Minnesota United gameday 7:30 p.m. vs. Atlas FC at TCF Bank Stadium
Another season, another international friendly
Preview: For the fourth consecutive season, Minnesota United will play host to an international friendly with a Mexican team, this time facing Atlas FC. Since 2013, United is 3-2-1 in international friendlies. Atlas made it to the quarterfinals of last season's Liga MX Clausura, the second of two championships in the Mexican top division. Atlas is in the midst of its preseason while United is looking to give minutes to rarely used players.
Quotable: "The one thing that I know about any Mexican team I've ever played, I think technically and tactically, they are first class." United coach Adrian Heath said. "As good as anybody you'll ever play. They grow up playing the game from a very tiny age. It's a football-crazy nation, and the players, they're integrated into clubs very early. So they've got a really good understanding of the game, very game-savvy, technically very, very good. … It's a good opportunity for people to come and see a top-class team and players in a top-class league. And it'll be a difficult evening for us, I've no doubt, but one that's enjoyable because … because you do sometimes pick up different trends."
Numbers: Two Atlas defenders, Rafael Marquez and Facundo Erpen, have MLS experience.
Megan Ryan
