Major League Soccer Gameweek 21
Atlanta United FC 2 - 1 FT Sporting Kansas City
Match Statistics
Possession
Shots
Shots on Target
Expected Goals (xG)
Passes
Pass Accuracy
Corners
Fouls
Yellow Cards
Red Cards
Match Events
13' T. Jacob (M. Almiron)
E. Karic 22'
24' F. Picault (E. Baez)
↓ J. Davis ↑J. Reynolds 45'+2
HT
62' ↓ F. Picault ↑W. Reilly
62' ↓ A. Gill ↑L. Brennan
↓ E. Karic ↑J. Reid 62'
↓ T. Calheira ↑S. Afrifa 62'
S. Afrifa 70'
72' L. Brennan
73' ↓ P. Diaz ↑S. Gregersen
76' E. Baez
77' ↓ C. Sanchez ↑S. Alzate
77' ↓ L. Brennan ↑M. Edwards
↓ Capita ↑J. Bartlett 87'
FT
Player Cards
Our take on every player in this match
Atlanta United FC
Goalkeepers
Lucas Hoyos 
MAGNET
44
Activity
44
Activity
43
Passes
1
Duels
Defenders
Tomás Jacob 
SNIPER
100%
Conversion
100%
Conversion
1
Goals
1
Shots
Paulo Díaz 
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
73
Total Mins
73
Entry
Javier Alonso 
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
2
Tackles
67%
Duel Win %
Elías Báez 
ARCHITECT
2
Key Passes
2
Key Passes
1
Assists
44%
Pass Acc
Midfielders
Cooper Sanchez
LATE SHIFT
13
Late Mins
13
Late Mins
77
Total Mins
77
Entry
Adrian Gill
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
62
Total Mins
62
Entry
Aleksey Miranchuk
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
91
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Tristan Muyumba
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
91
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Miguel Almirón
ARCHITECT
4
Key Passes
4
Key Passes
1
Assists
24%
Pass Acc
Forwards
Fafà Picault
SNIPER
100%
Conversion
100%
Conversion
1
Goals
1
Shots
BENCH
Jayden Hibbert 
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Stian Gregersen
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
18
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Ronald Hernández
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Enea Mihaj
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Matthew Edwards
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
13
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Steven Alzate
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
14
Total Mins
Started
Entry
William Reilly
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
29
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Luke Brennan
LATE SHIFT
13
Late Mins
13
Late Mins
16
Total Mins
77
Entry
Sergio Santos
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Sporting Kansas City
Goalkeepers
Stefan Cleveland 
SIEVE
33%
Save %
33%
Save %
2
Conceded
1
Saves
Defenders
Jacob Davis 
STORMTROOPER
1
Shots
1
Shots
0
Goals
0
On Target
Moisés Mosquera
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
91
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Wyatt Meyer
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
91
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Emir Karić
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
62
Total Mins
62
Entry
Midfielders
Capita 
NPC
87
Minutes
87
Minutes
13%
Pass Acc
6
Rating
Lasse Berg Johnsen
MAGNET
88
Activity
88
Activity
82
Passes
6
Duels
Zorhan Bassong
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
91
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Calvin Harris 
PROVOCATEUR
4
Fouls Won
4
Fouls Won
5
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
Forwards
Magomed-Shapi Suleymanov
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
91
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Taylor Calheira
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
62
Total Mins
62
Entry
BENCH
John Pulskamp
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Justin Reynolds
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
44
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Jansen Miller
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Jayden Reid
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
29
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Ian James
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Diego Borges
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Jacob Bartlett
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
4
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Kwaku Agyabeng
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Stephen Afrifa 
SUPER SUB
1
Goal
1
Goal
29
Minutes
6.3
Rating
Head to Head
| Date | Home | Score | Away | Competition | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 02/17/2024 | Atlanta United FC | 1 - 3 | Sporting Kansas City | Friendlies Clubs | Barry University |
| 02/27/2022 | Atlanta United FC | 3 - 1 | Sporting Kansas City | Major League Soccer | Mercedes-Benz Stadium |
| 05/06/2019 | Sporting Kansas City | 0 - 3 | Atlanta United FC | Major League Soccer | Children's Mercy Park |
| 05/09/2018 | Atlanta United FC | 0 - 2 | Sporting Kansas City | Major League Soccer | Mercedes-Benz Stadium |
| 08/07/2017 | Sporting Kansas City | 1 - 1 | Atlanta United FC | Major League Soccer | Children's Mercy Park |
02/17/2024
02/27/2022
05/06/2019
05/09/2018
08/07/2017
Atlanta United FC Win
Sporting Kansas City Win
Draw
League Standings
P: 18 GD: +23
P: 18 GD: +10
P: 17 GD: +6
P: 16 GD: +7
P: 18 GD: +7
P: 16 GD: 0
P: 19 GD: -11
P: 17 GD: +5
P: 17 GD: -3
P: 16 GD: -3
P: 18 GD: -5
P: 17 GD: -15
P: 18 GD: -7
P: 17 GD: -5
P: 16 GD: -9
League Standings
P: 25 GD: +29
P: 25 GD: +15
P: 25 GD: +10
P: 25 GD: +9
P: 24 GD: +10
P: 25 GD: -12
P: 25 GD: +7
P: 25 GD: +6
P: 24 GD: -7
P: 25 GD: -15
P: 24 GD: -7
P: 25 GD: -8
P: 25 GD: -7
P: 25 GD: -14
Match previews and recaps to help you decide which games are worth watching
Atlanta United FC
Sporting Kansas City
Atlanta United FC
Sporting Kansas City
Win Probability
Futmetrix AI estimate
Gritty Five Stripes Hold Off Kansas City Comeback
Skip It Futmetrix Score: 32/100. This basement battle won't make the highlight reels, but Atlanta's early ruthlessness provided enough cushion to survive a tense finale.
