Atlanta United will try to respond following recent stumbles on Saturday when they visit Inter Miami, who just might have put their own struggles in the past.

Atlanta United (5-2-3, 18 points) were defeated 3-1 at rival Nashville SC last Saturday and have won only once in their previous four games.

That kind of hiccup is common for even the best MLS teams, but it stands out for Atlanta partly because of how well it began the year, winning four of its first six.

“I feel like we started in a very strong way (but) the performance has dropped in probably the last week I would say, that’s it,” manager Gonzalo Pineda said last weekend. “(Saturday) we were in some moments we were much better with some rhythm on the ball, occupying certain gaps, and we were dangerous. It’s just the final touch wasn’t quite there.”

Thiago Almada scored Atlanta’s only goal from the penalty spot to tie striker Giorgos Giakoumakis for the team lead with five.

Giakoumakis had scored in each of his first five starts in MLS since his transfer from Celtic but missed last week with a hamstring injury and will be out again this weekend.

Inter Miami (3-6-0, 9 points) had lost six straight before upsetting the host Columbus Crew 2-1 on Saturday.

After missing the first six weeks of the season due to a calf injury, Leonardo Campana scored his first two goals of the season.

Campana scored 11 goals last season but was also limited by injury in 2022, making only 26 appearances and 21 starts.

“Today I thought he was sensational. I really did,” Miami coach Phi Neville said of Campana’s third start of the season. “I think if we have Leo Campana fit for the whole season, then we’re going to be successful.”

Campana’s return to full fitness might keep Miami striker Josef Martinez from facing his former side, or at least limit him to a substitute role.

Miami’s win at Columbus came at a cost: Jean Mota tore his LCL and is expected to miss four to six months. He joins Gregore as central midfielders Neville has lost for a lengthy spell.

–Field Level Media

The Houston Dynamo look to become just the second team to post shutouts in five straight home wins to start a season when they entertain Real Salt Lake on Saturday night.

The 2020 Columbus Crew own the record and Houston will look to join them against a club it has had immense trouble beating over the past five-plus seasons.

Real Salt Lake (3-5-1, 10 points) is unbeaten in the last 10 meetings (5-0-5) with the Dynamo since Houston recorded a 5-1 victory on May 31, 2017.

The Dynamo (4-3-1, 13 points) will look for a different outcome under first-year coach Ben Olsen, who said he wasn’t aware of the streak when it was brought up in Thursday’s press conference.

“They are always a tough out,” Olsen said of RSL. “I expect a very good team to show up here. I think they understand what we are about, and I think we have a good understanding about how they go about the game. There are a lot of similarities.

“I think it will be a fairly tactical game and we will have to be at our best on the defensive side. … Hopefully, offensively, this is the game we click in transition and put up a few goals.”

Houston had a bye last weekend, while Real Salt Lake played the visiting Seattle Sounders to a scoreless tie.

Real Salt Lake’s Zac MacMath was called on to make just one save while recording his first shutout of the season. He had a career-best 10 last season.

Jefferson Savarino had scored goals in three consecutive matches for RSL before being held in check by Seattle.

Savarino has 31 goals and 30 assists in 109 career games with Salt Lake. He joined the 30-30 club against the San Jose Earthquakes on April 22 in his 108th match with RSL. The only player in team history to do it fast was Joao Plata, who reached the mark in his 104th appearance. Plata finished his RSL stint with 46 goals and 43 assists in 175 matches from 2013-19.

Savarino, 26, is tied for eighth on the club’s all-time goals list and stands fifth in assists.

“We don’t know what the future holds, we don’t know what could happen in the future or whether or not I’ll be here for a long time, but I do hope I’m able to reach other milestones with RSL,” Savarino said.

RSL is just 1-3-0 on the road this season.

–Field Level Media