Atlanta United vs. Orlando City SC Mercedes-Benz Stadium – Atlanta October 7 – 7:00 PM ET Fox Sports Southeast AJC.com preview here. MLSsoccer.com preview here. ATLUTD.com preview here. OCSC preview here. Key notes - Orlando is on a 9-match unbeaten run - Orlando has 5 players with 3 or 4 goals each - Atlanta remains the most fouled team in MLS at 16 fouls suffered per match. In their last two wins Atlanta committed more fouls than their opponents. - No new injury news from Atlanta - Marcelino Moreno will be on hand to watch Atlanta play Wednesday but his earliest expected chance to play is this upcoming weekend
They're a very good team right now. Would love to get a win, but even one point would be great, considering what we look like this season, last match aside. VAMOS, VAMOS, VAMOS, A-T-L!
Match previews are in. Big news right now is that Orlando will be missing Moutinho, Akindele, and Pereyra through injury while Mendez and Gallese are away on international duty. Gallese has been excellent for the Lions in goal this season so his absence plus the others off their roster for tonight at least provides a boost to Atlanta's offensive hopes. As for Atlanta, the upside to being an under-performing team right now is that none of the players have been called to their national teams! There isn't any new news regarding injuries so the roster should mimic that seen in Chicago. Provided the boys can try to retain their hustle and team defense like seen in their 2 recent wins they actually have a chance. Key will be the ability to pressure Orlando's excellent ball handlers without giving away cheap fouls near the box or sacrificing their ability to push forward in attack. In Roberson's preview linked above he notes the increased physicality of Atlanta's defense helping to stifle opposing attacks Atlanta wants to do more of the same tonight but Orlando's player's will show more speed and spatial awareness compared to DC or Chicago. If anything it might resemble more the last 20 mins against FC Dallas once all the other team's DPs came onto the pitch. The linchpin will be how Atlanta's midfielders perform, I feel. If they can hold their own tonight Atlanta should match up well in the offensive third. If they can avoid cheap goals off set pieces or dumb giveaways that will mean Orlando will have to work much harder. The Lions have the better roster, still, but I feel a draw is not out of reach. Stripes can score 1-2. Can they keep Orlando to that range, as well?
Okay, that's good news... That was one of the big advantages we had with all those Argentines and Gressel. Players from countries that have much better talent no matter how well United did, so we didn't have to worry as much about injury or fatigue. Mig played for Paraguay and JM7 for Veneuela, but IIRC, they came back to us unscathed, which is how it's supposed to be. Not so with Miles and this Berhalter guy. Some NT managers you shouldn't even trust if you're a young player trying to help your club win its league.
Lineup same as DC match. Meza not a first choice starter now? Guess it means we've some subs to draw from. Wondering if Walkes or Robinson will try to body up Dike?
10' Both sides feeling themselves out, with 1 feeble shot each. Orlando's Robinho thus far getting a lot of space to work on the left. No piped in crowd noise tonight?
28' and an Orlando free kick from 40 yds is collected. Lions with majority of possession but not much to show for it.
HT: 0-0 Jahn looking to draw a PK at the end but no takers from the ref. Not a bad half from Atlanta but Orlando with the most and better chances thus far. Escobar is having a rough night and is lucky not to have been given a 2nd yellow. If he can't stay under control AND do a better job stifling Robinho they may have to take him out to avoid going down a man.
So it wasn't a pen? I'm listening to the homers, I get that. You have the advantage of seeing the game.
Atlanta hasn't moved the ball fast enough. Part of the issue is that Orlando is able to keep 4 men back and still pose a threat on offense, something DC couldn't do. This leaves Jahn on an island during the "breakaways" if the midfielders can't move the ball swiftly enough. Atlanta might have to risk Hyndman or Adams pushing further up on a regular basis. Defenders also need to be more inventive on their outlet passes. Possession is good but each time they just pass around on the back Orlando can reset their D.
There was mild contact but only after the keeper had pulled out of the challenge and with Jahn trailing a leg looking for the foul. I've seen it called but as a neutral I'm glad it wasnt.
52' Something in Atlanta's defensive approach leaves them with Larentowicz often the most advanced midfielder, ahead of Adams and Hyndman. Given the respective ball handling and defensive skill sets we need to reverse that.
59' Orlando brings on Mueller so things will be a little tougher. I would take Jahn off for Mulraney and push Gallagher into the center, and swap Adams for Remedi.