A pair of teams on the opposite end of the Eastern Conference table will meet Saturday when Nashville SC plays host to reeling Atlanta United.
Nashville (15-8-5, 50 points) snapped a three-game losing streak in emphatic fashion last Saturday with a 5-1 victory over Orlando City.
MLS leading scorer Sam Surridge delivered a pair of goals in the first half for Nashville, pushing his season total to 20. Hany Mukhtar also chipped in a pair of first-half goals to reach 14 on the season.
“I think we were able to come out in a really aggressive mentality,” Nashville head coach B.J. Callaghan said. “We played with the right intensity. I think we saw a really nice collective effort from the guys.”
Nearing the final stretch of the regular season, Nashville sits third in the Eastern Conference and right on the heels of the Philadelphia Union (54 points) and FC Cincinnati (52 points).
Nashville has enjoyed a successful season with an ability to refine the small details.
“Results matter. We’re in the winning business and we don’t hide from that,” Callaghan said. “But we’re not obsessed with that. We’re focused on what we can control. Our day-to-day effort, day-to-day work and how we prepare.”
Atlanta (4-12-11, 23 points) is at the tail end of a disappointing season under first-year head coach Ronny Deila. The club has gone 11 straight matches without a victory (0-6-5) and 14 straight across all competitions.
Atlanta United last earned three points with a 3-2 win over Orlando City on May 28.
Atlanta has picked up a point in three of its last four MLS matches, most recently posting a scoreless draw against Toronto FC. In the tie, Atlanta mustered just one shot on goal, embodying a season in which the team has struggled to generate consistent offense.
“I felt our energy was not where it needed to be, and that’s disappointing.” Deila said. “Why? That’s very difficult to answer. But it has something to do with confidence, having the belief that you can do something when you come into the game.
“We need to push ourselves, but I didn’t see that or feel that. That’s something we need to improve on Saturday.”
Emmanuel Latte Lath leads Atlanta United with seven goals, while Aleksey Miranchuk adds six.
Atlanta tied visiting Nashville 1-1 on May 3.
–Field Level Media
