Atlanta United 2 dropped a back and forth match 3-2 at Charleston Battery on Saturday night. Amadou Macky Diop scored his team-leading fourth goal of the season, while Efrain Morales tallied a goal in his professional debut.
Atlanta started on the front foot and were rewarded in the sixth minute. Coleman Gannon dribbled past two defenders on the right and laid the ball off to Macky Diop. The striker took a touch and launched a low left-footed strike into the bottom right corner from 23 yards out to give ATL UTD 2 the 1-0 lead. In the 22nd minute, 16-year-old Morales made his professional debut coming on for the injured Patrick Nielsen.
Atlanta nearly doubled its lead in the 38th minute after Amir Bashti got by his defender on the right wing and crossed the ball to Gannon in the box. The midfielder tried the spectacular with a right-footed volley, but it flashed inches over the bar. ATL UTD 2 took a 1-0 lead into halftime.
Six minutes into the second half, Atlanta did double its lead. From a Jack Gurr corner kick, Mo Jadama was left open at the top of the six-yard-box. His header was saved, but Morales pounced on the rebound and scored his first professional goal. The lead only lasted eight minutes, as the Battery scored two goals through Mauro Cichero and Zeiko Lewis to even the score in the 59th minute.
With both teams pushing for a goal in the final minutes, Charleston found the game-winner in the first minute of stoppage time. Lewis scored his second of the night to give the Battery all three points.
ATL UTD 2 (1-6-2, 5 points) returns to action Wednesday, Aug. 19 when it continues on the road at Riccardo Silva Stadium against The Miami FC (7:00 p.m., ESPN+).
MATCH INFO
Atlanta 2, Charleston 3
Patriots Point Soccer Complex
Charleston, South Carolina
STATS
Shots: 20-12 Charleston
Shots on Target: 5-5
Corner kicks: 10-4 Charleston
Fouls committed: 11-10 Atlanta
Offside: 2-1 Charleston
Possession: 57-43 Charleston
Passing Accuracy: 76-76
SCORING SUMMARY
ATL – Amadou Macky Diop 6’ (Coleman Gannon) [HIGHLIGHT]
ATL – Efrain Morales 51’ [HIGHLIGHT]
CHS – Mauro Cichero 57’ (Romario Piggott)
CHS – Zeiko Lewis 59‘ (Angelo Kelly)
CHS – Zeiko Lewis 90+1‘ (A.J. Paterson)
DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY
CHS – Jarad Van Schaik 25’ (yellow)
ATL – Will Reilly 32’ (yellow)
ATL – Jack Gurr 62’ (yellow)
CHS – Leland Archer 90+4’ (yellow)
ATL UTD 2 STARTING LINEUP
Ben Lundgaard; Caleb Wiley, Modou Jadama ©, Patrick Nielsen (Efrain Morales 22’), Jack Gurr; William Reilly, Abdoulaye Diop (Ajani Fortune 77’), Daniel Steedman (Baboucarr Njie 58’), Amir Bashti (Phillip Goodrum 77’); Coleman Gannon (Lamin Jawneh 77’), Amadou Macky Diop.
Substitutes not used: Vicente Reyes, David Mejia.
CHARLESTON BATTERY STARTING LINEUP
Phil Breno; Deshawon Nembhard (A.J. Paterson 46’), Leland Archer, Jarad van Schaik ©, Jay Bolt (Kyle Nelson 61’); Robbie Crawford, Mauro Cichero, Romario Piggott (Dante Marini 75’), Zeiko Lewis; Angelo Kelly (Stavros Zarokostas 89’), Nicque Daley (Arthur Bosua 75’).
Substitutes not used: Temiloluwa Adesodun, Joe Kuzminsky.
OFFICIALS
John Matto (referee), Osmin Hernandez (assistant), Brian Marshall (assistant), Joe Suchoski (fourth)
TEAM NOTES
- Efrain Morales made his professional debut tonight and scored his first career goal
- Amadou Macky Diop tallied his team-leading fourth goal of the year
- Coleman Gannon collected his second assist of the season, which ties him for the team lead with Jack Gurr and Phillip Goodrum.
