Atlanta United returns to MLS play on Wednesday at Charlotte FC, ending a nearly month-long layoff while Mercedes-Benz Stadium hosted FIFA World Cup matches.
The Five Stripes are 3-2-9 on the season and sit near the bottom of the Eastern Conference. They have not won a match since April 22, when they beat New England 1-0 at home.
Atlanta manager Tata Martino said the long break was a mixed blessing.
“It’s hard to lose a month of the season, but the rest was good for some of our guys who were carrying knocks,” Martino said. “We’ve had time to reset, train, and prepare for a tough stretch.”
The match at Bank of America Stadium will pit Atlanta against US Men’s National Team captain Tim Ream and a Charlotte FC side that is 6-3-6 and in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race.
Atlanta is 3-2 all-time at Bank of America Stadium.
The Five Stripes return home Saturday for a match against the New York Red Bulls at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. It will be their first home match since May, with the stadium having hosted multiple World Cup matches in the interim.
Attendance for Atlanta’s last home match on May 31 was 35,308, about half of the number of fans who made their way into Mercedes-Benz Stadium for the World Cup group stage matches, including a sold-out Argentina vs. Egypt match on July 7 that drew more than 68,000.
Atlanta United officials are hopeful that some of the World Cup crowd energy will carry over when the Five Stripes return home. The club has launched a series of “Soccer Celebrations” events to capitalize on the international soccer buzz.
