3 things to know about Mexico vs. Paraguay at the Georgia Dome

Mexico vs Paraguay 2016 1-0 GOL Y RESUMEN Partido Amistoso 2016

Mexico"s national soccer team will face Paraguay in an exhibition game Saturday at the Georgia Dome.

Alec McQuade, WXIA 4:40 PM. EDT May 28, 2016

(Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Mexico and Paraguay are set to face each other in an international soccer friendly Saturday night at the Georgia Dome.

Mexico is ranked No. 16 in the world by FIFA. Paraguay is No. 39.

Soccer is gaining popularity in the city, largely in part of MLS expanding to the city with Atlanta United.

Here are three things you should know before Mexico and Paraguay battle at 5:30 p.m.

1. Preparation is key

It may be a friendly, but both teams will be playing at full force with two large tournaments right around the corner. Mexico and Paraguay will both play in the Copa American Centenario, a 16-team tournament consisting of teams from CONCACAFand Conmebol. The United States is hosting it this year, and it is the first time it will be played outside of South America. The tournament runs from June 3-26.

After that, team Mexico will have a relatively quick turnaround as it prepares for the summer Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro. It will be the nation"s 20th appearancein the games after winning the gold medal in 2012 in London. While the Olympics are not comparable to the World Cup, it still holds significance among the soccer community.

"Everybody understands the importance of the Olympic games," Juan Carolos Osorio said, Mexico"s head coach. "As far as football competition, the World Cup is number one, and the Olympics are second."

2. Stake out the competition

Paraguay forward Nelson Valdez will take the field in Atlanta Saturday, and it could be the first time of many. Valdez is a member of the Seattle Sounders, part of MLS. He will be the only member of MLS playing at the Dome Saturday.

MLS expansion team Atlanta United plays its first season in 2017. So, when Seattle comes to town to play United in Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Valdez could be a familiar foe. But since joining Seattle in 2015, he has only scored one goal.

3. Mexico draws record crowds

The last time Mexico played a game at the Georgia Dome, it brought the largest crowd the venue has ever seen for a soccer game. Mexico played Nigeria in 2014 and it drew a crowd of 68,212. It surpassed the city"s previous record also held by Mexico for a Gold Cup game played in 2009 that held more than 51,000 fans. At least 45 thousand tickets have been sold for Saturday"s game, so it looks like Mexico will come up short of setting another new attendance record in Atlanta.

Regardless, the Dome is going to be raucous.

Source: http://www.11alive.com/sports/3-things-to-know-about-mexico-vs-paraguay-at-the-georgia-dome/219351681