Match Tools: How Atlanta United begins road trip with win in Washington DC

Atlanta United hits the road for two matches this week. The first will be Wednesday night at Audi Field when they take on DC United. This will be the second meeting between the two teams this season, with DC winning the first match 3-2 in Atlanta. After a home draw against the Houston Dynamo this weekend, the 5 Stripes are looking to build momentum to climb the Eastern Conference standings. With a win on Wednesday, Atlanta could overtake DC in the standings and move closer to the playoff line. Let’s take a look at the tools of the match presented by Home Depot against DC United.

Choosing the right moments in attack and defense

The 2-2 draw against Houston last Saturday gave fans a glimpse of some of the things the team is looking to improve. There were more direct passages of play in attack. The team also found good moments to unleash their counter-pressing, both individually and as a team. One of those individual pressure moments led to the team’s first goal for Daniel Ríos. The team must continue to work on these moments and find the right triggers to put pressure on the DC United defense which has allowed 32 goals this season, the second highest goals allowed total in the Eastern Conference.

Defensively, the team must continue to stay active for the full 90 minutes. Whether on set pieces or in transition moments, Atlanta’s backline and defensive midfielder must ensure the team is solid at the back. If the team can be solid defensively, they will have a chance to score three points on the road.

Control the wings and limit crosses towards Christian Benteke

It’s no secret that DC United’s strength in attack starts with top striker Christian Benteke. He scored a hat trick in the first meeting between the two teams and he leads the team with 13 goals scored this season. The team does a good job presenting Benteke with solid wing play and finding crosses towards the striker. Jared Stroud has eight assists this season and Mateusz Klich added seven on the campaign. Atlanta’s defense, especially the fullbacks or fullbacks, must be precise and locked down to help deny Benteke service. If the 5-stripe can limit the clear scoring opportunities for DC, they should be in a good position to get points on the road on Wednesday.

Be clinical when scoring opportunities present themselves on the road

One of Atlanta United’s strengths this season has been creating scoring chances. The team continues to rank top 5 in MLS in expected goals (34.9 xG). Thiago Almada created three chances and ranks eighth in MLS in key passes heading into Wednesday’s game with 42 key passes. One thing Atlanta has continued to work on is being clinical in front of goal. This will be particularly important on the road in the next two matches. If the team can capitalize on their mistakes or force DC United to make mistakes in their defensive third, the team has the quality in attack to score goals. Xande Silva has scored in two consecutive matches, while Ríos also scored a goal last time out. Thiago Almada is just a few assists away from tying the club’s all-time record for assists in MLS. If the offense can shut down opportunities, especially early in the game, it could go a long way in helping the team earn points at Audi Field on Wednesday night.

Fans can tune in to MLS Season Pass on Apple TV Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m. ET when the action begins at Audi Field in Washington, DC. To hear the action on the radio, tune into Sports Radio 92.9 The Game (English) or La Mejor – AM 1600 (Spanish).