After taking home the 2018 MLS Cup, Atlanta United will have their hands full as they take on a match-heavy 2019 schedule.
Defending MLS Cup Champions, Atlanta United, will look ahead to the 2019 schedule as a chance to continue building upon what already appears to be a dynasty in the making.
But with the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and CONCACAF Champions League along with the always-brutal MLS regular-season campaign, Atlanta have more than enough challenges to overcome to establish their dreams of a dynasty.
The Five Stripes will begin competitive play on February 21 when they travel to Costa Rica to face Herediano in Champions League action. They will then begin their MLS title defense when they travel to the nation’s capital to take on Wayne Rooney and D.C. United, who look to be a legitimate contender after making a late-season push to get into the 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs.
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If Atlanta United were to advance to the quarter-finals of the CCL, they would be forced to survive off little-to-no rest for their 2019 home opener against MLS newcomer Cincinnati on March 10 in between both legs of the quarter-finals.
And the road only gets harder for the Five Stripes.
After a difficult April that could include two CCL semi-final matches, three regular season games, and possibly both legs of the Champions League final, the Five Stripes will face their biggest test yet in the month of May.
Atlanta United could potentially start the month by competing in leg two of the CCL final, traveling to Kansas City on May 5 to face off against one of the powerhouses of the Western Conference, and then having to make the mid-week turn around to host Toronto F.C., only to play three days later against rival Orlando City in Atlanta.
After hosting two matches in a row, Atlanta will hit the road to face off against the Vancouver Whitecaps on May 15 and will later match up against Eastern Conference opponent New York Red Bulls four days later. The Five Stripes’ road trip will conclude in Salt Lake City on May 24 before ending the month hosting Minnesota United on May 29.
When June hits, the Five Stripes will be able to take a much-needed break after they travel to Chicago on June 1. A three-week rest before traveling to Toronto on June 26 will be most welcome after a hectic and highly competitive first half of the season. The start of July marks the beginning of a somewhat regular run for Atlanta United in Major League Soccer by playing a few mid-week matches in between the regular weekly matchups.
However, Atlanta will once again get to face off against a non-MLS opponent when they host the Campeones Cup on August 14, before traveling to Portland on August 18 for an MLS Cup rematch.
The final two months of the regular season look to be huge for the Five Stripes as this team looks to once again make a run at the Supporters’ Shield and MLS Cup in November. Atlanta’s last six matches evenly include three home games while hitting the road for three, including a trip to the New England Revolution on October 6 for the final game of the 2019 regular season.
The 2019 season is coming closer by the day, and with a schedule packed with mid-week matchups, Atlanta United have their biggest challenge yet if they want to once again bring a trophy to the South.