ATLANTA — Atlanta United returns to action Saturday night to take on 2016 MLS Cup runners-up Toronto FC at BMO Field for the first-ever meeting between the two clubs.
This is the second match of a four-game road stretch for Atlanta, who enters the match in second place in the Eastern Conference standings with seven points and a league-leading +8 goal differential. Toronto sits in sixth place in the Eastern Conference with six points and is unbeaten through four matches.
Atlanta is coming off a 0-0 draw at Seattle on March 31 in which the team was able to earn a hard-fought point against the defending MLS Cup champions. It was the second-consecutive clean sheet for goalkeeper Alec Kann and the back four, and Atlanta held Seattle to just one shot on goal on its home field, the lowest total for the Sounders since May 23, 2015.
Toronto opened its home calendar with a 0-0 draw against Sporting Kansas City in the first leg of scoreless draws on Friday night. Toronto kept its third clean sheet in four games, however goalkeeper Clint Irwin had to come off after an injury in the 37th minute. Sebastian Giovinco hit the crossbar on a free kick in the 59th minute in what was the best scoring chance for either team.
