Atlanta United hits the road for the first time this season, and it’s not just any road trip—it’s a Southern showdown against Charlotte FC. The 5-Stripes are rolling into Bank of America Stadium on Saturday afternoon with their attack firing, but they’ll have to lock in defensively without their three most experienced fullbacks.
Ronald Hernández, Pedro Amador, and Brooks Lennon are all sidelined, forcing head coach Ronny Deila to get creative in just his second match in charge. With Luis Abram stepping into the starting XI for the second straight game, he’ll line up alongside last season’s primary center-back pairing of Stian Gregersen and Derrick Williams, who are making their 2025 debut as a duo. That trio will have their hands full trying to contain Charlotte’s revamped attack.
The Queen City squad has added serious firepower this year, headlined by Wilfried Zaha—yes, that Zaha, the English Premier League veteran. Alongside him is the towering 6-foot-4 Patrick Agyemang, who isn’t just a physical force but a menace in open space. Atlanta’s backline will need to stay compact and communicate well to limit the damage.
Atlanta’s Attack Ready to Shine
On the other end of the pitch, Atlanta’s attack is locked and loaded. Emmanuel Latte Lath, Saba Lobjanidze, and the ever-electric Miguel Almirón lead the charge, a trio that combined for four goal contributions in last week’s thrilling 3-2 home-opening win over CF Montréal. With Alexey Miranchuk adding creativity in the middle, the 5-Stripes have the firepower to turn this game into a shootout.
The key to Atlanta’s success? Holding possession and controlling the tempo. In last week’s match, they only managed 48% possession—if they can tip the scales in their favor this time around, they’ll ease the pressure on a depleted defense and create even more chances up front.
“You need to defend and you need to suffer together and do that well. Then we will always get our chances because we have quality up front,” Deila said ahead of the match. “We know that we will do that, but we cannot concede so many chances that we did on Saturday.”
Starting XI vs. Charlotte FC:
Brad Guzan (C), Matt Edwards, Stian Gregersen, Derrick Williams, Luis Abram, Bartosz Slisz, Jay Fortune, Miguel Almirón, Saba Lobjanidze, Alexey Miranchuk, Emmanuel Latte Lath
Reserves:
Josh Cohen, Dominik Chong Qui, Noah Cobb, Efraín Morales, Edwin Mosquera, Tristan Muyumba, Xande Silva, Jamal Thiaré
Match Notes:
- Hometown Start for Fortune: Midfielder Jay Fortune gets his first start of the season in his home state of North Carolina. The Homegrown talent made a statement in Atlanta’s last trip to Charlotte, scoring his first career MLS goal.
- Klich Sidelined: Mateusz Klich was a late scratch from the roster due to flu-like symptoms.
- Mosquera’s Magic: Edwin Mosquera’s stunning game-winning goal last weekend earned MLS’s first AT&T Goal of the Matchday honor of the season.
- Miggy Making History? Almirón is just two goals shy of climbing to second all-time in club scoring. A brace in Charlotte would be poetic—after all, it was Charlotte FC that sold his discovery rights, clearing the way for his emotional return to the 5-Stripes.
- Deila’s First Road Test: This marks Ronny Deila’s first away match as Atlanta United’s head coach. Will he return to Atlanta with all three points?
With both teams boasting elite attackers, the 5-Stripes’ ability to stay organized defensively and control possession will be key. It’s a rivalry match with plenty of storylines—now it’s time to see if Atlanta can bring the heat and leave Charlotte with a statement win. Kickoff is set for 2:15 p.m.—bring the noise, Atlanta!
