Atlanta United vs. DC United | 2018 MLS Match Preview

Atlanta United vs. DC United
2018 MLS Regular Season — Week 21
Mercedes-Benz Stadium — Atlanta
July 21 — 3:30 pm ET
WATCH: Univision, Twitter, MLS LIVE on DAZN (Canada)

Atlanta United are still atop the Supporters’ Shield standings, but are they enduring a difficult stretch? They are 4-2-4 in their last 10 matches, which almost everyone else in the league would sign up for.

D.C. United are still at the bottom of the Eastern Conference table, but they are coming off an emotional 3-1 win over Vancouver Whitecaps FC in the grand opening of Audi Field.

This is the second match this season at Mercedes-Benz Stadium between the East foes, with Atlanta United beating D.C. United for the first time, 3-1, on March 11. Miguel Almiron and Hector Villalba scoring two minutes apart in the second half after Josef Martinez scored in the 24th minute, making Darren Mattocks’ goal four minutes from full time a cosmetic consolation.

Atlanta United

In front of 72,243 fans, the largest single-match crowd in MLS history, Atlanta United were disappointed to play the Seattle Sounders to a 1-1 draw Sunday afternoon at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Martinez leveled three minutes into the second half after Nicolas Lodeiro put the Sounders in front from the penalty spot at the stroke of halftime. Seattle was reduced to 10 men in the 63rd minute when Jordan McCrary was sent off for his second bookable offense, but Atlanta (12-4-5) weren’t able to capitalize, with Stefan Frei robbing Chris McCann from point-blank range in the 70th minute after Leandro Gonzalez Pirez headed off the post.

“The only thing I would say, and it’s not worrisome, but something we could work on is to have somebody other than Josef [Martinez] in and around the box who’s able to score goals for us,” coach Tata Martino said. “We need to try to have more guys in goalscoring positions.”

• Suspended: None
• Suspended after next caution: D – Franco Escobar, D – Leandro Gonzalez Pirez, F – Romario Williams
• International duty: None
• Injury Report: OUT: D – Greg Garza (shoulder surgery), M – Darlington Nagbe (right adductor injury)

Projected Starting XI
(4-2-3-1, right to left)
GK: Brad Guzan — Franco Escobar, Michael Parkhurst, Leandro Gonzalez Pirez, Chris McCann — Julian Gressel, Jeff Larentowicz — Hector Villalba, Miguel Almiron, Ezequiel Barco — Josef Martinez

DC United

It was a happy homecoming indeed for D.C., who christened Audi Field with a 3-1 win over Vancouver Saturday night.

Yamil Asad will go into the record books as the first player to score at Audi Field with a sensational strike in the 27th minute to put D.C. United (3-7-5) in front. Paul Arriola then netted a second-half brace as Wayne Rooney came off the bench in the 58th minute to make his debut.

All in all, a pretty good day.

“It’s been a long day with the later game, but I’m pleased with how it went,” Ben Olsen said. “There was a lot of weight on the guys to open this stadium the right way.”

• Suspended: None
• Suspended after next caution: None
• International duty: None
• Injury Report: OUT: D – Taylor Kemp (labrum surgery), D – Nick DeLeon (knee injury); QUESTIONABLE: D – Chris Odoi-Atsem (compartment release surgery), M – Ulises Segura (knee injury)

Projected Starting XI
(4-1-4-1, right to left)
GK: David Ousted — Oniel Fisher, Frederic Brillant, Steve Birnbaum, Joseph Mora — Chris Durkin — Zoltan Stieber, Paul Arriola, Luciano Acosta, Yamil Asad — Wayne Rooney

All-Time Series

• Overall: Atlanta United 1 win, 5 goals … D.C. United 3 wins, 7 goals … 0 draws
• At Atlanta: Atlanta United 1 win, 4 goal … D.C. United 1 win, 4 goals … 0 draws
• Last meeting at Atlanta: Atlanta United 3, D.C. United 1 (March 11, 2018)

Officials

Referee: Drew Fischer
Assistant Referees: Corey Rockwell, Brian Poeschel
4th Official: Guido Gonzales
VAR: Kevin Stott