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Saturday, October 30, 2021

PREVIEW: Forge FC vs. HFX Wanderers FC — Match #102 – Canadian Premier League - Canadian Premier League


2021 CPL regular season — Match #102
Forge FC vs. HFX Wanderers FC
October 30, 2021 at 1 pm ET
Tim Hortons Field, Hamilton, Ontario
Watch Live: OneSoccer.ca // Buy tickets HERE

In addition to its website and app, OneSoccer is now available on TELUS channel 980 and on Fubo TV. Call your local cable provider to ask for OneSoccer today.


The Canadian Premier League’s Halloween weekend triple-header kicks off this Saturday in Hamilton, as HFX Wanderers pay a visit to Tim Hortons Field to take on Forge FC in yet another rematch of the 2020 CPL Final.

The Wanderers, currently clinging to the fourth and final playoff spot in the league by a one-point margin over York United, will probably consider Saturday’s game must-win, especially with both York and Valour FC, the two other sides still in the hunt for the top four, also playing away from home that afternoon. The urgency is even greater for HFX at the moment coming out of their midweek fixture on Tuesday, where they were dismantled in Winnipeg en route to a 3-0 loss to Valour.

Stephen Hart’s side have just one game on the schedule after this one — a home clash with Atlético Ottawa — so the margin for error is exceptionally thin as they hold desperately to their hopes of joining the top three sides in the playoffs.

“They know they have to turn things around, come up with two big performances, which starts with the one tomorrow,” Hart said on Friday.

One of those top three is, of course, the defending champions Forge. They’re third in the table as it stands with 41 points, meaning they’re three back of second-place Cavalry FC and four behind first-place Pacific. However, they actually have a better shot at breaking into the top two than it seems: with just 23 out of 28 matches played, Forge have two games in hand on Cavalry, and three on the Tridents. So, they’ll likely control their own fate over what’s sure to be a whirlwind couple weeks in November.

Saturday will be the fifth and (potentially) final meeting between the Hamilton and Halifax sides in 2021, and there’s been little to separate them. They’ve played three times at the Wanderers Grounds, both teams winning once with a draw in the third contest. In their only game at Tim Hortons Field so far this year, Forge’s Kwame Awuah scored with a lobbed cross in the 96th minute to equalize for the hosts and split the points.

Last weekend, these teams played out a 0-0 stalemate in Halifax. Certainly, both sides will be hoping to open things up a little more this time around as they look for three more points to close out October.


Make your match picks prior to kickoff at canpl.ca/predictor for a chance to win prizes, including the grand prize of a trip to the 2021 CPL Final! To learn more about ComeOn!, click here.

All CPL matches are available to stream on OneSoccer, or on TELUS Optik TV Channel 980. 


3 THINGS TO WATCH:

  • Where will the goals come from for HFX? The Wanderers have not scored a goal in their last three games. In their last five, they’ve scored just one. Despite being in the driver’s seat for the fourth playoff spot, HFX have actually scored the fewest goals in the CPL this season with just 26 in 26 games. The recent absence of leading scorer (and CPL Golden Boot leader) Joao Morelli has certainly not helped; he has missed four consecutive games now, and the only goal the team has scored in that stretch was an own goal from a set-piece against Pacific. Coach Stephen Hart has been crying out all season for Morelli to have some help in the goalscoring department; in these final two games of the season, whether Morelli is there or not (his status remains questionable), it’s absolutely crucial that somebody steps up. “It’s a composure thing,” Hart said. “We just seem to lack that precision, that composure in the box. It is something we’ve been trying to address for the longest while, we just have to keep plugging away and hope that on the day we can find situations where we not only score the goals but even with the half-chances force saves and see what happens after that.”
  • Forge expanding tactical toolbox: In Wednesday’s match against CF Montreal, Forge deployed a full-on high press system, which isn’t something they’ve often done in three years of CPL play. That’s certainly not something they’re likely to use often — and probably not against HFX, who can be very direct and play through a press when necessary — but it goes to show just how complex and versatile this Forge side is. “What’s important is you have to see what the opponent is, what their trends are,” Bobby Smyrniotis said on Friday. “At least for us, we have DNA and we have principles to the way we play but there’s always going to be adjustments based on the teams we play, where they could be dangerous, where we think we could block them and create opportunities for us… We’ve shown that when it comes to games like that, knockout games, things like that, we’re open to changing it up a little bit, but also sticking to our principles and making sure we’re good on the ball.”
  • How quickly can Forge regroup after emotional CanChamp? Forge have no time to feel sorry for themselves after Wednesday night’s loss on penalties, with CPL matches (plus Tuesday’s Concacaf League) coming thick and fast now. However, there’s perhaps a sense that Forge will come into Saturday’s game even hungrier, having been knocked out of one competition but still alive in two others. Their focus will have narrowed slightly, and they’ll be desperate to bounce back as quickly as possible. “That chapter is done, you move on immediately. It doesn’t matter what you’re doing, how many games you’ve won in a row, what you’ve lost and so on, it’s pointless because you’ve got the next one and it’s an important one. We have an opponent coming in here who I think really needs three points based on their midweek result and things getting a little bit interesting in that part for that fourth playoff spot; they’re coming in with some level of pressure to get a result, and for us it’s important because we want to climb the table. It doesn’t matter at this point how many points you finish with, there’s no trophy for it.”

