Sunday Night Soccer presented by Continental Tire heads to Atlanta this weekend as the 5-Stripes host Inter Miami CF at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The league’s marquee match of the week is a rematch of last year’s Round One playoffs when Atlanta defeated Miami in an epic three-game series. It’s a new season now and Atlanta is looking to build some early momentum in 2025. Coming off a 0-0 draw last weekend, the 5-Stripes need to iron out their attack quickly in order to keep the points at home. Miami has once again reloaded their roster as they look to compete in multiple competitions this season. They secured three points at home last weekend in a win against Charlotte FC.
Let’s take a look at the Tools to the Match presented by Home Depot against Inter Miami CF.
Reward yourself when you dominate the opposition
One thing that has been consistent this season for Atlanta United is dominant play in the first halves of matches. The 5-Stripes have been in control of matches throughout each of the three first halves they have played. In the opener against CF Montréal, they were rewarded for that dominance with a 1-0 halftime lead. Against Charlotte and New York Red Bulls, the team hasn’t been able to capitalize. They created plenty of scoring opportunities, particularly against the Red Bulls, in the first half but weren’t able to put the ball in the back of the net.
This weekend the task will be no different. Atlanta needs to come out on top from the opening whistle, but they have to find a way to reward themselves for positive play. Scoring a goal in the opening 15-20 minutes of the match can change the trajectory of the contest, and Atlanta will look to do that this weekend.
Being switched on mentally is crucial against Miami’s dangerous attack
Inter Miami are once again among the highest scoring teams in MLS, having netted seven times in the first three matches. The Herons feature a blend of veteran attackers mixed with youthful energy and that mix has been fruitful through the first weeks of the season. Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez let their resumes speak for themselves. They can produce attacking chances out of very little. This season they are joined by two young rising stars in the attack in Tadeo Allende and Telasco Segovia. Those two newcomers have combined for five of Miami’s seven goals this year and have allowed Suárez to become more of a playmaker early in the season as the Uruguayan has notched three assists.
Atlanta proved last year that they can compete and beat Miami head-to-head. They will need to rise to the occasion once again this weekend. The 5-Stripes' defense has to be switched on from the opening whistle on. They earned a clean sheet last weekend and hope to build on that this week.
Stay on track when times get tough
Atlanta has shown that they are capable of playing with and being better at times than any of the three teams they have faced so far. A couple of things that need to work on are second half execution and responding to negative events. Head coach Ronny Deila has been working with the group to make sure they continue to show bravery in the attack for a full 90 minutes, not just the first 30-45 minutes. The teams ranks among the league leaders in key passes with 34 entering this weekend. A good portion of those chances created have come in the first half. One of the other points of emphasis has been to respond better as a team to goals conceded. Against Charlotte, the team struggled to find an answer after the hosts scored an early second half goal and Atlanta conceded a second goal in quick succession. This group has to continue to work on that mental and physical toughness, even when they may be fatigued late in the second half, in order to become more consistent. Last weekend was a small step in the right direction, when Atlanta didn’t allow a single shot on target for the Red Bulls.
If Atlanta can maintain their high level of play for a longer period of time and continue to show improvement in those tough moments, they will be in prime position to secure another big victory against Inter Miami on Sunday Night Soccer presented by Continental Tire.
