MLS – Week 19
Who: (3rd) Atlanta United (9-7-3) at (4th) Seattle Sounder (9-5-5)
When: July 14th, 2019 at 3:55 PM ET
Where: CenturyLink Field, Seattle
MATCHUP:
We’re baaaaack! After a wild 3-3 draw with the Red Bulls and pushing past Saint Louis FC in the US Open Cup the Five Stripes are back in league play. On the Kings return, Josef came and answered by scoring a brace, and Meram maintained his great goal scoring form.
Seattle comes off the back of defeating the Columbus Crew 2-1. That win was the Sounders’ first road victory since March 16th. Seattle, like Atlanta, are trying to continue to climb their respective conferences’ standings. For Seattle they have a dynamic duo in no.10 Uruguayan Nicolas Lodeiro and Peruvian striker Raúl Ruidíaz, who will come for our backline who have allowed eight goals in their last two matches.
“They have all their players back now,” Atlanta head coach Frank de Boer told reporters Friday. “[Nicolas] Lodeiro already made the difference in the last game with two goals. He’s a major impact for Seattle. The striker [Raul Ruidiaz] is back. I think they have the quality players back now and I think they really started well this season with good combination football.”
Atlanta United has conceded goals in the first five minutes in each of its last two road games. Which is worrying, but in the two matchups against Seattle, Atlanta has only conceded once.
“You have to put the right kind of gasoline in the tank,” said de Boer. “If we do that, there’s a big chance we have a good result. But if we don’t put that effort in, then it’s going to be very hard. It’s a nice stadium, nice fans, so we have to be ready.” — Head Coach Frank de Boer
Atlanta faces a Seattle team who remain one of three teams yet to lose at home. In this match the Sounders return a full squad as Raúl Ruidíaz, Jordan Morris and Cristian Roldan return from International duty.
HISTORY:
All-Time Series: 0-0-2 (regular season)
At Seattle: 0-0-1
Both league powerhouses’ have only played each other twice in their history. Each matchup ending in a draw. This matchup is also the only time the teams will play each other this season.
OPINION:
When you say MLS I can only think of a few teams and in that bracket the Seattle Sounders always come to mind. They went and took USMNT legend Clint Dempsey back from the English Premier League, they set attendance records, they won MLS Cup, BUT now the new kids on the block Atlanta United have done things similarly and in our own way. Now, WE set attendance records, WE take chances on the unknown and make them league stars, WE have our own MLS Cup on their watch… WE made a big fish realize they aren’t all that big.
“There’s a lot of good things that Atlanta has done that they actually learned from us,” Seattle coach Brian Schmetzer said. “A lot of teams, not all of them, but a lot of teams come to Seattle when they’re in expansion mode and say, ‘What did you guys do? How did you accomplish this?’ I think that’s just a symbol of what we did to start us off. And it’s just good business because the league wants to grow together. It’s great that Atlanta is pushing the envelope.”
In this matchup is all about how we hold up in three levels where and who ever Pity, Remedi, and Miles Robinson matchup with. Because in those spots it’s the attack, control of the pitch and defensively.
Without Seattle, Atlanta probably doesn’t go as big as management did when Atlanta marched into the league. Seattle set the standard, and now we are.
TEAM NEWS:
Atlanta United:
Injury Report:
-
- OUT: George Bello (D) – right adductor injury
- OUT: Hector Villalba (M) – knee injury
- OUT: Kevin Kratz (M) – quad injury
- OUT: Ezequiel Barco (M) – knee injury
- OUT: Florentin Pogba (D) – left thigh injury
UNAVALIABLE:
- Jeff Larentowicz (M) – Suspended
Seattle Sounders:
Injury Report:
-
- OUT: Will Bruin (F) – right ACL tear
- OUT: Victor Rodriguez (M) – left hamstring strain
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