PREVIEW | SIlverbacks' Attack Aims To Fire Atlanta Past Indy

The Atlanta Silverbacks face a pivotal two-match home stand with the chase for The Championship tightening with every match day. Indy Eleven visit Atlanta Silverbacks Park on Saturday, for the second time in 2015 and third overall meeting between the two teams. Atlanta picked up a season-opening 1-1 draw on April 4 and a 1-0 victory in Indianapolis on August 1, as both sides enter this Saturday’s match with much to play for.

"Indy Eleven is a tough team; they never quit playing for the result, no matter the time left on the referee's watch or the score of the match," Silverbacks head coach Gary Smith said. "At the same time, we are familiar with them, having played them twice already this year – and we're probably disappointed to not have won both matches. We know what to expect from Indy, but, more importantly, we know what our expectations are for ourselves, and now it’s up to us to execute."

The Silverbacks enter eying a fifth victory in the Fall Season. After a narrow loss away to Jacksonville Armada FC last weekend, Atlanta's front line is looking to get back in scoring form – something that hasn't been difficult for Pedro Mendes, Junior Burgos, or Jaime Chavez to do through nine Fall matches. The trio of forward-thinking attackers have combined for 13 of the club's 14 goals in the Fall, with all three winning separate NASL Play of the Week honors and Pedro earning NASL Player of the Week honors for Week 6.

Pedro scored one of his five goals this season on his first visit back to his former team, Indy Eleven, on Aug. 1. The attack built from a Burgos delivery to a Chavez, who was at the top of the box and dribbled four Indy defenders before sliding a back heel to Pedro for the one-touch finish. That goal stood up for the victory and earned Pedro his Play of the Week recognition.

Indy enters fresh off a slide-halting victory on Wednesday night. They downed the visiting Tampa Bay Rowdies, 2-0, but have dropped 14 of 18 possible points since July 11. In that six match span, Indy has allowed 12 goals while scoring just six with four of the six matches played at home.