Match Preview: Atlanta United vs. FC Motagua

Atlanta United will host the second leg of its Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League Round of 16 matchup against FC Motagua Tuesday night at Fifth Third Bank Stadium. The teams played to a 1-1 draw in San Pedro Sula, Honduras at Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano Feb. 18. The match is scheduled to kick-off at 8 p.m. EST and will be broadcast in the U.S. on FS1 (English) and TUDN (Spanish).

The Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League brings together the top 16 clubs from North America, Central America and the Caribbean, with the winner of the tournament earning a spot in the 2020 FIFA Club World Cup. Under the current format, 16 teams qualify: nine clubs from the North American Zone, five from the Central American Zone, one from the Caribbean Zone and one from the Concacaf League. Teams are drawn into a Knockout Bracket with each round played over two legs to decide who advances.

In Leg One, Motagua scored the game’s opening goal in the 34th minute through Robert Moreira however Atlanta responded just a minute later when Josef Martinez and Pity Martinez combined in attack. Atlanta’s No. 10 found Josef Martinez making a run into the box and the Venezuelan scored his first goal of the season with a right-footed strike to level the match at 1-1. Brad Guzan made five saves, including four in the final 25 minutes to seal the draw. 

Atlanta owns an all-time record of 2-2-1 in Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League play. Josef Martinez is the club’s all-time leading scorer in the tournament with four goals while Pity Martinez and Ezequiel Barco are tied for the club lead in assists with two.

Motagua holds an all-time CCL record of 3-9-4. Domestically, it is the second most successful club in Honduras with 17 league titles since the inauguration of the Liga Nacional in 1965-66. Through nine weeks of league play Motagua sits in first place with a 6-1-2 record and is coming off a 0-0 draw with Real de Minas on Saturday, Feb. 22.

MATCH INFORMATION

Tuesday, Feb. 25 | Fifth Third Bank Stadium, Kennesaw, Georgia |8 p.m. (EST)

Atlanta United (0-0-0, 0 points) vs. FC Motagua (6-1-2, 20 points)

BROADCAST SCHEDULE

TV | FS1, TUDN

English Radio | 92.9 The Game

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