ALL-TIME SERIES

HFX Wanderers wins: 2 || Forge FC wins: 3 || Draws: 6

Previous match:

October 23, 2021 — HFX Wanderers FC 0-0 Forge FC

KEY QUOTES

“We have players on the pitch that you interchange and it doesn’t change a lot of the way in which you have to play. You can pull one guy in, put the other other guy up into that position and keep things steady. They may bring a little bit of a different dynamic in how they do it, because that’s important, but it doesn’t change the basis of play.” – Forge FC coach Bobby Smyrniotis

“I do know (Forge) don’t want to have to leave Hamilton, they want to finish first. They’re going to do what they have to do.” — HFX Wanderers FC coach Stephen Hart

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PREVIEW: Forge FC vs. HFX Wanderers FC — Match #102 – Canadian Premier League - Canadian Premier League
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MATCH PREVIEW: Inter Miami CF to Host New York City FC on Saturday - Inter Miami CF

The match may feature reunions between former teammates or rivals for several Inter Miami and New York City FC players. Inter Miami captain Gregore may play against compatriot and former teammate Thiago Andrade, the duo featured together for Esporte Clube Bahia in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A during the 2020 season. Gregore may also encounter Nicolás Acevedo and Talles Magno, who he played against during his tenure with EC Bahia. Christian Makoun may play against known rivals Chris Gloster and Acevedo, who he has faced on the international stage during his time with the U-20 Venezuelan National Team. Makoun played against Gloster and the U-20 USMNT national team in a friendly in 2018 and against Acevedo and the U-20 Uruguay National Team in the U-20 South American Championship in 2019. Rodolfo Pizarro may encounter James Sands after recently facing off against him on Aug.1 in the CONCACAF 2021 Gold Cup final when Mexico played against the United States. The midfielder may also once again face off against Jesús Medina, who he last encountered on July 1, 2017 in an international friendly with the Mexican National Team against Medina’s Paraguay. Pizarro may also face off against Maxi Moralez again, after playing against him when he was with Club León during his stint with CF Pachuca.

There could also be numerous reunions between players of the U.S. National Team ranks. Indiana Vassilev may encounter previous teammates Gloster and Sands, who he played with on the U-17 U.S. National Team. The trio featured together with the team in several international friendlies from 2017 to 2018, as well in the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2017. Defender Ventura Alvarado may encounter former teammate Alfredo Morales, the pair featured together six times for the USMNT, including one CONCACAF Gold Cup match on July 13, 2015. 

Frenchman Blaise Matuidi may encounter Maxime Chanot after clashing against him in a FIFA World Cup qualifying match in 2017 in which France defeated Luxembourg 3-1. Gonzalo Higuaín may clash on the pitch once again with compatriot Maxi Moralez who he played against in Serie A during his time with SSC Napoli when Moralez was with Atalanta BC. Federico Higuaín may also encounter Moralez again, who he played against several times in Argentine top-flight fixtures during his stints with Nueva Chicago, Club Atlético Independiente, Club Deportivo Godoy Cruz Antonio Tomba and Club Atlético Colón. 

Lastly, Leandro González Pírez may encounter New York City’s Sean Johnson, Alexander Callens, Maxime Chanot, Sebastien Ibeagha, James Sands, Keaton Parks, Tony Rocha, Maxi Moralez, Jesús Medina, Ismael Tajouri-Shradi and Valenín Castellanos once again after facing them previously throughout his time in the MLS.

