Host Atlanta has upper hand in second leg vs. NYCFC

Not only did Atlanta United get the all-important road goal in the first leg of its MLS Eastern Conference semifinal series against New York City FC, it made that stand up for a 1-0 victory at Yankee Stadium on Nov. 4.

That puts the Five Stripes in control as the total-goals series readies for the second leg Sunday in Atlanta, where a playoff-record crowd of more than 70,000 is expected to fill Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Talk about a home-field advantage.

"We know it will be a difficult game at a difficult field with a great atmosphere," NYC midfielder Yangel Herrera said. "We believe in our objective of going there to win the match. We have 100 percent faith we can turn this around."

Atlanta was 11-2-4 at home during the regular season, including its current 10-game unbeaten run (7-0-3).

Atlanta got a boost in the first leg with the return of playmaker Miguel Almiron, who missed the final two regular-season matches with a hamstring injury. His presence on the field helped open up space for forward Josef Martinez, who scored a league-record 31 goals.

Almiron was subbed off at halftime after teammate Eric Remedi scored the lone goal.

Remedi, a defensive midfielder, also was key in preventing NYCFC star David Villa from getting a shot on net.

"(Remedi) did a fantastic job on him, always keeping an eye on him wherever he is," Atlanta defender Michael Parkhurst said. "The three of us in the back also were trying to keep an eye on him to make sure that he couldn't control the game in between the lines."

Atlanta coach Tata Martino said he was pleased with the first half of the first leg.

"That's the way you have to play every game, regular season or the playoffs, it doesn't matter," Martino said. "That's the attitude. In the first half, I think we played some really good football. In the second half, New York City had a little bit more of the possession."

That second half offered a blueprint for NYCFC coach Dome Torrent for the second leg.

"It's impossible to connect in between Yangel (Herrera), (Alex) Ring and other players, and especially with Maxi (Moralez) because he's (marked) man-to-man and he decides to play in the middle," Torrent said. "No, no. it's a big mistake. He could play like a winger. That is the change we made in the second half."