The 5-Stripes are back on the pitch Wednesday after playing Orlando City to a 1-1 draw Saturday. Atlanta United will face Inter Miami CF on Wednesday at 8pm ET on Fox Sports South.
Ahead of Wednesday’s matchup, we broke down the Tools to the Match, presented by The Home Depot:
Watch the Wings
The last time Miami and Atlanta faced each other, both teams remained scoreless in a 0-0 draw. Expect Miami’s offense to come out striking to try and produce early to make up for that. Miami forward Julián Carranza created a quick scoring opportunity in the first two minutes of their last match against Nashville, however that match also ended in a 0-0 draw. Despite being unable to convert, the attack created four scoring opportunities in the first 20 minutes of the match. Attacking early and often will be their goal against Atlanta, hoping to convert at least one opportunity.
Atlanta can maintain the threat by preventing Miami’s offense from getting easy possessions. The 5-Stripes kept a clean sheet against Miami in the first meeting and will look to do the same come Wednesday night on the road.
Start Strong
Atlanta’s 1-1 draw against Orlando came from a stoppage time goal from forward Adam Jahn. The energy the team came out with in the second half to stop Orlando from scoring again and to produce on the attack needs to be there from kickoff.
“In terms of importance, we know how important it is to come here and not get beat as a first. We want to come here and win. So, we are not over the moon. We know there is more work to be done,” Interim Head Coach Stephen Glass in his post-match interview. “Especially in the top half of the pitch, we could have slightly been better, looked after the ball better. I think you saw that late in the match, we were trusting it and really pushing it. We created some great opportunities.”
The 5-Stripes will look to carry over that momentum from the second half in Orlando into Wednesday’s match. Coming out with that energy and speed of play from the start will go a long way to securing three points in Miami.
Keep Up the Pace
In Saturday’s 1-1 draw, every substitution Atlanta made was meant to up the pace and help with the attack. Subbing in Jürgen Damm in the second half upped the pace for the 5-Stripes. Jake Mulraney provided speed and crossing ability on the wing and Adam Jahn came on in the 71st minute to relieve a tired Cubo Torres. Mulraney’s cross led to Jahn’s header to give Atlanta a point in stoppage time.
The energy those strategic subs brought to the team helped bring about the stoppage time goal.
“The second half we played at a pace that we weren’t in the first half, because the game was on the line. It’s almost less a message, but more of a question to the group,” Glass continued. “Can we play with that intensity right from the start, before the other team scores a goal. I think you will see a better Atlanta United when that happens. That’s a pretty straight forward message for the group.”
If the team starts strong and is able to keep up the pace on Wednesday, the 5-Stripes could be hard to stop.
Catch all the action as Atlanta United faces Inter Miami CF for only the second time this Wednesday at 8pm ET on Fox Sports South.
