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Atlanta United: 5 must-watch matches ahead of 2020 season

By Josh Bouland

HARRISON, NJ - MAY 19: Frank de Boer Head Coach of Atlanta United FC after MLS match between Atlanta United FC and New York Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena on May 19 2019 in Harrison, NJ, USA. The New York Red Bulls won the match with a score of 1 to 0. (Photo by Ira L. Black/Corbis via Getty Images)
HARRISON, NJ - MAY 19: Frank de Boer Head Coach of Atlanta United FC after MLS match between Atlanta United FC and New York Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena on May 19 2019 in Harrison, NJ, USA. The New York Red Bulls won the match with a score of 1 to 0. (Photo by Ira L. Black/Corbis via Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 29: Carlos Vela #10 of Los Angeles FC during the MLS Western Conference Final between Los Angeles FC and Seattle Sounders at the Banc of California Stadium on October 29, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. Seattle Sounders won the match 3-1 (Photo by Shaun Clark/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 29: Carlos Vela #10 of Los Angeles FC during the MLS Western Conference Final between Los Angeles FC and Seattle Sounders at the Banc of California Stadium on October 29, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. Seattle Sounders won the match 3-1 (Photo by Shaun Clark/Getty Images) /

1. August 19 vs LAFC

Atlanta United’s third-ever meeting with Los Angeles FC should be a good one. A total of 12 goals were scored in the first two meetings between these teams. Atlanta won the first match at Mercedes Benz Stadium 5-0 in 2018. LAFC prevailed in a 4-3 win at the Banc of California Stadium just last year.

Atlanta helped set a new bar for expansion teams in 2017 when they joined the league, as well as with their success in 2018. LAFC might have surpassed that with their successes in 2018 and 2019. The Black and Gold set a record for most points by an expansion team back in 2018, then followed up with a historic 2019 campaign in which they set the record for most points and best goal differential in the regular season, winning the Supporters’ Shield in a landslide.

This match will also see both of the previous Golden Boot winners, Josef Martinez and Carlos Vela. Since Vela joined the league in 2018, both players have scored a combined 106 goals, as well as adding 38 assists. Those are astonishing numbers, so expect both of these stars to put on a show in August.

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Because both teams are consistently top of the league, this match should have Supporters’ Shield implications, which will only add to the hype surrounding this matchup. Atlanta and LAFC might be the two best teams in MLS. Any time they face one another, it is a must-watch occasion.

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