MLS sides Columbus Crew and Atlanta United face off in the first match of the three-legged tie in the MLS Playoffs.
The home side are featuring in a playoffs series for the first time since 2020 and Columbus Crew would be vying to gain some advantage at home in the first clash. Columbus Crew boast of a scintillating record playing in their own backyard where the team has won 12 games with just one loss in their 13 games played at the Lower.com Field.
Atlanta United have managed to brush aside their woes of the 2022/23 MLS campaign as they captured a spot in the Final Series of the current MLS campaign. The point of concern for Atlanta United would be they have just managed one win in their previous five games with three draws and a narrow loss to Philadelphia Union. Atlanta United will therefore be vying to brush aside their recent struggles when they visit Columbus Crew's backyard.
Here GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch, including TV channel, streaming details and more.
Columbus vs Atlanta United kick-off time
| Date: | November 1, 2023 |
| Kick-off time: | 7:30 pm ET / 4:30 pm PT |
| Venue: | Lower.com Field |
Columbus Crew will face Atlanta United at the Lower.com Field with the fixture tipped to start at 7:30 pm ET / 4:30 pm PT.
How to watch Columbus vs Atlanta United online - TV channels & live streams
 | Apple TV | Watch here |
The MLS fixture will be available to stream on Apple TV. Fans who can't watch the match can follow live updates on GOAL.
Team news & squads
Columbus team news
The home side have two major injury concerns as Will Sands and Diego Rossi are sidelined. Sands has a knee injury and will be unavailable for selection this term while Rossi has a sore thigh.
Columbus Crew's star forward Cucho Hernandez has bagged 16 goals this term alongside his seven assists and will be a headache for Atlanta's defense.
Columbus Crew Predicted XI: Schulte; Moreira, Camacho, Zawadzki; Gressel, Nagbe, Morris, Yeboah; Ramirez, Matan; C. Hernandez
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers: | Schulte, Scott, Bush |
| Defenders: | Vallecilla, Chaberka, Moreira, Camacho, Quinton, Williams, Amundsen, Medranda, Farsi |
| Midfielders: | Morris, Nagbe, Zawadki, Parente, Gressel |
| Forwards: | Hernandez, Yeboah, Matan, Ramirez, Molino, Arfsten, Rusell-Rowe |
Atlanta United team news
Thiago Almada is a major absentee for the visitors with the Argentine star walking off the pitch after being given two yellow cards. The midfielder has 16 assists to his name alongside 11 goals and Atlanta will have a major void to fill in their engine room because of Almada's absence.
Tyler Wolff and Machop Chol are both recovering from lower-body concerns while Osvaldo Alonso has a sore leg putting him out of the clash.
With Wolff out inured, Georgios Giakoumakis will play an integral role in leading the visitor's forward battery as his hunt for his 18th goal this season continues.
Atlanta United Predicted XI: Guzan; R. Hernandez, Robinson, Purata, Wiley; Mosquera, Rossetto, Etienne; Berry, Giakoumakis, Silva
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers: | Diop, Guzan, Westberg |
| Defenders: | Robinson, Abram, Purata, Cobb, Wiley, Lennon, Hernandez |
| Midfielders: | Sosa, Muyumba, Sejdic, Rossetto, Fortune |
| Forwards: | Lobjanidze, Etienne Jr, Berry, Silva, Giakoumakis, Mosquera, Thiare |
Head-to-Head Record
| Date | Match | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| 8 Oct 2023 | Atlanta United 1-1 Columbus Crew | MLS |
| 26 Mar 2023 | Columbus Crew 6-1 Atlanta United | MLS |
| 22 Aug 2022 | Columbus Crew 2-2 Atlanta United | MLS |
| 29 May 2022 | Atlanta United 1-1 Columbus Crew | MLS |
| 8 Aug 2021 | Columbus Crew 2-3 Atlanta United | MLS |