WHO: Atlanta United 2, 0-0-0
WHAT: A regular season USL Championship match
WHEN: Saturday, April 24, 2021, 7:30 p.m. EST
WHERE: Lynn Family Stadium
WATCH: All USL Championship matches are streamed on ESPN+. You can stream them locally via WDRB/WBKI’s app, or just watch it like a normal human over the air on WBKI-58 or listen to the radio broadcast on ESPN 680/105.7.
For the first time in almost a year, there are actually tickets available for this match! Check out loucity.com or SeatGeek to see if you can get them – the stadium is open to 50% capacity for this match!
MARCH: It’s still a bit up in the air but if you’re comfortable with it, there will be pre-match festivities at Ten20 Brewing, as well as other get-togethers at local bars in Butchertown like Mellwood Tavern, Big Al’s, Hogfather Pizza and the Cabel Street Bar upstairs, Sergio’s, High Horse, Odeon, or the new Gold Bar. Tailgating is apparently now approved, too, so if you’d rather bring your own and sit outside, you can!
WHO, AGAIN? My latest glance at the ATLUTD2 roster reveals they’re short a player and a coach, which probably isn’t actually true. The roster that does exist features an up-and-coming keeper from Argentina and former Riverhounds Robbie Mertz. For any other info, I’ll defer to and plagiarize from Nick Murray at uslchampionship.com:
There are changes for 2021, first on the sideline where former Head Coach Stephen Glass accepted the same position at the Scottish Premiership’s Aberdeen FC, but interestingly in the club’s recruitment of new arrivals. Incoming are loanees including goalkeeper Rocco Rios Novo from Argentine club Lanus, and Manchester United prospect Connor Stanley, which offers some intriguing potential to the side.
Another new arrival is midfielder Robbie Mertz, who performed well for Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC for the past two seasons and will be hoping to grasp his opportunity in Atlanta’s system. The challenge as always will be to find a consistent level, but there is talent here to take in as the season progresses.
As usual, in games against MLS2 teams like this, Louisville City will need to focus on themselves. I’m interested to see what new wrinkles John Hackworth has designed for this season, how JoGo, Akil Watts, and other new arrivals work into the team, and whether three months of preseason have gotten City sharp enough offensively to come out of the gates firing early this season.
It’ll be fun, that’s guaranteed. VAMOS MORADOS!
