Atlanta United Vs FC Cincinnati: 3 things to watch for – Absolute must-win

1. Who will score the goals?

The Five Stripes were held scoreless against New York in an outcome that wasn’t overly surprising given the absence of Josef Martinez. However, the goals have to come from somewhere. Multiple players came close to scoring against the Red Bulls, but that clinical touch that Martinez has so frequently provided before was missing.

Atlanta’s two goalscorers in MLS play in 2020 thus far are Emerson Hyndman and Ezequiel Barco. Neither came close to scoring. There were only three shots between Hyndman and Barco, none of which landed on target. If Adam Jahn starts against Cincinnati, he could provide a greater cutting edge in the final third.

Jahn will not be as prolific as Martinez, but he can hold up the ball and provide an outlet for Hyndman, Barco, and Gonzalo Martinez to play off. Jahn’s naturally large presence in the box is crucial as well, especially if the wing-backs are whipping in multiple crosses over the course of a game.

Atlanta United expect to score against the league’s most porous defense. If the Five Stripes can’t find a goal in this one, they may be in serious trouble and looking at an early exit from the MLS is Back Tournament.