TV: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV (global)
English (Apple TV): Neil Sika (Play-by-Play) and Lloyd Sam (Analyst)
Spanish (Apple TV): Pablo RamÃrez (Play-by-Play) and Jesús Bracamontes (Analyst)
Toronto FC (7-10-3, 24 pts) hit the road to take on Atlanta United FC (5-8-6, 21 pts) in Major League Soccer action at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday evening. The Matchday 23 encounter kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET and can be viewed globally on MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app.
Sitting in eighth place in the Eastern Conference, TFC enter the weekend looking to get back to winning ways after dropping a road result against New York Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena last Saturday. Historically, TFC hold a 5W-4L-6T record through their first fifteen meetings with the 5-Stripes in regular season action and the Reds will be looking for their first regular season road victory in Atlanta in club history.
BEHIND ENEMY LINES
Toronto FC’s 2024 Major League Soccer campaign continues with the second and final regular season meeting with Atlanta United FC and their eleventh road match of the MLS regular season on Saturday evening. Following their first ten away MLS games in 2024, the Reds hold a 52W-161L-71T all-time record (227 points) in MLS regular season matches played on the road.
AN ODE TO THE PAST
Toronto FC visit the 2017 MLS expansion club Atlanta United FC for the 16th encounter in the all-time series between the two clubs. Historically, TFC hold a 5W-4L-6T record through their first fifteen meetings with the 5-Stripes in regular season action, while holding the edge (1W-0L-0T) in postseason play after defeating Atlanta United in the 2019 MLS Eastern Conference Final. Toronto will be looking for their first regular season road victory in Atlanta, after recording four ties and three losses at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in the last seven seasons. Earlier this campaign, Tyrese Spicer and Prince Owusu scored their first goals for Toronto FC to lift the Reds to a 2-0 win against Atlanta United on March 23 at BMO Field. TFC also kept their fourth clean sheet of the 2024 MLS campaign on the night and successfully recorded back-to-back clean sheets at BMO Field for the first time since August 2020.
THE CLIMB CONTINUES
Toronto FC go into Saturday’s match in Atlanta a week on from dropping a 3-0 result to the New York Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena. Following a 100-minute weather delay in New Jersey, goals from Elias Manoel, Dennis Gjengaar and Cameron Harper secured all three points for the hosts. Three nights earlier, TFC lost by a score of 1-2 to the visiting Nashville SC at BMO Field on June 19. Midfielder Alonso Coello scored his first TFC goal and became the 10th different player to open his account for the Reds during the 2024 season. However, the Spaniard’s 34th minute strike was overturned by a second-half brace from Nashville SC forward Sam Surridge, denying the hosts a home result on the night.
COPA CALLING
Three Toronto FC players and a pair from Atlanta United FC will be unavailable for selection on Saturday due to their participation in the Copa América and UEFA Euro 2024 tournaments. Toronto-born duo, Jonathan Osorio and Richie Laryea are currently representing Canada at the 2024 Copa América and will face Chile in their final Group C match on Saturday, June 29, with kick-off set for 8 p.m. ET, after facing Argentina and defeating Peru earlier in the competition. TFC goalkeeper and MLS veteran Sean Johnson, who recently signed a contract extension with the Reds, and the United States men’s national team (USMNT) will take on Uruguay after defeating Bolivia and facing Panama in Group C. Atlanta, meanwhile, will be without Peruvian defender Luis Abram and Georgian winger Saba Lobjanidze due to their participation in the two international summer tournaments.
ONCE A RED
Toronto FC’s latest acquisition, Derrick Etienne Jr., previously spent two seasons with Atlanta United (2023, 2024), where he made a combined 27 appearances and recorded two assists for the 5-Stripes. Since joining from Atlanta on April 24, 2024, the Haitian winger has scored two goals and recorded a pair of assists in 13 appearances across all competitions for the Reds. On the other side, goalkeeper Quentin Westberg joined Atlanta United in December 2022, after spending four seasons with Toronto FC (2019 – 2022). The French-American shot-stopper made his TFC debut against Seattle Sounders FC on April 13, 2019, and made a combined 79 appearances for the club. Westberg helped the Reds become MLS Eastern Conference champions in October 2019, making four key saves in the conference final against Atlanta United, and won the 2020 Canadian Championship with TFC in June 2022.
