FC Cincinnati head down to Georgia to take on Atlanta United FC on Saturday, April 16. Kickoff from Mercedes-Benz Stadium is set for 6 p.m.
Let’s break down this matchup, by the numbers.
5
Atlanta United FC have scored the most goals in MLS this season in the final 15 minutes of a game. The 5-Stripes have scored five goals from the 76th minute on, and those late goals have had a direct correlation to their fourth place standing in the Eastern Conference.
Two of those goals were stoppage time game-winners, one coming from Jake Mulraney in the 96th minute on March 13 against Charlotte FC, another coming from Marcelino Moreno in the 94th minute on April 2 at D.C. United. Against CF Montréal on March 19, Atlanta scored twice after the 84th minute to rescue a point in a 3-3 tie.
6
Luciano Acosta has scored six times in his career against Atlanta, by far his most against any opponent in MLS. He scored the FCC goal last season against the 5-Stripes at TQL Stadium in the 1-1 deadlock on July 21.
Acosta has scored three times against Chicago, New England and Orlando, tied for his second-most against any other MLS side.
9
FC Cincinnati and Atlanta United FC meet for the ninth time on Saturday, which will make Atlanta the most-faced opponent in the club’s MLS history. The two sides met three times in both 2020 and 2021, including most recently on 2021 Decision Day to cap last year’s regular season.
150
Alvas Powell will make history if he takes the field Saturday night. His next appearance will be the 150th MLS regular season appearance of his career, and his 20th with FC Cincinnati.
The 150 milestone has been a common one as of late for the Orange and Blue, last time out against CF Montréal both Nick Hagglund and Geoff Cameron each made their 150th career MLS regular season appearance.
540
Two men haven’t missed a minute of Atlanta United’s season thus far through six games. One being veteran goalkeeper Brad Guzan, whose 33 clean sheets since 2019 are the most in MLS. The other? Former FC Cincinnati man Andrew Gutman.
Gutman was acquired by Atlanta permanently via transfer from Celtic FC on March 9, 2021, then was loaned to the New York Red Bulls for last season. He returned to Georgia and has been a stalwart so far this season for Atlanta. According to MLS statistics, Gutman has played exactly 4,300 minutes in his MLS career entering Saturday.
51,052
The Orange and Blue know that heading to Mercedes-Benz Stadium will not be an easy task, a stadium where FC Cincinnati are 0-3-1 all-time in. Atlanta continues to be a hotbed for crowds, as the club’s average attendance of 51,052 so far this season is the best in MLS. Atlanta have led the league in average attendance, excluding the 2020 pandemic season, each year since entering MLS in 2017.
By The Numbers is presented by CTI.
