ATL Standard

Atlanta United heads back on the road this weekend for a critical matchup in the Eastern Conference playoff race. The 5-Stripes take on the Philadelphia Union at Subaru Park on Saturday night. Philadelphia sits in the ninth and final playoff spot, three points ahead of Atlanta, who currently finds itself in the 11th spot in the standings. A victory on Saturday would bring Atlanta even on points, and with two upcoming home matches next week, could provide some momentum for the team’s playoff push. The Union have been hot as of late, winning three of their last four matches.

“Be sharper in attack when opportunities present themselves,” advises Home Depot's "Tools to the Match." Atlanta’s last opponent, the New York Red Bulls, and Philadelphia play a similar brand of soccer—aggressive, disruptive, and full of energy for the entire match. In these types of matchups, time on the ball is limited. This was evident last Saturday when Atlanta only completed 69.1% of its passes, its lowest mark of the season. Additionally, Atlanta only put three shots on target, two of which found the back of the net.

The 5-Stripes need to do a better job of keeping possession and pulling apart Philadelphia’s pressing defense with clear and decisive passes. Once they break through initial lines, they must attack with speed and precision. “When you get into those moments,” Home Depot suggests, “the final pass or cross has to be sharper in order to punish Philadelphia.” Effective execution in these positions could secure a significant road win for Atlanta.

Another key point is to not allow Philadelphia to gain early momentum. The Union has outscored opponents 9-1 in their last two matches and 12-4 over their last four matches—the most goals scored in MLS during that period. “You can’t allow the Union to get momentum early in the match,” states Home Depot's analysis.

Hungarian midfielder Daniel Gazdag leads Philadelphia with 17 goals this season while Mikael Uhre has contributed 10 goals and five assists. Another critical matchup will occur down Philadelphia’s left side where German left-back Kai Wagner excels at delivering dangerous service into the box. Brooks Lennon from Atlanta’s right side is also noted as one of the best attacking right backs in the league.

Finally, showing toughness and fighting for all 90+ minutes is essential for Atlanta this weekend and throughout their remaining regular-season matches. The team needs consistent defensive and offensive focus until play concludes. Both teams have shown tendencies to score and concede goals in the final moments; hence closing out games effectively could be crucial.

Fans can tune into MLS Season Pass on Apple TV on Saturday night at 7:30 pm ET when action kicks off at Subaru Park in Chester, Pa., or listen via Sports Radio 92.9 The Game (English) or La Mejor – AM 1600 (Spanish).

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