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We’ve made it to the final match of the 2020 MLS regular season, and still nothing is certain for Atlanta United. The Five Stripes find themselves 11th in the Eastern Conference, just one place under the dreaded red line of playoff elimination. Whether Atlanta joins in the playoff party or watches from home for the first time in franchise history will be determined by Decision Day action and a trip to Columbus, Ohio.
Step one for Atlanta United to make the jump over the line: don’t lose. Only a loss secures elimination for the team in this scenario. Either a draw or win to the Columbus Crew will still require help from other concurring results from Chicago Fire-NYCFC and D.C. United-Montreal Impact. With a win, a draw or loss from either Chicago or Montreal will give Atlanta a playoff berth. If the Five Stripes manage a draw, a Chicago loss will see them through on the wins tiebreaker.
Beating Cincy last week was one thing, dealing with Columbus is a whole ‘nother animal. Can Atlanta get point(s) off of one of the top teams in the league? Will the other results fall in United’s favor as they did a week ago? Does the playoff streak remain alive?
As we wait, get ready for the match with our match preview and lineup prediction, then come join in on the match thread below as we learn the fate of the Five Stripes.
Atlanta United’s Lineup:
#ATLUTD’s Starting XI vs Columbus Crew SC. pic.twitter.com/I2D40Hlxvk
— Atlanta United FC (@ATLUTD) November 8, 2020
Columbus Crew’s Lineup:
Back home and ready to battle.#Crew96’s Starting XI vs. @ATLUTD #DecisionDay | @MAPFREIns
— x - Columbus Crew SC (@ColumbusCrewSC) November 8, 2020
How to Watch:
Venue: MAPFRE Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
Kickoff Time: Sunday, November 8th; 3:30 PM EST
Available TV: FOX Sports Southeast
Available Streaming: FOX Sports Go, ESPN+ (Out of market)
Available Radio: Star 94.1, La Mejor 1600 AM
This thread will be your match thread. We don’t have many rules here. We just ask that you don’t insult each other personally and treat each other with respect. Debates can get heated and that’s fine, but name-calling and petty insults will get you banned. If you see a comment that you feel is out of line, please report it and it will be dealt with.
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