The Fast Start
Mercedes-Benz Stadium demanded a response from a struggling home side, and the players delivered instantly on their home turf. The Stakes were obvious for two teams languishing at the very bottom of the league table, desperate for a lifeline. Atlanta ignored Sporting KC's initial attempts to dictate the tempo and struck with lethal precision. T. Jacob found the back of the net in the 13th minute, converting a brilliant, field-splitting feed from Miguel Almirón. The home side refused to take their foot off the gas after the opener. Just eleven minutes later, Fafà Picault doubled the advantage with a clinical finish. Atlanta looked entirely comfortable in their own skin, turning their limited early touches into devastating scoreboard pressure that left the visitors completely stunned before the half-hour mark.
The Tactical Slog
Sporting Kansas City edged possession at 51 percent, but the raw numbers tell a massive lie about their threat level. Their midfield passing felt entirely hollow throughout the middle periods of the match. They passed the ball harmlessly around the perimeter but generated a woeful 0.47 expected goals overall. The Balance of play shifted into a slow, tactical slog. Atlanta sat back happily, absorbing the light pressure without breaking a sweat or risking their defensive shape. Kansas City looked completely out of ideas in the final third, lacking the creative spark needed to penetrate the box. Every attacking move fizzled out against a resolute home defense that frankly hasn't enjoyed much success or stability this season. It felt like a game slowly, mercifully drifting toward an inevitable and uninspiring shutout win for the hosts.
The Late Scare
The script flipped entirely in the second half. A high Intensity rating tells the true story of the chaotic final twenty minutes. Sporting KC's coaching staff finally rolled the dice, throwing S. Afrifa onto the field in the 62nd minute to shake things up. The super-sub answered the call almost immediately, clawing a critical goal back in the 70th minute to make it 2-1 and shatter the hosts' comfort. Panic visibly crept into the Atlanta ranks. The final whistle couldn't come fast enough for the nervous home crowd. Kansas City threw every available body forward in a desperate search for an equalizer, but their underlying lack of a killer instinct ultimately doomed the comeback effort. Atlanta survived the siege, taking three desperate points in a less-than-pretty affair that won't soon be forgotten by their relieved supporters.
Key Questions
How did substitute Miguel Almirón change the game?
Though actually a starter, Almirón was the offensive engine, changing the entire game's dynamic with a crucial 13th-minute assist to open the scoring.
What is the Futmetrix Score?
The Futmetrix Score is our 0-100 verdict on how entertaining a match is. We look at intensity, balance, stakes, and star quality to tell you if it's worth your time.
Basement Battle at Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Skip It Futmetrix Score: 27/100. Only the most dedicated supporters need to tune into this bottom-of-the-table clash, where dreadful defensive records heavily overshadow any attacking ambition.
The Setup
On August 23, 2026, Atlanta United FC host Sporting Kansas City at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in a match that carries a rock-bottom Stakes rating. Both clubs sit in a dismal 15th place in their respective conferences. A historically poor Form rating tells the story of two struggling sides, with Sporting conceding a massive 3.1 goals per game. Meanwhile, a minimal Balance score reflects the chaotic, low-quality nature of this fixture, though a decent Stars rating implies there is still some individual talent on display for the home side.
Key Battle
With no distinct tactical anchors on either side, this contest boils down to a disjointed Atlanta attacking unit trying to expose Sporting Kansas City’s crumbling defensive line. The visitors have shipped 48 goals already this season, meaning the home attackers should find plenty of space to operate if they can string together a few coherent passes in the final third.
Our Prediction
We expect Atlanta to secure a messy 3-1 victory. The hosts will leverage their slight home advantage to break through a porous away defense that simply cannot keep opponents at bay. Expect individual brilliance from Miguel Almirón and E. Latte Lath to make the crucial difference in an otherwise scrappy affair.