Atlanta’s longest road stretch of the season continues this weekend in Washington D.C. when the 5-Stripes take on D.C. United at Audi Field. After last weekend’s match against Inter Miami was rescheduled due to the Florida's team participation in the FIFA Club World Cup, Atlanta comes into the match in need of points to get closer to the playoff line in the Eastern Conference. A win on Saturday night would take them above D.C. United in the standings. The home team has also seen its run of form falter in recent weeks as D.C. United is looking for its first win since the end of May. Let’s take a look at the Tools to the Match presented by Home Depot against D.C. United.
Create more big chances and convert them
Atlanta’s attack has to get going during this second half of the season in order for the team to make a run at a playoff spot. One of the ways they have to do that is creating more clear-cut chances. Coming into this weekend, the team has created 38 clear-cut or “big” chances depending on which stats provider you look. Alexey Miranchuk leads the team with 10 big chances created, while Saba Lobjanidze ranks second with nine. They have converted 66.7% of those chances into goals, which ranks them T-12th in MLS. If the 5-Stripes can create more of those scoring opportunities on Saturday night and convert them, they will put themselves in a position to collect all three points.
Don’t allow crosses from the flanks
When you have a striker that is as dominant in the air as any striker in league history, it makes sense that most of D.C. United’s attack would be geared towards crossing the ball from dangerous positions on the flanks. That’s the effect that Christian Benteke has had on the team ever since he arrived. The former Belgian international won the Golden Boot last year and leads D.C.’s attack once again this year with six goals despite missing seven matches. When you look at D.C.’s attacking charts, 67% of its total attacks come from the wings.
Atlanta’s outside backs and wingers will have to be strong defensively on Saturday night to try and prevent as many crosses as possible from reaching Benteke or other attackers in the box.
Get players into attacking box
One of the areas where Atlanta has excelled at this season is finding space to play crosses into the box from open play. It ranks fourth in MLS with 176 open-play crosses so far this season. In order for those crosses to find teammates and ultimately be converted into goals, the 5-Stripes need to make sure they have several players crashing the box at the right times. It can’t all fall on the striker, either Latte Lath or Jamal Thiaré. Wingers and attacking midfielders are all going to have to chip in and provide targets for the players crossing from the flanks. If Atlanta can connect on a couple of those crosses and score, it will be in a good position to earn a road win Saturday night. D.C. United have given up the second-most goals (39) in MLS this season. The 5-Stripes have to take advantage of D.C’s fragile defense this weekend.
Fans can tune in on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV on Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. ET when the action kicks off at Audi Field in Washington, D.C. To hear the action on radio, tune into Sports Radio 92.9 The Game (English) or La Mejor – AM 1600 (Spanish).
Atlanta United still has two more matches on the road before coming back home for a double match week vs Chicago Fire (July 16 | 7:30 pm) and a thrilling rivalry match up vs Charlotte FC (July 19 | 7:30 pm), where once again the 17s will show why Mercedes-Benz Stadium was named No. 1 Loudest Stadium in MLS by Newsweek. Tickets are still available for both matches.
