Pedro Amador returning to Atlanta United’s starting lineup has resulted in an increase in attacks down the team’s left side.
Before Amador returned to the starting lineup April 12 against New England, 36% of the team’s goals came from the left side of the field. The goal percentage has increased to 42% in the four matches since. Atlanta United has scored 12 goals — two were own-goals and another came from a penalty kick. The team (2-5-4) will play at Chicago (3-4-4) on Saturday.
“Pedro is a very big part of what we do going forward, especially down the left side, when you have someone with his quality and ability to put crosses in the box,” winger Jay Fortune said.
Amador has six key passes, with three crosses, in the past four matches. He has nine key passes and four crosses in seven appearances this season.
Fortune has started two of the past three matches on the left wing, producing two chances created and 0.13 expected goals. He’s naturally a central midfielder but said his father trained him to be able to play anywhere.
Fortune said he feels he has a good connection with Amador because he tends to drift left when he plays as a central midfielder. Amador was supposed to meet with journalists Tuesday but was unavailable.
Fortune said he has been working on improving his crossing and his finishing to better play as a winger.
“I’m just trying to improve every time I go out there and in training, just to try and help the team offensively and defensively,” he said. “I think I’m able to go up and down quite a bit. If I’m put there, going forward more often, just try and get more and more comfortable.”
Club World Cup
Chelsea will play the winner of a playoff between Club America and LAFC in a Club World Cup group stage match in Atlanta on June 16. The playoff is scheduled for May 31 in Los Angeles.
Chelsea was supposed to host León, but it was denied entry into the tournament by FIFA because its owners also own Pachuca, which will remain in the Club World Cup. The owners appealed, which was denied Tuesday by the Court of Arbitration for Sports. Each participant in the Club World Cup will receive a minimum of $9.55 million.
Club America was elevated into the playoff because it was the top-ranked team in the Club World Cup confederation ranking at the end of the 2024 edition of the CONCACAF Champions Cup. LAFC was elevated because it was runner-up to León in the 2023 CONCACAF Champions Cup.
Chelsea defeated Club America 3-0 last year in a friendly at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Chelsea has played in Atlanta six times. Club America has played five times.
Atlanta United has hosted LAFC at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
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Atlanta United’s 2025 schedule
Feb. 22 Atlanta United 3, Montreal 2
March 1 Charlotte 2, Atlanta United 0
March 8 Atlanta United 0, New York Red Bulls 0
March 16 Miami 2, Atlanta United 1
March 22 Atlanta United 2, Cincinnati 2
March 29 Atlanta United 4, NYCFC 3
April 5 Atlanta United 1, Dallas 1
April 12 New England 1, Atlanta United 0
April 19 Philadelphia 3, Atlanta United 0
April 26 Orlando 3, Atlanta United 0
May 3 Atlanta United 1, Nashville 1
May 10 at Chicago, 2:30 p.m., Apple
May 14 at Austin, 8:30 p.m., Apple
May 17 vs. Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m., Apple
May 25 vs. Cincinnati, 7 p.m., Apple
May 28 vs. Orlando, 7:30 p.m., Apple
May 31 at Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m., Apple
June 12 at NYCFC, 7:30 p.m., Apple
June 25 at Columbus, 7:30 p.m., Apple
June 28 at Miami, 7:30 p.m., Apple
July 5 at D.C. United, 7:30 p.m., Apple
July 12 at Toronto, 7:30 p.m., Apple
July 16 vs. Chicago, 7:30 p.m., Apple, FS1
July 19 vs. Charlotte, 7:30 p.m., Apple
July 26 vs. Seattle, 7:30 p.m., Apple
July 30 vs. Necaxa, Leagues Cup
Aug. 2. vs. Pumas in Orlando, Leagues Cup
Aug. 6 vs. Atlas, Leagues Cup
Aug. 9 at Montreal, 7:30 p.m., Apple
Aug. 16 at Colorado, 9:30 p.m., Apple
Aug. 24 vs. Toronto, 5 p.m., Apple
Aug. 30 at Nashville, 8:30 p.m. Apple
Sept. 13 vs. Columbus, 7:30 p.m., Apple
Sept. 20 vs. San Diego, 4:30 p.m., Apple
Sept. 27 at New England, 7:30 p.m., Apple
Oct. 5 at LAFC, 10:30 p.m., Apple
Oct. 18 vs. D.C. United, 6 p.m., Apple
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