
Nov. 3 at New York Red Bulls, TBD, BSSO/BSSE
Nov. 7 at Cincinnati, 3:30 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
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