{"id":23712,"date":"2019-07-12T14:28:53","date_gmt":"2019-07-12T18:28:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lwosonsoccer.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/?p=23712"},"modified":"2019-07-12T14:28:53","modified_gmt":"2019-07-12T18:28:53","slug":"sounders-looking-win-over-atlanta","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/soccer\/2019\/07\/12\/sounders-looking-win-over-atlanta\/","title":{"rendered":"Preview: With internationals back, Sounders looking for win over Atlanta"},"content":{"rendered":"

Preview (July 12, 2019)<\/strong> \u2014 There is one thing that the Seattle Sounders<\/a> and Atlanta United<\/a> have in common. Both teams are MLS Cup champions and have won the coveted title twice. They each have made the playoffs in every season they’ve been in MLS.<\/p>\n

Now, that one might be a stretch. Seattle has been around a lot longer than Atlanta. The Sounders began competing in 2009 and have made the playoffs every single year since. In 2016, Seattle captured their title and went back to the final a year later.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Atlanta is in its third season, making the playoffs in the first two seasons. Last year, the Georgia-club were crowned champions under Tata Martino.<\/p>\n

Preview: With internationals back, Sounders looking for win over Atlanta<\/strong><\/h1>\n

Now, it’s the Frank de Boer show.<\/p>\n

Atlanta had a rough outing<\/a> in the beginning of the season. Josef Martinez never really hit the gas pedal. Meanwhile, there are now reports that Pity Martinez is heading out on loan. His frustrations with de Boer are also being aired out in the media<\/a>.<\/p>\n

However, Atlanta United has found a way to bounce back into a playoff position. They’re not the dominant first-place team they were last year. Atlanta found a way to get back into third place, but there’s not a lot of breathing room. Right now, Atlanta sits with 30 points in the Eastern Conference. The Montreal Impact are right behind, also with 30 points. New England, who sits on the cusp of the playoffs, but underneath the line, only has 23 points.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, for the Sounders, it’s the opposite. The Sounders are in third place and primed for another playoff appearance. However, the Sounders started off the season strong. That was unusual for the Sounders, who are historically slow season starters. The Sounders were unbeaten in their first seven matches before falling to LAFC.<\/p>\n

The month of June wasn’t kind to Seattle. They were missing out on international stars, which didn’t help the team. Seattle lost every match in June, except for the last match against the Vancouver Whitecaps.<\/p>\n

Now, Seattle is looking to get another win-streak back on track.<\/p>\n

Seattle Sounders FC vs. Atlanta United FC
\n<\/b>2019 MLS Regular Season
\n<\/b>CenturyLink Field
\nJuly 14, 2019 \u2014 12:55 p.m. PT\/3:55 p.m. ET<\/b>
\n<\/b>TV:\u00a0ESPN<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n

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"All of the internationals players coming back can only boost this team to somewhere near their best form."<\/p>\n

@Zakuani11 gives us this week's Scouting Report \u2b07\ufe0f pic.twitter.com\/DtYKFyqXHn<\/a><\/p>\n

— Seattle Sounders FC (@SoundersFC) July 12, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n