Prior to the start of the season, Atlanta United was among the favorites to win the MLS Eastern Conference. After 11 games, they’re not in the Playoffs zone. They haven’t won in their last six games. They need to win, and they need to do it now.
Nashville SC is in a much better situation. Nevertheless, if they want to aspire to finish first, they can’t lose more points at home. Let’s take a look at the latest news, stats, injury reports, and the MLS Odds for Nashville vs Atlanta. We’ve plenty of predictions for you to consider!
Game: Nashville SC vs Atlanta United
Location: Nissan Stadium, Nashville
Time: Thursday, July 8, 8:30 p.m. ET
Television: TSN4
Live Stream: MLS Live on ESPN+
Major League Soccer Betting Lines
| Team | Handicap | Moneyline | Over/Under | Team Total |
| Nashville SC | -½ -150 | -150 | 2½ -120o | 1½ -130o/Evu |
| Atlanta United | +½ +120 | +400 | 2½ -110u | 1 +140o/-170u |
| Draw | +310 |
Head to Head
- Previous Matches: 5
- Nashville SC Victories: 1 (8 goals)
- Atlanta United Victories: 3 (11 goals)
- Draws: 1
The last time they met, the game ended 2-2. Marcelino Moreno and Erik Lopez scored for Atlanta United, while Hany Mukhtar scored twice for Nashville SC. The game was in Atlanta and the visitors overcame a 2-0 deficit.
Nashville won 4-2 the last time they met at Nissan Stadium. Mukhtar scored one of the goals and the first half finished 3-1 favoring the home side.
Atlanta scored in all their meetings and managed to finish with a clean sheet once.
Why bet on Nashville SC?
Nashville SC is fourth in the Eastern Conference with 18 points thanks to a 4-6-1 record. No other team has lost only one game. They’ve scored 14 goals and allowed 11. Most recently, they defeated the Philadelphia Union 1-0.
They scored at least one goal in eight of their 11 matches. That’s not hard to understand when you realize that their offensive unit includes Hany Mukhtar, C.J. Sapong, and Jhonder Cadiz. Mukhtar is the team’s top scorer with three goals.
Cadiz, originally brought in on loan in 2020 from S.L. Benfica, extended his contract for the remainder of the 2021 season. “Jhonder has produced positive signs on and off the field during his time with us. We are encouraged to be able to extend his loan,” General Manager Mike Jacobs said. Nashville is undefeated when he scores a goal.
Nashville SC has turned Nissan Stadium into a fortress. They’ve lost only one of their last 19 home games (9-9-1), including Playoffs. They won four of the last five, including a huge 2-0 victory over the first-place New England Revolution.
Their record against the sports betting spread when playing at home is 4-4. They also are 3-5 over/under.
Dominique Badji is questionable due to injury; the rest of the team is ready to go. Their expected lineup is Joe Willis; Jack Maher, Walker Zimmerman, David Romney; Daniel Lovitz, Brian Anunga, Dax McCarty, Alistair Johnson, Randall Leal; Jhon Cadiz, Hany Mukhtar.
Why Bet on Atlanta United?
Atlanta United sits in 10th place with 12 points thanks to a 2-6-3 record. They didn’t win any of their last six games. Most recently, they were crushed 3-0 by the Chicago Fire.
This is the fourth time they have gone six straight matches without a victory, including the playoffs. They’ve never gone seven straight games without a victory.
To be fair, they had seven players unavailable due to injury. Nevertheless, Ronald Hernandez made his MLS debut while Tyler Wolff and Mikey Ambrose made their first appearance of the season.
Atlanta hasn’t won on the road, they’re 0-3-3. They also are 3-2-1 against the spread and 1-4-1 over/under. It’s time for head coach Gabriel Heinze to talk with the players about pride and honor, otherwise, Atlanta could fall to the bottom pretty soon.
The list of questionable players due to injury includes Santiago Sosa, Franco Ibarra, Jurgen Damm, and Emerson Hyndman. There is some good news, Josef Martinez is back after finishing his commitment with Venezuela in Copa America.
Their expected lineup is Brad Guzan; Brooks Lennon, Miles Robinson, George Bello, Anton Walkes; Tyler Wolff, Mo Adams, Ezequiel Barco; Erik Lopez, Josef Martinez, Jake Mulraney.
Final Analysis and Predictions
Nashville SC has the joint-best second-half defense in MLS this season, allowing just four goals after halftime. Atlanta United couldn’t score in their last three games. Expect the home side to be aggressive with the intention of liquidating the game as soon as possible.
With Josef Martinez back, Atlanta should have more opportunities in front of the goal, but that’s not going to be enough. Don’t forget to check the Soccer Props to increase your winning chances. Take a shot at the correct score, half-time/full-time winner, and more!