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MATCH PREVIEW: Inter Miami CF to Host New York City FC on Saturday - Inter Miami CF
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Friday, October 29, 2021

Match-fixing is a major threat to the new sports betting landscape. The high rollers are on high alert - Toronto Star

It’s a safe bet that Canadian sports fans aren’t familiar with Kyle McKinstry.

Almost a year ago, McKinstry received an eight-year ban from the Darts Regulation Authority for his role in fixing two matches at the Modus Icons tournament. The punishment was the result of an investigation after the governing body for professional darts was informed by the International Betting Integrity Association of suspicious betting activity during the event in April and May 2020.

Seven bookmakers flagged suspicious wagers and “significant connections” were discovered between McKinstry and eight bettors who made almost $33,000 from his loss to David Evans.

Match-fixing has been around forever, and Canada has also been in the eye of a betting storm. As Declan Hill wrote for the Star in 2016, the semi-professional Canadian Soccer League was once considered “a hot spot of corruption and match-fixing” with bettors from around the world profiting by wagering on CSL matches.

For the players in Canada’s new regulated sports betting industry, there is work being done to thwart the manipulation of sports events.

“Legal betting leads to more eyes watching and shining a brighter light,” said Paul Burns, president and CEO of the Canadian Gaming Association. “In the past, nobody was overseeing sports betting because the only regulation was around legal gaming.”

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, responsible for licensing and regulating what’s expected to be the only open sports betting and internet gaming market in the country, has met with the national and international associations and others to incorporate stringent standards. According to Doug Hood, the AGCO’s project manager for sports betting, any sportsbook applying for a licence will “have an obligation to monitor the betting patterns they’re seeing.”

“We’ve been speaking to as many different stakeholders as we can to get it right,” Hood said this week. “We’ve been able to learn from jurisdictions around the world and take the best pieces from each to create something that makes a lot of sense and works practically.”

Hood said those conversations have involved the International Betting Integrity Association, a not-for-profit organization that operates across six continents and is funded by more than 50 sportsbook operators through membership fees.

“We’re seeing how we can work more broadly with the AGCO now that Ontario is opening up,” said the association’s CEO, Khalid Ali. “We’ve been working with them closely and found them to be very receptive to hearing the pros and cons of integrity and regulatory practices.

Darts player Kyle McKinstry was hit with an eight-year suspension for his hand in fixing two matches.

“They’ve put together a very good model.”

The association has collaborated with the International Olympic Committee — including the monitoring of suspicious betting during the Tokyo Games — FIFA, UEFA, the International Tennis Integrity Agency, gaming commissions across Europe and other organizations which have an interest in keeping tabs on wagering patterns. Sportsbook operators can flag suspicious betting with the international association, which then passes the information along to a sports organization and/or integrity body for possible investigation.

“Our members want to make sure the games are safe so the customers can bet on them,” Ali said during a Zoom call from Brussels. “They won’t bet on a sport that’s being fixed.”

In its latest quarterly report, the international integrity body identified 65 suspicious alerts in nine sports, including soccer, tennis, basketball, esports and table tennis (which emerged as an attractive sport for bettors early in COVID-19 pandemic and has seen a subsequent rise in suspicious cases). Three alerts in North America have led to investigations: two tennis matches in Mexico and the U.S., and a cricket match in St. Kitts and Nevis.

While there’s heightened interest in live, in-game betting with increased access to data by sports leagues and sportsbooks, Ali said the data collected by his association shows the majority of alerts about potential match-fixing come before the start of an event.

“A lot of people think in-play wagering is going to cause an increase in integrity threats,” Ali said. “If you want to move those (in-game) markets, it’s very difficult. You can get more money on pre-match (wagers).”

Until now, Ali’s group hasn’t operated in North America, which has a fast-growing betting industry with the legalization of single-event wagering in both Canada and the U.S. The NHL, NBA, NFL and other pro leagues have been monitoring deals with companies such as Sportradar and Genius Sports. NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told Sportsnet this past summer that the league has “a number of third-party resources that we regularly employ to monitor betting activities on our games.”

Matthew Holt, CEO of U.S. Integrity which counts the NBA and several sportsbooks and regulators among its clients, said the American betting industry — like the AGCO — has made independent monitoring a priority.

“The oddsmaker shouldn’t be your only integrity provider, just like an arresting officer in a case shouldn’t be the judge,” Holt said.

