ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Atlanta United striker Giorgos Giakoumakis will not be available for Saturday’s friendly against Tampa Bay at Al Lang Stadium.
Giakoumakis, who led the team with 17 goals last season, is dealing with a minor groin strain, according to manager Gonzalo Pineda. Giakoumakis, last year’s MLS Newcomer of the Year, worked with a trainer, doing numerous exercises Friday during the team’s preparations.
“We’re not very concerned,” Pineda said. “He looks good.”
Centerback Stian Gregersen, who hasn’t been available for the past two friendlies against Memphis in Birmingham, Alabama, and Montreal at Al Lang Stadium, will be available. Wingers Derrick Etienne (ankle) and Edwin Mosquera (groin) will not be available. Mosquera has been working with a trainer. Thiago Almada won’t be available because he’s with Argentina’s Under-23 team in Venezuela competing to qualify for the Olympics.
The format for Saturday will be two 45-minute halves. Pineda said he expects most of the starters to go around 75 minutes. Gregersen and Caleb Wiley, who recently returned from a shoulder injury, may go fewer minutes.
Because the team played two days ago, Pineda said Thursday and Friday’s sessions mostly were focused on recovery and not the installation of new tactics.
So, he said hopes to see Saturday a continuation of progress on the things the team has been working on: pressing, its middle-block and low-block defense, and playing from the back.
“I will say that overall, the whole team has ... been very engaged, very committed,” Pineda said. “So I think that’s been very pleasing to see kind of a different vibe, different culture. Everyone is fully committed in every action. That’s been that’s been very good.”
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Atlanta United’s 2024 schedule
Feb. 24 at Columbus, 2 p.m.
March 9 vs. New England, 7:30 p.m.
March 17 vs. Orlando, 7 p.m., FS1
March 23 at Toronto, 7:30 p.m.
March 31 vs. Chicago, 3:30 p.m., Fox
April 6 at NYCFC, 7:30 p.m.
April 14 vs. Philadelphia, 2:30 p.m., Fox
April 20 vs. Cincinnati, 7:30 p.m.
April 27 at Chicago, 8:30 p.m.
May 4 vs. Minnesota, 7:30 p.m.
May 11 vs. D.C. United, 7:30 p.m.
May 15 at Cincinnati, 7:30 p.m.
May 18 at Nashville, 1:30 p.m.
May 25 vs. LAFC, 7:30 p.m.
May 29 at Miami, 7:30 p.m.
June 2 vs Charlotte, 4:30 p.m., Fox
June 15 vs. Houston, 7:30 p.m.
June 19 at D.C. United, 7:30 p.m.
June 22 at St. Louis, 8:30 p.m.
June 29 vs. Toronto, 7:30 p.m.
July 3 at New England, 7:30 p.m.
July 6 at Real Salt Lake, 9:30 p.m.
July 13 at Montreal, 7:30 p.m.
July 17 vs. NYCFC, 7:30 p.m.
July 20 vs. Columbus, 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 24 at L.A. Galaxy, 10:30 p.m.
Aug. 31 at Charlotte, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 14 vs. Nashville, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 18 vs. Miami, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 21 at Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 28 at Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 2 vs. Montreal, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 5 vs. Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 19 at Orlando, 6 p.m.
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