Atlanta United and Sporting Kansas City meet Sunday in a clash between two sides searching for consistency, albeit from opposite ends of the emotional spectrum. Atlanta have suddenly found a winning formula after a miserable start, while Sporting KC remain anchored to the bottom of the league standings, desperate for any sign of life.
Atlanta enter the Matchday 22 contest on the back of their first two-game winning streak in MLS play since 2021. The revival began with a 2-1 victory over Red Bull New York on Saturday, followed by another 2-1 result at Minnesota United FC on Wednesday. Defender Tomás Jacob opened the scoring against the Loons, and midfielder Tristan Muyumba — who also scored in the Red Bull match — netted the winner. Muyumba’s tally was his fourth goal of the season, doubling his combined output from his first three MLS campaigns.
Those results have lifted Atlanta to a 5-12-3 record and 18 points, just enough to climb above Sporting KC and out of the league’s overall basement. Still, the club’s front office is not waiting for results to improve organically. Atlanta have been among the busiest teams in the summer transfer market, selling winger Saba Lobjanidze to Real Salt Lake and loaning forward Emmanuel Latte Lath to Union Berlin. In their place, the Five Stripes have brought in Paraguayan World Cup defender Júnior Alonso, Chilean defender Paulo Díaz, and Uruguayan youth international midfielder Mauricio Amaro. Reports also link the club with several big-name strikers, including Swiss World Cup forward Breel Embolo.
Sporting Kansas City, by contrast, are in a full rebuild. The club made clear that 2026 is a transition year, and they have backed that up by smashing their club-record transfer fee to acquire Brazilian winger André Luiz from Greek powerhouse Olympiacos for a reported $18 million. The front office is also searching for a new No. 10 after terminating the contract of former designated player Manu García.
On the field, Kansas City (4-13-3, 15 points) are coming off a 1-1 draw against in-state rival St. Louis CITY SC on Wednesday, a result that snapped a three-game losing streak but extended their winless run to four. Calvin Harris equalized on a counterattack after St. Louis scored in first-half stoppage time. Coach Raphael Wicky praised his team’s performance even if the result left him dissatisfied. “I’m not pleased with the result, but I’m very pleased with the performance of the team,” Wicky said. “I feel like I’ve seen a lot of things I want to see from my team in terms of defending together, in terms of pressing well.” Defender Jake Davis echoed that sentiment, saying the squad showed they can compete with top teams. “We showed that and should have taken three points,” Davis said. “We should take that and know that when we go to Atlanta or we play at home, we have the capability of beating good teams.”
For Atlanta, availability is improving. Midfielder Will Reilly is back in contention after recovering from an ankle injury, though midfielder Jay Fortune will miss out with a hamstring strain. New signing Mauricio Amaro is still working through visa logistics. Atlanta coach Tata Martino will have nearly a full squad at his disposal, a welcome change during a congested stretch.
Tristan Muyumba, who has scored in three straight games, is focused on maintaining the team’s upward trajectory. “We want to show a better face from the team,” he said. “No matter what happens until the end of the season, we just want to be the best version we can be until the end.”
Market insights shared Thursday afternoon gave Atlanta a 59% chance of securing a third straight win, compared with Sporting KC’s 21%, reflecting the hosts’ home-field advantage and current form. But as both teams know all too well, momentum in MLS can shift in a single match.
