Atlanta United have little time to rest following their season opener, with their biggest challenge yet looming for midweek play as they travel to Mexico to face Liga MX giants CF Monterrey, known locally as Rayados. With every moment counting in international knockout play, they will need their strongest performance yet as they look for international glory for the first time.
Ahead of the massive North American matchup, we broke down the Tools to the Match, presented by The Home Depot:
Stay Solid
Atlanta United plays to win every match, focusing on bringing their game and their style to their opponents –– and it’s true that scoring a goal on the road would be massive for their chances to advance, a crucial tiebreaker should the aggregate score end tied. But most important in a road knockout round is to stay solid, especially against a side as dynamic in the attack as Rayados. It will be important to not let the Rayados attackers spread out their defense. If they can stay solid in the back, a 0-0 result after the first leg would almost be considered a win with the second match back in front of a home crowd at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. A clean sheet has to be the priority, any road goals for Atlanta United after that are just icing on the cake.
Focus on Funes Mori
Rayados has plenty of options in the attack, but if there’s one name to keep an eye on, its Rogelio Funes Mori. The twin brother of La Liga defender Ramiro Funes Mori, Rogelio plies his trade in the attack, and has ridden a sensational goalscoring wave over the past calendar year. His 14 goals make him the most potent attacking threat in the final third for Monterrey, and his ability to create a goal out of nothing is one of the best in Mexico. He’s a scrappy striker who only needs an inch to create an opening –– and he has a penchant for spectacular goals. He will be the primary threat to break the deadlock, so if Atlanta United can keep him quiet, it will go a long way to keeping a road clean sheet.
Keep Your Heads
This match is going to be tense from the opening minutes, with two ambitious sides going head to head for North American supremacy. And the Five Stripes got an early warning in the last round, where Herediano rode a home field advantage to put Atlanta into a first-round deficit. Atlanta United’s quality shone through in the end, and they were able to overcome that early hole with strong play in the return leg. But Monterrey is a different class to last round’s opponents, so it will be important for Atlanta United to not lose their heads. There will be times when the Five Stripes won’t have everything their own way against a talented Liga MX side. But it will be crucial they stick to their game plan and keep their cool to avoid going behind in a similar fashion. There will be rowdy road fans, physical play, and sometimes calls go against you, but Atlanta United has to stay focused. If they can keep their cool –– and their defensive shape –– it will be their opponent who shows signs of frustration, and that could be Atlanta’s best chance to pounce for a goal of their own.
Follow Along:
Wednesday’s international matchup kicks off at 10 p.m. EST from Monterrey, with all Concacaf Champions League matches this year set to be streamed live on Yahoo! Sports. You can also listen in to familiar voices, with Mike Conti and Jason Longshore calling the match on the Official Atlanta United App and 1380 WAOK AM.
