In top form with interim coach, Atlanta United aim for Revolution

Amid the roster turnover, Atlanta United will look to extend its unbeaten streak when it visits the New England Revolution on Wednesday in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

Atlanta (6-8-6, 24 points) has not lost in four games (2-0-2) since Rob Valentino became the club’s interim head coach. The Five Stripes have accumulated that record despite trading forward Giorgos Giakoumakis in June, and now another star player appears on the way out.

Thiago Almada is not expected to face New England, as Atlanta is reportedly finalizing a transfer agreement with ownership group Eagle Football. Valentino did not comment on the reports, preferring to remain “present in the moment.”

“I can’t focus on who’s leaving, who’s coming, because they’re not here,” Valentino said. “So no matter who’s here and in the building — the staff, the players, whoever’s around us — I just commit to them and focus on making us better.”

Almada is Atlanta United’s leading scorer with six goals this season, followed by Giakoumakis and Jamal Thiare with five goals each. However, Thiare will be sidelined for the next 2-4 weeks with a shoulder injury sustained in Atlanta’s 2-1 win over Toronto FC last Saturday.

Luis Abram and Saba Lobjanidze are both back from international duty and could bolster Atlanta’s roster.

The Revolution (6-11-1, 19 points) appeared to have turned around a disappointing season with a four-game winning streak, but Saturday’s 5-1 loss to the Columbus Crew was New England’s largest margin of defeat all season.

Revolution coach Caleb Porter described the loss as “a little wake-up call” and said the Atlanta game is about “resetting that hunger.”

“When you’re winning, sometimes you can get a little bit lazy and get a little bit casual… If you’re overconfident and you don’t execute, you’re going to get punished,” Porter said.

New England captain Carles Gil missed Saturday’s game with an injury. Emmanuel Boateng also left the team Saturday with an apparent lower-body injury.

In their previous meeting, Atlanta recorded a 4-1 victory against New England on March 9.

–Field level media