Burkina Faso
Chinese Taipei
Friendly Games
Nigeria

Preview: Atlanta United vs. Real Salt Lake - prediction, team news, lineups

sportsmole.co.uk, 11 July 2022, 12:29
Atlanta United will be hoping to turn their fortunes around when they welcome Real Salt Lake to the Mercedes-Benz Stadium for their MLS clash on Thursday.

The hosts have won only two of their last seven matches on home soil, while the visitors have won only one of their last eight on the road.

Match preview

Atlanta's disappointing run of form continued when they suffered a 3-0 defeat at home against Austin last weekend.

Despite dominating the game with 63% possession, strikes from Felipe Martins, Ethan Finlay and Sebastian Driussi condemned the Five Stripes to their eighth league defeat of the campaign.

Gonzalo Pineda's men, who have now won only two of their last 13 MLS matches, currently sit 11th in the Eastern Conference, three points above basement club Chicago and six points behind Cincinnati in seventh who occupy the final playoff spot.

Atlanta will need to shore up their backline if they are to record better results in the coming weeks, as they have conceded at least twice in seven of their last eight MLS games.

They did, however, keep a clean sheet in their only previous home meeting against Real Salt Lake, winning 2-0 back in September 2018.

After an impressive run of five wins in seven league matches between April 30 and June 19, Real Salt Lake have since failed to win any of their last three games, including the 2-2 draw with Colorado Rapids last weekend.

RSL were leading by two goals after Jefferson Savarino's opener in first-half stoppage time was followed by a strike from Justin Meram six minutes after the break. However, Colorado fought back to rescue a point when Diego Rubio's 67th-minute penalty was followed by an 89th-minute equaliser from Lalas Abubakar.

Pablo Mastroeni's side, who currently sit third in the Western Conference, will have been disappointed to have come away with only a point, and they have now slipped nine points behind league leaders Los Angeles FC.

Much like Atlanta, Real Salt Lake have also had issues defensively as they have conceded in 10 of their last 12 MLS matches, letting in at least two goals on six of these occasions.

RSL lost their first two meetings against Atlanta, but they were able to come out on top in the last encounter, when they secured a 2-1 home victory in May 2019 thanks to strikes from Sebastian Saucedo and Savarino.

Atlanta United Major League Soccer form:

Real Salt Lake Major League Soccer form:

Team News

Atlanta still have a number of first-team players sidelined with injuries, including goalkeepers Brad Guzan and Dylan Castanheira as well as defender Miles Robinson who are all suffering with Achilles problems.

Osvaldo Alonso, Ronald Hernandez and Brooks Lennon are all ruled out with knee injuries, while Andrew Gutman and Emerson Hyndman are suffering with thigh issues.

Pineda is unlikely to make too many changes, if any, to his first XI despite defeat last week, but attacker Marcelino Moreno could be recalled at the expense of either Ronaldo Cisneros or Thiago Almada.

As for Real Salt Lake, Zack Farnsworth (ankle), Damir Kreilach (back) and Bobby Wood (groin) remain sidelined due to injury, while Justen Glad and Bret Halsey are both doubtful with respective hamstring and ankle problems and will be assessed ahead of kickoff.

Johan Kappelhof could continue at centre-back if Glad is not deemed fit to start, joining Aaron Herrera, Marcelo Silva and Andrew Brody in the back four.

Winger Meram and centre-midfielder Scott Caldwell will be hoping to return to the starting lineup at the expense of Savarino and Jasper Loeffelsend respectively, while Sergio Cordova and Anderson Julio could continue in attack.

