What has been a torrid season for Toronto FC is finally nearing an end, yet the Canadian outfit will look to finish the campaign on a strong note, starting with the visit of Atlanta United on Sunday evening.
For Atlanta, hopes of extending their season into the playoffs remain and the 2018 Major League Soccer Cup winners could move into a top-seven spot this weekend with a victory, should other results go their way.
Match preview
© Reuters
Having lifted the MLS Cup in only their second season as a franchise club back in 2018, Atlanta backed up their victory with a semi-final place the following season, whilst securing consecutive trophy wins with their maiden US Open Cup triumph.
Dropping to their lowest ever finish as an MLS club in last year's disrupted campaign, Atlanta have somewhat bounced back this season and remain in the hunt of a playoff spot.
Currently just outside the top seven, Atlanta are one of five sides separated by three points, starting with themselves down in eighth, going up all the way to Orlando City in fourth.
Six games of the regular season remain for Atlanta to climb into the playoff spots, with a crucial matchup against sixth-placed New York City FC on the horizon, after their tie against Toronto.
In fact, Sunday's meeting will be one of two the pair have against each other before the season concludes, with Atlanta targeting six points in their playoff hunt.
Despite their more advantageous league position over the Canadian side, it is not a shoo-in Atlanta will get the results they crave, given their shaky form over Toronto in recent years.
With only one win in the last four matches between the two, Atlanta will be hoping the match goes the way it did the last time they played each other earlier this year, when the Five Stripes edged past their opponents 1-0.
© Reuters
A victory would be much welcomed for Toronto manager Javier Perez, whose side are currently on course for their worst finish in MLS history.
MLS Cup winners themselves as recently as 2017, their fall from grace has come at a dreadful time for a side that were threatening to win the CONCACAF Champions League not too long ago.
Finishing as runners-up in the tournament during their MLS Cup-winning season, defeat to Mexican side Guadalajara in the final denied Toronto a famous double.
Remarkably, Toronto could still find themselves competing in the 2022 edition of the tournament, should they go all the way and secure an eighth Canadian Championship title.
It will not be easy for Toronto, who face Pacific FC in the semi-finals next month, before a potential showdown for the title with fellow MLS club Montreal in the final.
Success in the competition closer to home will without doubt gloss over what has been a season to forget for the side from South-West Canada.
- W
- W
- D
- W
- L
- L
- W
- W
- D
- W
- W
- L
- L
- W
- L
- W
- W
- W
Team News
© Reuters
Whilst their performances on the pitch have been poor, their luck with injuries has not been much better and Toronto will be missing a number of key players once more for the visit of Atlanta.
Chris Mavinga (abdominal), Dominic Dwyer (abdominal), Jordan Perruzza (back), Eriq Zavaleta (concussion) and Tsubasa Endoh (abdominal) are all expected to return to the fold soon, but will be absent for their next fixture.
Two players who will not feature for the hosts again this season are Ralph Priso and Ayo Akinola, whose campaigns were ended by a broken ankle and an anterior cruciate ligament injury respectively.
However, perhaps Toronto's biggest miss will be veteran striker Jozy Altidore, who has been absent since August following foot surgery and will likely sit the rest of the campaign out.
Similarly, Atlanta will be without their fair share of players for this clash, most notably star striker Josef Martinez, who is missing through a knee injury sustained in their recent defeat to Montreal.
Martinez has been a constant source of goals for Atlanta since joining in 2017, and Perez will be keen to see his talisman return before the season finishes, especially if the Five Stripes make it to the playoffs.
Erick Torres (COVID-19), Jurgen Damm (muscle), Amar Sejdic (muscle) and Emerson Hyndman (ACL) will also miss the match against Toronto, yet Jake Mulraney could see himself return to the starting 11.
The Irish-born midfielder scored Atlanta's only goal in the defeat to Montreal and has not started any of their last four matches.
Toronto possible starting lineup:
Bono; Laryea, Lawrence, Gonzalez, Auro; Shaffelburg, Osorio, Bradley, Delgado, Achara; Soteldo
Atlanta United possible starting lineup:
Guzan; Robinson, Franco, Walkes; Hernandez, Lennon, Mulraney, Sosa, Bello; Chol, Barco
We say: Toronto 0-2 Atlanta United
Atlanta need the points whilst Toronto do not and despite their stuttering record in recent years against the Canadian side, expect the 2018 MLS Cup winners to come out fighting in this one.
They may be without their biggest goal threat in Martinez, but Atlanta should still have enough firepower to see off a depleted and disappointing Toronto side.
Top tip
Data Analysis
Our analysis of all available data, including recent performances and player stats up until an hour before kickoff, suggested the most likely outcome of this match was a Toronto win with a probability of 49.68%. A win for Atlanta United had a probability of 26.33% and a draw had a probability of 24%.
The most likely scoreline for a Toronto win was 1-0 with a probability of 9.65%. The next most likely scorelines for that outcome were 2-1 (9.58%) and 2-0 (8.19%). The likeliest Atlanta United win was 0-1 (6.66%), while for a drawn scoreline it was 1-1 (11.29%). The actual scoreline of 0-2 was predicted with a 3.9% likelihood.