SM

Steve McAllister is the editor-in-chief of The Parleh sports betting newsletter. A freelance contributor to the Star's Sports section, he is based in Toronto. Follow him on Twitter: @StevieMacSports

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Conversations are opinions of our readers and are subject to the Code of Conduct. The Star does not endorse these opinions.

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Match-fixing is a major threat to the new sports betting landscape. The high rollers are on high alert - Toronto Star
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Match Preview | #DCvCLB - DC United

D.C. United are set to play against Columbus Crew SC in their 33rd match of the 2021 Major League Soccer (MLS) Regular Season on Saturday, October 30, with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m. ET. D.C. United will continue their playoff push in their final home game of the regular season.

The Black-and-Red are coming into Saturday’s match off a critical 1-0 win over the New York Red Bulls on Wednesday. D.C. United found the early break with a goal from Kevin Paredes in the ninth minute and were able to hold off RBNY for the remainder of the match. United’s Man of the Match, Bill Hamid, was a crucial component in the team’s win as he finished the night with five saves and a clean sheet to win the game. The win also earned the Black-and-Red the Atlantic Cup for the first time since 2016 after beating their rivals twice in 2021.

Columbus Crew SC are also coming off a win over Orlando City SC of 3-2. Lucas Zelarayán was the vital piece in Columbus’ attacking success in a highly contested match between the two teams. Zelarayán assisted the first two goals of the match and scored the game-winner in the 61st minute.

D.C. United have an all-time record of 38-33-11 against Columbus Crew SC. The last time these two teams faced each other was on August 4 at Lower.com Field. The Black-and-Red won the match 4-2 after Ola Kamara and Yordy Reyna scored two goals each. After Wednesday’s matches, D.C. United sits in seventh place with 44 points, while the Columbus Crew stands in 10th place with 41.

Head Coach Hernán Losada on the Upcoming Match:

"Nobody was expecting this D.C. United team to be in this spot two games before the end of the regular season. It's a bounce back season, and I'm very happy to be the coach of this team of players who are running the extra mile and doing the extra effort... There's only one way to be where we are right now. And that is by working together and by building up a strong collective. And the guys did it. So it's incredible...We have been bouncing back every single game since the start. So, let's try to bounce back two more times."

D.C. United’s match is at Audi Field against the Columbus Crew SC on Saturday, October 30, with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET. Tune into NBCSWA+, TeleXitos, and www.dcunited.com to watch the match.

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Match Preview | #DCvCLB - DC United
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PREVIEW: Cavalry FC vs. Valour FC — Match #103 – Canadian Premier League - Canadian Premier League

2021 CPL regular season — Match #102
Cavalry FC vs. Valour FC
October 30, 2021 at 3:30 pm ET/1:30 pm ET
ATCO Field at Spruce Meadows, Calgary, Alberta
Watch Live: OneSoccer.ca & TELUS Ch. 980 // Tickets available here

In addition to its website and app, OneSoccer is now available on TELUS channel 980 and on Fubo TV. Call your local cable provider to ask for OneSoccer today.


Cavalry FC and Valour FC will meet in an all-important playoff matchup Saturday in Calgary.

The home side Cavs are in the hunt for a crucial home-field advantage in the already-clinched playoffs while Winnipeg is staring down an underdog story for the ages – all set to be played in an ice-cold Calgary (more on that later).

Valour is coming off of potentially their biggest win in recent memory on Tuesday when Phil Dos Santos’ group thrashed HFX Wanderers FC 3-0 at IG Field. A monumental result of itself, but made bigger by the fact Winnipeg staved off elimination and came within striking distance of the fourth and final playoff spot with the win. Saturday’s match is a must-win for the Winnipeg side with two matches remaining (including away to FC Edmonton) – they’re three points back of the Wanderers on fourth place while fifth place York United sit two points ahead with a game at hand.

“We understand the moment we’re in,” Dos Santos said. “We’re in a good place, the team is confident even considering the loss we had in Ottawa before Halifax.”

Cavalry, meanwhile, was the first team to clinch a CPL playoff spot in 2021 following a dramatic 2-1 win over Pacific FC last week. Tommy Wheeldon Jr.’s side is in the midst of a six-match unbeaten run and are real candidates to surge ahead for the top spot in the regular season – a neat crescendo aided by an ever-healing group of players that now includes Joe Mason and Tom Field with Mason Trafford, Nik Ledgerwood, Oliver Minatel, and Ali Musse on the mend. Can Calgary continue that rise? Especially going into their final two matches of the season against their two CPL top three competitors in Pacific (at home, Sunday Nov. 7) and away to Forge FC (away, Tuesday Nov. 16)?


