After two games we know a little more about the qualities of Atlanta United and Sporting KC in this fresh Major League Soccer season. Read our match preview!
The hosts Atlanta United saw competitive action as recent as three days ago, playing in the CONCACAF Champions League. At least it's nice to return home after that away game at America.
This stadium uses artifical turf, unlike Sporting KC's home stadium. The visitors last nine games on artifical turf have ended in 4 wins, 1 draw and 4 losses.
Sporting KC have a very long trip to this away game, as there's more than 1200 kilometers in distance to cover. This could prove a challenge, at least for the supporters.
Atlanta United form and stats
When playing at home in the Major League Soccer, Atlanta United have managed 1 win, 0 draws and suffered 0 defeats from 1 games.
In their previous game, the manager F. de Boer led his Atlanta United to a defeat in the CONCACAF Champions League match away at America. The manager is hoping to put things right immediately here at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Previous to that game, a Major League Soccer home match hosting Cincinnati in a game that was won 2-1.
Atlanta United lost the game against America in the first half with a 0-3 deficit and could never come back from that.
The hosts are modest favourites in this match, with the bookmakers estimating the chance of a home win at about 50% +- five percent. It's interesting to look at how Atlanta United have performed under similar circumstances, so here are some numbers: When modest favourites like this (we found one game) they have won zero times, drawn one and lost zero.
Some members of the home team might already be thinking of their next match, the CONCACAF Champions League game versus America in only four days. This game is also played here at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
At Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta United has the goal stats of 2-1 (for/against) from 1 league fixture.
Sporting KC form and stats
Only one away game in the Major League Soccer so far for Sporting KC and it resulted in three points. Last season the statistics for their away games were 3 victories, 4 draws and 10 losses from 17 travels.
Sporting KC are travelling after their nice 4-0 home win in the Major League Soccer against Houston Dynamo. Prior to that result Sporting KC won their away game at Vancouver Whitecaps. The scoreline was 3-1.
As mentioned above, Sporting KC was the only team on the pitch versus Houston Dynamo in their previous game, winning 4-0. This could be a tougher task.
Sporting KC are the outsiders in this one, but not by much. Their performance in similar games (being the away team and moderate outsiders) is one win, zero draws and five defeats. From a total of six matches.
3 goals so far away for Sporting KC, while their defence has allowed the opposition to score 1. All from 1 league match away.
Head 2 Head
Head-to-head totals (for the last three meetings): Atlanta United won one game, one match ended with a draw and Sporting KC has one win. Over 2,5 goals / under 2,5 goals: one / twoTop Goalscorers
  E. Barco 2 goals |  E. Hyndman 2 goals |   A. Pulido Izaguirre 2 goals |
Atlanta United missing players
Sporting KC missing players
| Atlanta United | Sporting KC | ||||||
| Total | Home | vs | Statistics | Stat | vs | Away | Total |
| 2 | 1 | 0 | Played | P | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 2 | 1 | 0 | Won | W | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | Drew | D | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | Lost | L | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | 2 | 0 | Scored | S | 0 | 3 | 7 |
| 2 | 1 | 0 | Conceded | C | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 100% | 100% | 0% | Over 0.5 | O 0.5 | 0% | 100% | 100% |
| 100% | 100% | 0% | Over 1.5 | O 1.5 | 0% | 100% | 100% |
| 100% | 100% | 0% | Over 2.5 | O 2.5 | 0% | 100% | 100% |
| 0% | 0% | 0% | Over 3.5 | O 3.5 | 0% | 100% | 100% |
| 0% | 0% | 0% | Over 4.5 | O 4.5 | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| 100% | 100% | 0% | BTTS | BTTS | 0% | 100% | 50% |
| 0% | 0% | 0% | Clean Sheets | C S | 0% | 0% | 50% |
| 0% | 0% | 0% | Failed to Score | F T | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| 3 | 2 | 0 | Corners for (avg) | C F | 0 | 3 | 4 |
| 4 | 3 | 0 | Corners against (avg) | C A | 0 | 4 | 5.5 |
| 1 | 1 | 0 | Yellow cards (avg) | Y C | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | Red cards | R C | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | 10 | 0 | Total Shots | T S | 0 | 11 | 29 |
| 6 | 4 | 0 | Shots on Target | S O | 0 | 4 | 12 |
| 67% | 50% | 0% | Goal Efficiency | G E | 0% | 75% | 58% |
| Atlanta United | Last season | Sporting KC | |||||
| Total | Home | Statistics | Stat | Away | Total | ||
| 37 | 20 | Played | P | 17 | 34 | ||
| 20 | 14 | Won | W | 3 | 10 | ||
| 4 | 3 | Drew | D | 4 | 8 | ||
| 13 | 3 | Lost | L | 10 | 16 | ||
| 62 | 40 | Scored | S | 19 | 49 | ||
| 45 | 16 | Conceded | C | 37 | 67 | ||
| 100% | 100% | Over 0.5 | O 0.5 | 100% | 100% | ||
| 84% | 85% | Over 1.5 | O 1.5 | 82% | 82% | ||
| 51% | 55% | Over 2.5 | O 2.5 | 59% | 59% | ||
| 27% | 25% | Over 3.5 | O 3.5 | 35% | 38% | ||
| 16% | 10% | Over 4.5 | O 4.5 | 24% | 26% | ||
| 49% | 50% | BTTS | BTTS | 65% | 62% | ||
| 43% | 50% | Clean Sheets | C S | 12% | 18% | ||
| 8% | 0% | Failed to Score | F T | 24% | 21% | ||
| 5.7 | 6.2 | Corners for (avg) | C F | 5.1 | 5.6 | ||
| 4.3 | 3.2 | Corners against (avg) | C A | 5.2 | 4.4 | ||
| 1.6 | 1.4 | Yellow cards (avg) | Y C | 2.5 | 2.2 | ||
| 1 | 0 | Red cards | R C | 2 | 7 | ||
| 560 | 319 | Total Shots | T S | 225 | 495 | ||
| 196 | 122 | Shots on Target | S O | 85 | 175 | ||
| 32% | 33% | Goal Efficiency | G E | 22% | 28% | ||
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Atlanta United | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
| 2 | Montreal Impact | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| 3 | New York RB | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 4 | Toronto | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| 5 | Columbus Crew | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 6 | DC United | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 7 | Chicago Fire | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 1 |
| 8 | New England | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 1 |
| 9 | Orlando City | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 1 |
| 10 | Philadelphia Union | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | -2 | 1 |
| 11 | Cincinnati | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | -2 | 0 |
| 12 | Inter Miami | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | -2 | 0 |
| 13 | New York City | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 0 |