Welcome to the match thread for the Saturday evening matchup between Orlando City and Atlanta United. This is the second meeting between the two Major League Soccer (MLS) Eastern Conference rivals this season. The previous match in May ended in a 1-1 draw. The history between the two teams shows that Orlando City has struggled against Atlanta United, with a record of 3-8-7 in league play. They have also struggled in away games, with a record of 1-3-4 on the road.
In their most recent matchup in September 2021, Atlanta United won 3-0 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Atlanta has had the upper hand in recent meetings, winning 1-0 on September 14, 2022, and going 1-0-1 in the 2022 season series. However, Orlando City had a six-match unbeaten streak in the series before that.
Both teams have had mixed results leading up to this match. Orlando City is coming off an ugly 4-0 loss to Real Salt Lake, while Atlanta United suffered a 2-1 midweek road loss against New England. Atlanta has been strong at home with a record of 7-1-3 on the plastic grass of Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Atlanta has been a high-scoring team this season, with Thiago Almada leading the way with 18 goal contributions in 20 appearances. Giorgos Giakoumakis has also been a key scorer for Atlanta, but he is questionable for this match due to a hamstring injury.
Orlando City will need to focus on denying service to Almada and shutting down Atlanta’s attack if they want to secure a rare road victory in Atlanta. Head Coach Oscar Pareja is optimistic about his team’s chances and believes they played well in the previous matchup against Atlanta.
Orlando City will be without Gaston Gonzalez, Adam Grinwis, Michael Halliday, and Abdi Salim due to injuries. Atlanta, on the other hand, is nearly completely healthy.
The match is set to kick off at 7:30 p.m. and will be broadcasted on Apple TV+. Both teams will be looking to secure three points and improve their standings in the Eastern Conference.
