Atlanta United will try to win their third straight match and fifth straight at home tonight when they face off against the San Jose Earthquakes. After beating an opponent on the road for the first time in a long time, the Five Stripes have a good opportunity to head into the International break in a comfortable spot above the red line.
The Basics:
- When: Independence day – 7:00 pm
- Where: Bobby Dodd Stadium – Atlanta, Georgia
- Watch: FOX Sports South
Atlanta United (8-7-3)
Atlanta has definitely started the second half of the season hot. The Five Stripes’ stellar home form is undeniable, and after fixing their road struggles, they are becoming more of a threat as the weeks go by. The good run of form is sparked by United’s three-headed monster: Josef Martinez, Miguel Almiron and Hector Villalba. The trio is accountable for 23 of the team’s 35 goals, with Tito and Miggy leading the way with eight goals a piece.
While the league’s second best attack has been the story thus far in Atlanta’s inaugural season, the back line has stepped it up in the past two matches. Led by captain Michael Parkhurst, who was selected to the MLS Team of The Week last week, the Atlanta United defense has recorded two straight shutouts.
Do we really need to talk about how much soccer Atlanta has played this past month? The Five Stripes will be playing their eighth game in 24 days. For those who don’t want to do the math, thats a match every three days, also known as a whole bunch of soccer. That being said, the team will wait until the 21st to see the pitch again, so while fatigue has already set in, everyone will be able to get well rested during the International break. For that reason, this is how we’d line up the team tomorrow:
Here's how we'd line up our Five Stripes tomorrow! No changes, just stick to what's been working. Thoughts? pic.twitter.com/7N6NGzMDds
— SportsTalkATL.com (@SportsTalkATL) July 4, 2017
San Jose Earthquakes (7-6-5)
After a goal at the death lifted the ‘quakes to a win over their LA rival, San Jose is looking for their third straight win. Not only are they going for that, but they will also be trying to improve their road form. Though they have only lost one time at home, they have only been able to win twice on the road.
Although San Jose has only been able to score 20 goals in their 18 games, they still boast a pretty dangerous attack on paper. Veteran forward Chris Wondolowski, or “Wondo” is currently fourth in all-time MLS goal scoring. At 34 years old, Wondo still leads his team in goals and assists with seven goals and five assists.
The last time San Jose scored multiple goals in a road match was in August of 2016. On the other hand, Atlanta averages 2.42 goals per game at Bobby Dodd Stadium and have outscored their opponents 11-3 during their four match home win streak. Â If the trends continue, Atlanta should be able celebrate Independence day with fireworks and three points.