Sports Mole previews Saturday’s Major League Soccer clash between Atlanta United and Minnesota United, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Two sides currently in contrasting form go head to head in the MLS as Atlanta United play host to Minnesota United at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday.
While the Five Stripes will be looking to snap their four-match winless run, the visitors set out in search of a third win on the bounce as they look to move top of the Western Conference table.
Match preview
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A wasteful Atlanta United side failed to return to winning ways last Sunday as they played out a goalless draw with Chicago Fire when the sides squared off at Soldier Field.
Despite seeing a bulk of the ball possession and being in the ascendancy for most of the game, the Five Stripes were guilty of a lack of finishing touch in front of goal as they squandered several clear-cut chances.
Atlanta United have now gone four consecutive games without a win, losing once and picking up three draws since cruising to a 3-0 home victory over 10-man Chicago Fire in their first encounter of the season on March 31.
A brilliant start to the campaign saw Gonzalo Pineda‘s men pick up three wins and one draw in their opening four matches but a recent slump in form has seen them drop to ninth-place in the Eastern Conference table, level on 12 points with 10th-placed CF Montreal.
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Minnesota United, on the other hand, turned in a resilient team display as they held firm to see out a slender 2-1 victory over Sporting Kansas City at Allianz Field last weekend.
After falling two goals behind courtesy of strikes from Michael Boxall and Tani Oluwaseyi, Alan Pulido pulled one back for the visitors in the 37th minute, but Minnesota held their own to secure all three points.
Prior to that, the Loons were on a three-game winless run, picking up just one point from a possible nine, before returning to winning ways in a 3-0 thrashing of Charlotte FC at the Bank of America Stadium on April 21.
Minnesota have now picked up five wins and two draws in their first nine matches to collect 17 points and sit fourth in the West, level on points with third-placed Vancouver Whitecaps and one point off first-placed Real Salt Lake.
However, Eric Ramsay‘s men will have to show their mettle this weekend as they go up against an Atlanta side which have won each of their most recent three meetings and have lost just one of their last six since March 2017.
Atlanta United Major League Soccer form:
Minnesota United Major League Soccer form:
Team News
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Atlanta will be without the services of defender Derrick Williams and experienced defender Jamal Thiare, who are currently recuperating from calf and hamstring injuries respectively.
Portuguese forward Xande Silva missed the game against Chicago Fire last time out through a groin problem and is also a major doubt for the Five Stripes.
Meanwhile, Minnesota will take to the pitch without American forward Jordan Adebayo-Smith, who has missed the last four matches since picking up an ankle injury against Houston Dynamo on April 14.
Spanish defender Hugo Bacharach is currently recuperating from a severe knee problem, while Hassani Dotson is a major doubt after missing last weekend’s clash with Sporting Kansas City through injury.
Experienced midfielder Emanuel Reynoso has been AWOL in Argentina since mid-March and the 28-year-old is also out of contention for the visitors.
Atlanta United possible starting lineup:
Guzan; Lennon, Abram, Morales, Wiley; Slisz, Muyumba; Lobzhanidze, Almada, Wolff; Giakoumakis
Minnesota United possible starting lineup:
St. Clair; Arriaga, Boxall, Padelford, Taylor, Rosales; Lod, Trapp, Fragapane; Oluwaseyi, Pukki
We say: Atlanta United 1-1 Minnesota United
Minnesota have hit their stride once again and will head into the weekend with sky-high confidence as they take on an out-of-sorts Atlanta side. However, the Five Stripes have been solid at home this season and we see them holding out for another share of the spoils.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.