Make your match picks prior to kickoff at canpl.ca/predictor for a chance to win prizes, including the grand prize of a trip to the 2021 CPL Final! To learn more about ComeOn!, click here.

All CPL matches are available to stream on OneSoccer, or on TELUS Optik TV Channel 980. 


3 THINGS TO WATCH:

  • Snowy & cold day set for Calgary: Calgary and, in this case by extension, the CPL has been spared from wintry weather so far this season – Saturday will likely be the end of that trend, with freezing temperatures on the heels of a significant snowfall Friday. Environment Canada is calling for snow to fall throughout the day, ending up with between five and 10 centimetres of snow to land by overnight. Tomorrow will see a high of 0 with a windchill closer to -11 in the morning. Perfect weather for some football, right?
  • Valour riding a high: It’s hard not to discuss Valour’s fortunes without mentioning their result against Halifax – a swashbuckling affair that saw a Winnipeg side run their tail off for 90 minutes. Dos Santos will have bottled that energy in his side but, as he explained before the match, the team also has to show a level of discipline against a bruising and similarly high-octane Cavalry team with a rare week’s rest: “We don’t need to feel like we need to solve everything very early in the game… We will need to be disciplined defensively without backing off – there’s a fine line there – I never want to ask our team to not to be aggressive and step on the opposition but we need to understand there are moments where we’ll be low and Cavalry will have possession… We just need to manage that better.”
  • Valour playoff hopes hinge on Saturday: Meanwhile, Dos Santos has reason to believe his team can make the playoffs in a season-defining two-game set, adding: “I have to be bold to say that if we win the next two games, we will be in the playoffs,” he said, qualifying as a “very personal” prediction. “Even if we have four points, we have a chance.” If either Halifax or York can reach 38 points – with a win and a draw for the former or a win and two draws for the latter – they’ll eliminate a Winnipeg side that wins out. What’s notable, though, is Valour have an advantage when it comes to tiebreakers which, in the 2021 CPL season, stand in the following order; Total number of wins, goal differential, goals for, away goals differential, away goals for, home goals differential, home goals for, most U-21 Domestic Player Minutes during the regular season, and, finally, and unlikely coin toss or drawing of lots (tie of three or more Teams). Valour has more wins (nine) and a better goal differential (0) than both HFX and York, due to their red hot start in the Winnipeg bubble.

ALL-TIME SERIES

Valour FC wins: 0 || Cavalry FC wins: 6 || Draws: 3

Previous match:

Oct. 5, 2021 — Valour FC 0-0 Cavalry FC


KEY QUOTES

 “I think it’s gonna be a difficult game for us. We’re going away to a place that’s difficult for everyone… But we also understand who we are, as a team, and the moment and importance of a result.  Cavalry is going to come out with that energy as they look for the top seed in the playoffs. It’s up to us to manage that, too.” – Valour FC head coach, Phillip dos Santos

“The next game is always the most important because in a slew of games that we’ve had, you never can take your eye off the next game. This is why we play the game. We’re in the running. We’re (three) games away from the season ending. And as thick and as congested as it’s been, this is the exciting time of the year.” – Cavalry FC head coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr.

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PREVIEW: Cavalry FC vs. Valour FC — Match #103 – Canadian Premier League - Canadian Premier League
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Match Center | October 30 vs. Columbus Crew SC - DC United

All attendees will be required to wear a mask when located in an indoor space unless consuming food or beverage while seated.

Fully vaccinated guests (age 3 or older) – meaning two weeks after the second dose in a two-dose series, or two weeks after a single-dose vaccine – will not be required to wear a mask while entering the stadium at any outdoor entry point, or while seated in an outdoor seating location. Unvaccinated guests continue to be required to wear a mask at all times, unless actively eating or drinking in their seat.

All tickets for the match are available through mobile devices; please download your ticket in advance. The easiest place to access your mobile tickets is through the official D.C. United Mobile App.

You can access your tickets by using either the app, or your D.C. United Account Manager. Once logged in, select Manage Tickets and add all of your tickets to either your Apple or GooglePay Wallet. We strongly recommend adding your tickets to your Wallet prior to arriving at the venue, for ease of entry.

