The atmosphere at the Benz is buzzing! Just an hour until kickoff against Philly, and Coach Deila’s starting XI has some special milestones and tactical surprises for us!
Tonight’s lineup sees two of our guys hitting significant numbers! Midfield maestro Tristan Muyumba, paired with the ever-reliable Jay Fortune in that double pivot, is making his 50th MLS regular season appearance! Let’s hear it for Tristan!
And leading the attack tonight is Jamal Thiaré! Fresh off that dramatic late equalizer in Austin, Jamal gets the start at striker for his 50th appearance for the club in ALL competitions! What a way to mark it after getting his first goal of the season midweek!
The architect of that Thiaré goal, the lightning-quick Saba Lobjanidze, will be ready to inject his energy off the bench. Meanwhile, our leading scorer, Emmanuel Latte Lath, gets a well-deserved breather after a busy stretch and the wonderful arrival of his new baby! Congrats, Manu!
Tactically, Deila is sticking with that five-at-the-back formation we saw in Austin, but with a big boost! Our starting fullbacks, Brooks Lennon and Pedro Amador, are back in the lineup after recovering from their injuries! That added width and experience will be crucial!
Here’s your Atlanta United Starting XI to take on Philadelphia Union:
Brad Guzan (C), Luis Abram, Derrick Williams, Matt Edwards, Pedro Amador, Tristan Muyumba, Jay Fortune, Brooks Lennon, Alexey Miranchuk, Miguel Almirón, Jamal Thiaré
Bench: Josh Cohen, Noah Cobb, Ronald Hernández, Mateusz Klich, Emmanuel Latte Lath, Saba Lobjanidze, Edwin Mosquera, Will Reilly, Bartosz Slisz
Key Notes to Get You Hyped:
- A massive congrats to Tristan Muyumba on his 50th MLS regular season appearance! He’s the 33rd player in club history to reach that mark!
- Let’s go, Jamal Thiaré, on your 50th Atlanta United appearance in all competitions! Time to celebrate with another goal!
- Our rock in goal, Brad Guzan, is coming off a stellar performance in Austin and has a strong record against Philly with three career clean sheets!
- We all remember that 3-0 loss in Philly back in April. Tonight’s the chance to even the score at the Benz!
- The assist king, Brooks Lennon, who became our all-time leader last home game, is back in the starting lineup!
- Miguel Almirón is closing in on another milestone with 25 career goals for the club!
- The Benz has been a fortress against Philly! We’re undefeated at home against them in MLS regular season play! Let’s keep that streak alive!
- Stian Gregersen is the only player unavailable tonight.
Alright, Atlanta! The stage is set for a momentous night at the Benz! Let’s pack the stadium, bring the noise, and cheer on our Five Stripes to a HUGE home victory!
IT’S ALMOST TIME! VAMOS ATLANTA!
