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Welcome back from the nightmare that was the international break. Atlanta United return to action a man lighter after Josef Martinez was put on the shelf for 4-6 weeks with a quad injury suffered playing for Venezuela. This leaves the club and Tata Martino in an unfamiliar position three matches into the season. How do you replace the most in-form player in the league? There are a few options, which we covered earlier in the week here.
If trying to find a new lineup combination to succeed with wasn’t already difficult, they’ll be trying to do so against the reigning MLS Champion Seattle Sounders. Not only are the Sounders an immensely talented team on the field, but they boast one of the few supporter atmospheres in the league that can rival what you see at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
There have been many comparisons between Atlanta and Seattle both on the field and off of it. These two sides met in the preseason during the Carolina Cup Challenge when the Five Stripes defeated Seattle 4-2, albeit with the champs fielding an admittedly second string lineup. This first official match between the two teams should be a very fun one to watch as a neutral considering both squads feature some of the most talented attacking players in the league. For United, it’ll be hard to replace the dynamism that Martinez brought up top, but there’s enough talent on the roster for the team to not completely fall apart in his absence. Buckle up, this one should be good.
Pre-match Reading: Lineup Prediction, 3 Q’s with SaH, What to watch for
Atlanta United Lineup:
Today's starting XI against @SoundersFC#UniteAndConquer pic.twitter.com/Iy61wAjoKq
— Atlanta United FC (@ATLUTD) April 1, 2017
Seattle Sounders Lineup:
Let's get to it! Here's tonight's #Sounders Starting XI, thanks to @Delta.
— Seattle Sounders FC (@SoundersFC) April 1, 2017
Check out news and notes on the lineup: https://t.co/eJsPR41oAJ pic.twitter.com/rxS5zRCOWm
How to Watch
Kickoff Time: 10:00 p.m. ET
Venue: CenturyLink Field, Seattle, WA
Available TV: FOX Sports 1
Available Streams: FOX Sports Go, fuboTV (free trial), Sling TV, PS Vue
Available Radio: 92.9 The Game
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