Philadelphia Union will try to make it three straight wins on Saturday night when they face Atlanta United in Chester, Pa., with both sides carrying real pressure into the match. The Union are still trying to build consistency, while Atlanta sit bottom of the MLS standings and are already under the kind of scrutiny that makes every result matter.
The Union’s 1-0 win over the Seattle Sounders on July 25 followed a 3-1 defeat of Atlanta on March 14, and it gives Ryan Richter’s side a chance to post their first back-to-back-to-back run of the season. Atlanta, meanwhile, arrive after a 4-1 loss at the New England Revolution, a result that left them on a six-match winless stretch and reinforced how much work still lies ahead.
Union finally finding some rhythm
The most encouraging sign for Philadelphia has been the form of Milan Iloski. He scored again against Seattle, taking his run to nine goals in five straight matches, and that kind of output changes the look of a team quickly. It gives the Union a clear focal point and, just as importantly, a source of confidence in a season that has needed more of both.
Fafa Picault said the mood can change fast if results start to stack up. “I think if we could string together one, then two, then three (wins), things can turn around,” he said. “We’ve seen it done in the league before. I’ve been part of teams where you’ve been in a draw for a while and then, boom, things start to work out, and there you go.”
That is the key for Philadelphia now. This is not just about beating Atlanta again, but about proving that the recent improvement can become something more stable.
Richter still wants more from Neil Pierre
One subplot is how Philadelphia cope with the departure of Olwethu Makhanya to Rangers on Thursday. Neil Pierre has stepped in, and Richter made clear that the young defender is still very much in the growing stage.
“He gets his opportunity, and he does well, but … it’s a game and a half that he played, so he has a long way to go to become that consistent presence and grow himself in that role,” Richter said.
That assessment is fair enough. Pierre has filled the gap, but a short run in the team is not the same as long-term reliability. Against Atlanta, the Union will want the back line to stay organized if they are to make the most of Iloski’s scoring form.
Atlanta need a response
Atlanta’s problems are obvious from the table. They are 3-11-3 with 12 points, one point behind Philadelphia, and the frustration only deepens when a team cannot turn away from defeat for long enough to settle into a run.
There has at least been a small lift from Miguel Almiron, who scored his second goal in as many matches at New England. But Atlanta also go into this match without Emmanuel Latte Lath in the last two games amid transfer conversations, which leaves another question mark over how they structure their attack.
The club did make one move on Thursday by transferring Pedro Amador to Hapoel Be’er Sheva, so there is already activity around the squad. But the bigger issue is on the pitch: Atlanta need to show they can compete with the intensity of a team trying to climb away from the bottom.
Philadelphia won the first meeting between these sides this year, and the Union now have a chance to back that up with another result that would carry more weight than the table alone might suggest. For Atlanta, it is about stopping the slide. For the Union, it is about turning two wins into a proper run.
