TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 FROM NEW GUYS TO CHAMPS 4 CHAPTER 2 UNITING ATLANTA SOCCER 12 CHAPTER 3 HEROES OF ATLANTA 22 CHAPTER 4 UNITED MEMORIES 34 TIMELINE 44 TEAM FACTS 45 GLOSSARY 46 MORE INFORMATION 47 ONLINE RESOURCES 47 INDEX 48 ABOUT THE AUTHOR 48
CHAPTER 1 FROM NEW GUYS TO CHAMPS The scene before the 2018 MLS Cup kicked off was hard to believe Because just two years earlier the game wouldn't have even been possible In 2016 the stadium that would host the game was under construction and the home team didn't even exist Atlanta United FC was playing just its second season in Major League Soccer MLS In its first year Atlanta became just the fourth first year expansion team to make the playoffs A year later it was hosting the Portland Timbers for the league championship More than 73,000 roaring fans packed into Atlanta's Mercedes Benz Stadium It was the biggest crowd in MLS history And almost all of them were wearing Atlanta's Atlanta United supporters came out in force for the 2018 MLS Cup 4
