Dean Smith has issued a warning to Charlotte FC ahead of their upcoming match against Atlanta United in the MLS. Smith, who is in his second season as head coach, was not pleased with his team’s performance in their 2-2 draw against the Seattle Sounders last week. He emphasized the importance of not being outworked by their opponents for a second consecutive week.
In the match against Seattle, Charlotte managed to salvage a point thanks to a late own goal from Yeimar Gomez Andrade. However, Smith was disappointed with many aspects of his team’s display and called for more effort as they prepare to face Atlanta.
During a review of the game, Smith highlighted the fact that the opposition ran 5,000 kilometers more than his team. He described this statistic as damning and stressed the need for improvement. Smith reminded his players that their work rate was one of their strengths last season and urged them to fix it.
Charlotte had taken an early lead against Seattle but could only manage a draw. Smith’s focus is now on ensuring that his team’s performance levels are right for the upcoming match against Atlanta. He stated that he is not concerned about the result but rather the performance itself. Even though they didn’t play well against Seattle, Smith believes they could have won the game and he will concentrate on what he can fix.
On the other hand, Atlanta started their season with a 3-2 victory over CF Montreal under new head coach Ronny Deila. Centre-back Stian Gregersen praised the energy brought by Deila and noted that the team is starting to gel together.
In terms of players to watch, Adilson Malanda scored Charlotte’s first goal of the season against Seattle, just as he did in 2024 against New York City FC. Miguel Almiron provided an assist for Atlanta’s winning goal in their last match, marking his return to the club after playing for Newcastle United.
Looking ahead to the match, Charlotte FC is predicted to win based on their previous performances against Atlanta. Charlotte has won three out of their six meetings with Atlanta, and they have a strong home record, having lost only three of their last 29 matches at Bank of America Stadium.
According to Opta, Charlotte FC has a win probability of 47.6%, while Atlanta United has a win probability of 26.2%. A draw is also possible with a probability of 26.1%.
Overall, Dean Smith is demanding a better performance from Charlotte FC against Atlanta United and is determined to rectify the issues from their previous match.
