TFC aims to slow first-place Atlanta United (Aug 02, 2018)
Atlanta United opponents hoping the All-Star break would cool off Five Stripes' striker Josef Martinez probably didn't like what they saw Wednesday night.
Martinez scored the MLS All-Stars' lone goal in a 1-1 loss on penalty kicks to Juventus on Wednesday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Now, defending MLS Cup champion Toronto FC will attempt to slow down first-place United and Martinez, who leads the league with a remarkable 24 goals, nine more than any other player.
"We just hope it lasts the entire season," Atlanta manager Tata Martino told mlssoccer.com. "When a goal scorer is performing at such a high level, you just have to let him be."
The Five Stripes (14-4-5, 47 points) sit atop the Eastern Conference table, four points clear of second-place New York City FC. Atlanta rolled into the All-Star break on a four-game unbeaten run and returns to action against a Toronto team that has suffered somewhat of a post-championship let down.
Toronto (6-11-4, 22 points) is in 10th place in the 11-team Eastern Conference and is coming off back-to-back MLS wins for the first time this season.
"(The game against Atlanta) comes at a good time," Toronto coach Greg Vanney said. "We're trending in the right direction, had our best half I think of probably the season in-league in the second half last game. I thought our rhythm came back, some of the swagger that we know of our group started to arrive again."
Star forward Sebastian Giovinco is heating up for Toronto, with a combined 10 goals and assists since June. He had only six in the first three months of the MLS season.
Martinez remains the story, though. The Venezuelan has scored his 24 goals in 23 games and needs just four more tallies to set the MLS regular-season record. He had nine goals alone in July and made a relentless play Wednesday for an equalizing goal in the All-Star Game, before subbing out.
"Another fearless goal," Atlanta defender Michael Parkhurst told reporters. "He sticks his head right in there and almost gets crushed in the face. He's already got a broken nose, but he doesn't care. The goal is more important for him and we're happy that he got another one."
This will be the third meeting between the two Eastern Conference clubs. They played to a pair of 2-2 draws last season.
Saturday's game kicks off at 4 p.m., ET at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in downtown Atlanta.