Gates open 1.5 hours prior to kickoff. We recommend entering through the gate notated on your digital ticket to eliminate lines upon entry to Audi Field.

For a detailed list of matchday or stadium-related information, refer to the A-to-Z Guide.

To expedite entry into Audi Field, we strongly encourage fans not to bring bags to the stadium. Designated lanes will be set up for fans with bags and fans without bags. If you must bring a bag to the stadium, please see the important info below or visit our Bag Policy page.

Audi Field offers a wide variety of food and beverage options. Visit our Concessions page to view a full menu.

D.C. United fans will have the ability to place an in-stadium mobile order for pick-up to allow all fans to eliminate queuing. Place your order here for pick-up.

At each D.C. United regular season home match, when you pay with ApplePay, get bottled water for just $1! This offer is valid at every concession stand location and through mobile order for pick-up.

Reserve Parking with SpotHero: We recommend booking convenient and affordable parking in advance through SpotHero, the nation's leading parking reservations app.

To reserve your parking spot, visit the Audi Field SpotHero Parking page and book a spot with rates up to 50% off drive-up.

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Match Center | October 30 vs. Columbus Crew SC - DC United
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Atlanta United vs Toronto FC: Match Preview - Dirty South Soccer

A lot has happened since April 24th. That was the day of Atlanta United’s first home game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium with a sizeable crowd since 2020. The Five Stripes were still early on in Gabriel Heinze’s tenure and beat Chicago Fire 3-1 thanks in part to a wondergoal from Ezequiel Barco. Heinze has now come and gone, Atlanta suffered through a dreary summer that sent it tumbling to the bottom of the Eastern Conference, and Gonzalo Pineda was brought in as the club’s sixth head coach in five seasons. The whirlwind that has been 2021 is still roaring onwards at full speed but (you would presume) finally nearing its conclusion one way or the other. If the recent trend is anything to go by, however, we still have several twists and turns left. Atlanta’s comeback win over Miami kept its home playoff game hopes alive but it can ill afford a slip up at home against 13th-placed Toronto FC.

MLS: Philadelphia Union at Toronto FC Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

The Canadian side has taken on the role of spoiler since Atlanta eliminated it from playoff contention with a 2-0 win at BMO Field. TFC staggered into a 3-0 loss against Miami but has since picked up home draws off CF Montreal and Philadelphia Union. A goal from Jozy Altidore in each game (including a 95th-minute equalizer vs. Montreal) has been the catalyst for Toronto’s (albeit slight) revival and TFC will come into Saturday's encounter with as much confidence is possible for a team with 27 points. Some of Javier Perez’s side’s attention will be on a midweek affair in the Canadian Championship the following Wednesday. Toronto is up against Canadian Premier League side Pacific FC for a place in the final and a Concacaf Champions League berth.

Atlanta, meanwhile, has much more immediate needs. It has a game in hand on all of the teams above it and is a mere two points out of a home playoff game. The Five Stripes will have to jump both NYCFC and Orlando for that to become reality and it could very well take nine points out of nine for that to happen. Following Saturday’s visit from Toronto, Atlanta heads on a two-game road trip against the New York Red Bulls and FC Cincinnati. Gonzalo Pineda’s side has everything left in its own hands but that won’t matter if it can’t take care of business in the final week of the Regular Season.

Predicted Starting XIs

Atlanta’s Predicted XI (4-2-3-1)
Toronto’s Predicted XI (4-3-3)

With every game mattering to the extreme form here on out, it’s hard to see Pineda throwing much rotation into the mix. Atlanta looked ten times better in a back four than its usual 3-4-3 against Miami so it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Five Stripes go with a 4-2-3-1 from the start.

Prediction: Atlanta United 3-2 Toronto FC

Atlanta will race out to a multi-goal lead by halftime thanks to strikes from Barco and Luiz Araujo but its struggles to close out games will once again rear its head when Toronto pulls back a consolation goal to make things interesting.

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Atlanta United vs Toronto FC: Match Preview - Dirty South Soccer
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Match Reviews: 5 Famous Under-15-Minute Matches (Goldberg/Lesnar, Ibushi/Kendrick, Dragon/Mysterio, more) – TJR Wrestling - TJR Wrestling

A great match doesn’t have to go on forever to be considered a great match. Sometimes the shorter ones are the better ones. Whether it’s bec...