Atlanta United tests its MLS Cup mettle in season opener

Columbus hasn't changed much from its victorious 2023 season; it simply offloaded full-back Julian Gressel to Miami and replaced him with youth prospect Marino Hinestroza from Pachuca. Atlanta, though, has delivered upon its promise to focus on defensive solidity.

First, it thought critically about what it needed in a goalkeeper. Former starter Brad Guzan is a legend, but at 39 years old, his best seasons are behind him, and Atlanta needed a nimbler replacement who felt more comfortable with the ball at his feet.

Enter Josh Cohen. The American keeper signed this winter after several seasons in Israel with Maccabi Haifa. He's an excellent shot-stopper and someone who can play out from the back; while Atlanta will miss Guzan's authority in the dressing room, Cohen is a clear improvement on the field, and one with Champions League experience at that.

But playing the ball out from goal requires rangy, creative defenders, too, and Atlanta spent the offseason hunting for the perfect option. They found it in Norwegian player Stian Gregersen, who joined Atlanta from Bordeaux. "I'm not afraid of the space behind me," Gregersen told the press. "If they put a long ball in, I will be able to run against the striker. I'm fast. I've run against Mbappé and Haaland, so."

These defensive improvements were made with consistency in mind: despite its potent attack, Atlanta finished sixth in the Eastern Conference last season, let down by the sheer volume of goals it conceded. Only last-placed Toronto FC and Inter Miami conceded more goals in the East in 2023.

Atlanta and Columbus are both strong contenders for the MLS Cup. In facing each other this early in the season, both have the opportunity to deliver a statement-making win--and after last year's humiliating playoff defeat, Atlanta is determined to be the one to do it.

"I don't really care how we start," Atlanta striker Giorgos Giakoumakis told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in advance of the 2024 season . "All I care about is to start with a win."