MLS playoffs Game 1 info to know: Atlanta United at Columbus

Atlanta United will play at Columbus at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Lower.com Field. The game will be televised on FS1 and Apple TV. You can sync the radio broadcast from 92.9 FM through the app. You can also follow Doug Roberson’s coverage on X (formerly known as Twitter) @DougRobersonAJC.

Columbus manager: Wilfried Nancy

Columbus at home: 12-1-4

Atlanta United on road: 3-6-8

Columbus goals for/against: 67/46

Columbus expected goals for/against: 57.7/41.3

Atlanta United goals for/against: 66/53

Atlanta United expected goals for/against: 48.7/46

Columbus key players

Cucho: 16 goals, 11 assists

Christian Ramirez: Eight goals, four assists

Aiden Morris: Four goals, seven assists

Atlanta United key players

Thiago Almada: 11 goals, 19 assists (not available in Game 1 because of red-card suspension)

Giorgos Giakoumakis: 17 goals, two assists

Brooks Lennon: Four goals, 10 assists

Caleb Wiley: Four goals, four assists

Saba Lobjanidze: Three goals, four assists

Recapping this season’s meetings

Columbus 6, Atlanta United 1: Both teams were without several starters because of a FIFA International window and subsequent national team call-ups when they met at Lower.com Field on March 25. Columbus jumped to a 1-0 lead in the 14th minute. Atlanta United lost hope of winning when the Crew poured in four goals in 21 minutes in the second half. Brooks Lennon scored for Atlanta United.

Lineups

ATL: Guzan; Lennon, Cobb, Purata, Gutman (Wolff 45th minute); Sejdic (Lopez 65th), Sosa (Fortune 73rd), Ibarra; Araujo, Berry (Rossetto 73rd), Wiley

CLB: Schulte; Moreira, Quinton, Vallecilla (Hughes 89th); Morris, Nagbe (Zawadski 73rd), Sands, Farsi; Ramirez (Yeboah 73rd), Russell-Rowe (Arfsten 82nd), Matan (Parente 89th)

Atlanta United 1, Columbus 1: Cucho scored in the 65th minute at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Oct. 7. Miles Robinson scored the tying goal in the seventh minute of stoppage time. The draw ended Atlanta United’s hopes of finishing in the top four in the East.

Lineups

ATL: Guzan; Lennon, Robinson, Abram, Wiley; Rosetto (Fortune 75th minute), Muyumba (Berry 89th), Almada; Silva (Thiare 75th, Etienne Jr. 83rd), Lobjanidze (Mosquera 62nd), Giakoumakis.

CLB: Schulte; Moreira, Camacho, Cheberko (Farsi 89th); Gressel, Nagbe, Morris, Zawadszki; Rossi (Molino 90+5th), Matan (Ramirez 90+3rd), Cucho

Talking points

1. How will Atlanta United replace Almada? Pineda wouldn’t reveal if the team will switch formations to one used a few times earlier this season in which there was no true singular attacking midfielder, but two who played underneath the striker. The team also could simply try to put another player, Saba Lobjanidze or Tyler Wolff are candidates, in to try to replace Almada. Whatever the choice, playing without Almada, a finalist for league MVP after scoring 11 goals with a league-high 19 assists, won’t be easy.

2. Will the format of playoffs affect choices? The first round is a best of three. Matches can’t end in draws. If tied after 90 minutes, penalty kicks are next. Playing without Almada, it’s not unreasonable to think the team may try to bunker, hold off the Crew, and take it to penalties. Pineda said he wants to win at Columbus and then try to close the series next week at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Lennon said the same. The team hasn’t played with a defensive style this season. It seems unlikely that it will now.

3. Importance of set pieces. When teams are missing players, scoring from set pieces (corner kicks or free kicks) can be an equalizing weapon. Atlanta United scored 18 goals from set pieces this season. That was tied for fourth-most in the league. Atlanta United has allowed nine. Columbus has scored 13 times from set pieces and allowed 14.

Officiating crew

Referee: Lukas Szpala

Assistants: Adam Wienckowski, Jason White

Fourth Official: Filip Dujic

VAR: Sorin Stoica

AVAR: TJ Zablocki

Injury reports

Atlanta United

Out: Machop Chol (hamstring), Alamada (red-card suspension).

Columbus

Out: Will Sands (knee).

What was said

“I think the main thing for us is just winning on the road. Obviously, if you want to go to the next round, you’re going to have to pick up points on the road. And I think that’s what we’ve struggled with this year. We’ve been outstanding at Mercedes-Benz in front of our home crowd, and they definitely give us extra motivation and push us to get three points every week. But if you want to win the MLS Cup, you’re gonna have to win on the road.” – Lennon

“So I have a plan. We have a plan as a coaching staff. I feel like I have a great, great support by my staff I have in this club. With everyone. So we’re putting together a plan, of course, without Thiago is a bit different. So we’ll see what the options actually – we’re looking at two or three options – to see what is the best thing for team.” – Pineda

“We practiced penalties yesterday. So yeah, we’re aware of that. For me, it’s two games guaranteed. And we win away, we win at home, we don’t need a third game. So we’ll see. It’s an interesting format. First time I’ve gone through this type of format. This is gonna be new, and (the team) will try to adapt.” – Pineda

Atlanta United’s predicted 11

Goalkeeper Brad Guzan

Centerback Luis Abram

Centerback Miles Robinson

Right fullback Brooks Lennon

Left fullback Caleb Wiley

Defensive midfielder Matheus Rossetto

Midfielder Tristan Muyumba

Attacking midfielder Saba Lobjanidze

Winger Xande Silva

Winger Edwin Mosquera

Striker Giorgos Giakoumakis

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Atlanta United’s 2023 MLS schedule

Feb. 25 Atlanta United 2, San Jose Earthquakes 1

March 4 Atlanta United 1, Toronto FC 1

March 11 Atlanta United 3, Charlotte FC 0

March 18 Atlanta United 5, Portland 1

March 25 Columbus 6, Atlanta United 1

April 1 Atlanta United 1, New York Red Bulls 0

April 8 Atlanta United 1, New York City FC 1

April 15 Atlanta United 2, Toronto FC 2

April 23 Atlanta United 2, Chicago 1

April 29 Nashville SC 3, Atlanta United 1

May 6 Inter Miami CF 2, Atlanta United 1