Atlanta United can maintain their 100% record at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday when they host the Chicago Fire in the final MLS encounter of the weekend.
A week ago, the Five Stripes suffered a 2-0 defeat in Toronto, while the Fire had to settle for a 1-1 draw with the New England Revolution.
Match preview
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Home and away, we have seen two different Atlanta sides in league play this season, with Gonzalo Pineda's men winning both of their matches played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium this year, but they are without a point in two road fixtures.
Three of their next four matches will be on their home field, where the Five Stripes are unbeaten in six successive encounters versus MLS opponents.
The Five Stripes are unbeaten in their last six MLS matches, including playoffs, when leading at the half since squandering a 1-0 advantage at the interval versus FC Cincinnati in August 2023, losing that game by a 2-1 score.
With six points from their opening four MLS contests, Atlanta have accumulated four fewer points than they had at this same stage last year.
If the Five Stripes can win on Sunday, it will equal their longest home-winning run in this competition from a year ago, when they captured three straight MLS games at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in March and April.
They have won five successive home games versus the Fire, boasting a 100% record against them in league play at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
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After a difficult start to the 2024 domestic campaign, Chicago have built up a little momentum in recent weeks, claiming four points in their last two games.
It began with a dramatic come-from-behind victory versus CF Montreal (4-3), where a massive wind gust aided them in the latter stages as they claimed their first win of the season.
While things have improved for them in recent outings, the Fire still have a point fewer than they had after five domestic affairs last year, and they have dropped four points when scoring first in 2024.
The Fire are winless in their previous four regular season contests away from home, with their last triumph as the visitors coming against the New York Red Bulls last September (1-0).
Under Frank Klopas, Chicago have been a lot more potent in the attacking third early on this season, scoring the second-most goals in the Eastern Conference (nine), but they are also tied with Orlando City for the second-most goals conceded in league play (10).
While they have yet to claim a single point domestically at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the Fire have points in two of their last three MLS meetings with the Five Stripes, historically beating them just once in Atlanta during the 2018 US Open Cup (1-0 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium).
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Team News
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Stian Gregersen will not be available for Atlanta United for approximately three to four weeks after undergoing successful surgery on his left meniscus on Monday.
They should have numerous other players available this weekend, though, after leading goalscorer Giorgos Giakoumakis, Caleb Wiley, Bartosz Slisz, Ajani Fortune, Thiago Almada and Luis Abram all missed their game last week because of the international break.
Noah Cobb, Jamal Thiare and Nicolas Firmino each started for the first time in the 2024 domestic campaign for the Five Stripes last week.
In their draw with the Revs, Chicago were without Wyatt Omsberg due to an issue in his leg, while former Atlanta defender Andrew Gutman, along with Victor Bezerra, were sidelined with upper leg injuries.
Xherdan Shaqiri, Chris Brady and Sergio Oregel were on international duty last weekend, while Gaston Gimenez became the first Argentine player to reach 100 caps with the Fire in their draw versus New England.
Hugo Cuypers scored for a second match running, drawing even with Brian Gutierrez and Fabian Herbers for the most on the team in MLS this season (two).
Atlanta United possible starting lineup:
Guzan; Lennon, Gregersen, Williams, Wiley; Slisz, Muyumba; Lobzhanidze, Almada, Wolff; Giakoumakis
Chicago Fire possible starting lineup:
Brady; Arigoni, Salquist, Czichos, Dean; Acosta, Gimenez; Haile-Selassie, Herbers, Shaqiri; Cuypers
We say: Atlanta United 3-0 Chicago Fire
With Atlanta likely to be at full strength in the attack, we expect them to tear through a Fire backline that have been rather leaky, and a striker with the quality of Giakoumakis rarely misses the chances presented to him.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Joel Lefevre