Atlanta United possible starting lineup:

Rios Novo; McFadden, Franco, Campbell, Wiley; Rosetto, Ibarra; Araujo, Almada, Moreno; Martinez

Real Salt Lake possible starting lineup:

MacMath; Herrera, Kappelhof, Silva, Brody; Chang, Ruiz, Caldwell, Meram; Julio, Cordova

We say: Atlanta United 2-3 Real Salt Lake

Considering both Atlanta and Real Salt Lake have looked leaky at the back, goals are to be expected at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Previews by email

Top News

12 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City have reportedly been handed a major boost in their efforts to keep one of their fundamental cogs at the club during the summer transfer window. 12 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United have reportedly taken the decision to cancel their end-of-season awards dinner as their troubled 2023-24 campaign comes to a close. 12 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Clermont's three-year stay in Ligue 1 has come to an end, as Les Lanciers were officially relegated from the French top flight courtesy of a 1-0 defeat at home to Lyon on Sunday night. 12 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Mikel Arteta's Arsenal side set a pair of club records with their crucial 1-0 win over Manchester United in Sunday's Premier League main event. 12 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane is hopeful that Red Devils head coach Erik ten Hag is "given more time" at Old Trafford amid the ongoing speculation surrounding his future. 12 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United's record goalscorer Wayne Rooney has claimed that some of the club's players currently on the sidelines through injury would be able to take to the field. 12 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United head coach Erik ten Hag has revealed that he was forced to pull Bruno Fernandes out of the starting side against Arsenal on Sunday afternoon "in the last moment". 12 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Barcelona will be aiming to return to winning ways in La Liga when they host Real Sociedad on Monday night. 12 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Capable of confirming Champions League qualification with maximum points, Aston Villa host third-placed Liverpool in Monday's Premier League battle at Villa Park. 12 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Tottenham Hotspur are apparently preparing to rival Manchester City for the services of one of the jewels in the Crystal Palace crown this summer. 12 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City head coach Pep Guardiola has been dealt a fresh defensive concern ahead of Tuesday's Premier League contest with Tottenham Hotspur in North London. 12 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Tottenham Hotspur's list of season-ending injuries has stretched from six to seven ahead of Tuesday's Premier League encounter against title-chasing Manchester City in North London. 12 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Supported by both halves of North London - albeit only for a matter of hours - Tottenham Hotspur can lend bitter rivals Arsenal a helping hand when they host Manchester City in Tuesday's tantalising Premier League battle. 12 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal have reportedly earmarked the three priority areas for strengthening in this summer's transfer window. 12 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Real Madrid have reportedly set the wheels in motion to sign one of the stars of Bayer Leverkusen's marvellous 2023-24 season. 12 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk David Datro Fofana has indicated that he would like to start next season at Chelsea, rather than go back out on loan. 12 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal ensured that the 2023-24 Premier League title race will go down to the final day with a 1-0 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford this afternoon. 12 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal have returned to the top of the Premier League table after securing a slender 1-0 victory against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon. 12 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk With their hopes of stealing the league crown hanging by a thread, Rangers will welcome an out-of-form Dundee side to Ibrox in their penultimate game of the Scottish Premiership season. 12 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Bayern Munich are reportedly interested in signing Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton this summer. 12 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Donny van de Beek's agent Guido Albers has confirmed that his client will be leaving Manchester United during this summer's transfer window, but a move to another Premier League club is not an option. 12 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni is confident that he will be fit for the Champions League final. 12 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Barcelona head coach Xavi refused to offer any guarantees over the future of Ansu Fati when questioned on the Spain international during his press conference on Sunday. 12 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk For the final time in a Liverpool tracksuit, Jurgen Klopp will be barking orders from a rival Premier League touchline on Monday, when the Reds trek to the West Midlands to scrap with Aston Villa at Villa Park. 12 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Feyenoord manager and incoming Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has provided an update on when Reds fans can expect an official announcement of his arrival at Anfield. 12 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United head coach Erik ten Hag has insisted that his side have demonstrated their character on numerous occasions during a difficult season for the club. 12 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool forward Luis Diaz has said that he is "very happy" at Anfield amid suggestions of a potential summer departure for the Colombia international. 12 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk The agent of Barcelona forward Robert Lewandowski has insisted that the Poland international will remain at Camp Nou this summer, branding the speculation surrounding his future "fake news". 12 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea are back in action on Wednesday evening when they square off against Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League. 12 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti will again make changes to his starting side for Tuesday's La Liga clash with Alaves at Bernabeu.
Wed 15 May, 17:30
PD
Sevilla Sevilla
-
sch
Cadiz Cadiz
Fri 17 May, 18:45
L2
Bordeaux Bordeaux
-
sch
Pau Pau