Atlanta United will look to spark its offense when it plays at Miami in Fort Lauderdale in an MLS match Sunday.
The Five Stripes have scored one goal in their past three MLS games. That goal came in the final seconds of a 1-0 win at D.C. United three games ago. Miami has the second-worst defense in the Eastern Conference, with 15 goals allowed.
Midfielder Amar Sejdic said the team can take confidence from the six goals it scored against Chattanooga in Wednesday’s U.S. Open Cup victory. Five players scored.
“We showed that we have a lot of attacking quality and we can we can put the ball back in that,” he said.
Sejdic said the team’s confidence hasn’t wavered this season despite the struggles on offense.
“I think we’re very confident group, we enjoy playing together,” he said. “And I think you can see that on the field. Everybody likes to have the ball and give each other good opportunities to score, which need executed more often.”
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Who will start at striker? It will be either Dom Dwyer, who scored two goals Wednesday, or Ronaldo Cisneros because Jackson Conway will be with Atlanta United, according to manager Gonzalo Pineda.
Dwyer is more of a poacher, someone who pounces on opportunities. That’s how he scored his two goals Wednesday. One was a header, and the other was the result of him being the first to a loose ball.
Cisneros has more speed and likes to run off the shoulder of defenders into spaces.
Pineda said Miami likes to play in a low block, which indicates that Dwyer may get the nod.
The weather. With a kickoff time of 1:25 p.m., the weather is expected to be hot and humid. The high temperature Sunday is expected to be 83 degrees. Miami 1-2-1 at home.
Pineda said the conditions will factor into some of his decisions. He said the conditions likely will most affect substitutions as players tire.
“That won’t change the style of the team,” he said. “But also taking care of the ball. Let’s make sure that we have more of the ball than them. So they are running, humid and hot, they are, I think, those things are important.”
Defending in transition. Pineda said after Wednesday’s 6-0 win against Chattanooga that the team made mistakes in its transition defense relating to visual cues and covering spaces. He said Friday it will be important to correct those mistakes because Miami is a team that likes to counter and get its fullbacks up the field.
“Obviously, we’ll have a specific tactics and ideas on how to balance the team at the back,” Pineda said.
Pineda said he doesn’t want whoever starts at fullback for his team, likely Brooks Lennon and Andrew Gutman, not to be involved in Atlanta United’s attacks because they are worried about Miami’s fullbacks moving up the field, should the hosts win the ball.
“I want them to have that freedom of mind if they see the space as they go,” he said. “But someone else has to protect and provide balance to the team.”
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Atlanta United’s 2022 MLS schedule
Feb. 27 Atlanta United 3, Sporting KC 1
March 5 Colorado 3, Atlanta United 0
March 13 Atlanta United 2, Charlotte 1
March 19 Atlanta United 3, Montreal 3
April 2 Atlanta United 1, D.C. United 0
April 10 Charlotte 1, Atlanta United 0
April 16 Atlanta United 0, Cincinnati 0
April 24 at Miami, 1 p.m., ESPN
April 30 at Montreal, 4 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
May 7 vs. Chicago, 6 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
May 15 vs. New England, 1:30 p.m., ESPN
May 21 at Nashville, 7:30 p.m. FOX
May 28 vs. Columbus Crew, 7 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
June 19 vs Miami, 3 p.m., ESPN2
June 25 at Toronto, 7:30 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
June 30 at New York Red Bulls, 8 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
July 3 at NYCFC, 5 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
July 9 vs. Austin, 7 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
July 13 vs. Real Salt Lake, 7:30 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
July 17 vs. Orlando, 3 p.m., ABC
July 24 at L.A. Galaxy, 9:30 p.m., FS1
July 30 at Chicago, 5 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
August 6 vs. Seattle, 3 p.m., ABC
August 13 at Cincinnati, 7:30 p.m. BSSO/BSSE
August 17 vs. New York Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
August 21 at Columbus, 6 p.m., FS1
August 28 vs. D.C. United, 4 p.m., UNIV
August 31 at Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 4 at Portland, 5:30 p.m., FOX
Sept. 10 vs. Toronto, 7:30 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
Sept. 14 at Orlando, 6 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
Sept 17 vs. Philadelphia, 3:30 p.m., UniMas
Oct. 1 at New England, 1 p.m., UniMas
Oct. 9 vs. NYCFC, TBD, BSSO/BSSE
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