Match Preview: Atlanta United looks to pick up road points in the Windy City

First Touches

• Atlanta United will wear the club's community kit, the Resurgens Kit | See the colors and learn the story
• Giorgos Giakoumakis is 'healthy and happy to able to be here with the team' | This week's Training Notebook
• Who's in and who's out in Chicago? View this week's Availability Report presented by Piedmont

Match Details

• Date: Saturday, April 27
• Kickoff time: 8:30 p.m.
• Location: Soldier Field

Traveling to Saturday’s match in Chicago? View the Traveling Supporters Guide

Staying in Atlanta? Check out some of our local pub partners and watch the match with fellow 17s!

How to watch, listen and live stream Chicago Fire vs. Atlanta United

• TV: Watch on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV
• Listen: Local radio 92.9 The Game and La Mejor
• Live stream: Stream on MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app or visit https://tv.apple.com/.
• Follow along: Follow the match with realtime stats and live play-by-play on our Matchday Hub page.

Recent Form

Atlanta United has had a solid start to the season, but is coming off two disappointing results. On April 13, Atlanta led by two goals at Mercedes-Benz Stadium before conceding twice to draw Philadelphia Union. The next week, the 5-Stripes led FC Cincinnati but gave up two goals to drop points at home. Similarly, Chicago Fire is coming off a tough result at home, a 4-0 loss to Real Salt Lake. The Fire will be looking to get on the board after being held scoreless in their most recent two matches.

Series History and Last Meeting

Atlanta United owns the all-time series with a 8-4-2 record (W-L-T). Saturday is the second meeting between the two sides in the span of about a month. In the previous meeting back on March 31, Jamal Thiaré scored a brace on his birthday to lift Atlanta United to a 3-0 win at home and earn his first-ever appearance on MLS Team of the Matchday.

Tools to the Match: How Atlanta United earns three road points at Chicago on Saturday

Players to Watch

Thiago Almada (Atlanta United) - The midfielder for Atlanta United scored his first non-penalty kick goal of the season last weekend, a beautiful curling shot that was nominated for MLS Goal of the Matchday. We all know the skill and talent Almada possesses, but the 22-year-old has also been putting in the work on the defensive side. He’s recorded 76 pressures across his past three matches, the most he's ever had in a three-match stretch in his career.

Xherdan Shaqiri (Chicago Fire) - Coming off international duty with Switzerland, the midfielder wasn't in the starting XI the last time these two clubs met. He followed it up with a goal in Chicago's next match on April 6, a 2-1 victory that snapped a three-game winning streak for Houston Dynamo. Shaquiri has scored two goals for the Fire this season and also sets up his teammates well, tacking on two assists which is tied for a team-high.