MEMPHIS, Tenn. (Oct. 16, 2021) – Atlanta United 2 lost 4-2 to Memphis 901 FC Saturday night at AutoZone Park. Abdoulaye Diop scored his first goal for the club, Ajani Fortune netted his second of the season and 16-year-old academy player Luke Brennan made his professional debut. The loss eliminated Atlanta from playoff contention.
ATL UTD 2 weathered a series of Memphis attacks in the first half before finding a penalty against the run of play just before the break. Fortune attempted a long diagonal ball from right side, but it was picked off by 901 FC’s Mark Segbers. However, he hit a weak back pass to the goalkeeper and David Mejia ran on to the ball as he dashed into the penalty area. Segbers immediately fouled Mejia, giving ATL UTD 2 a penalty kick and earning a yellow card for denying him the opportunity. Diop stepped to the spot and scored with strike to left side of goal. Cody Cropper got a piece of it, but it was hit with plenty of pace and found the back of the net.
Memphis equalized in the 53rd minute. Kadeem Dacres nearly rounded Vicente Reyes, but Josh Bauer cleared the ball away from goal. However, Roland Lamah collected ball inside box and put a shot on goal where Caleb Wiley appeared to clear it off the line, but it was ruled to have crossed the line.
Memphis took the lead just three minutes later after Atlanta failed to clear a cross and Dacres scored at the back post. Laurent Kissiedou slipped Kyle Murphy in into the box behind ATL UTD 2’s defense where he scored to extend Memphis’ lead to 3-1 in the 60th minute.
Fortune pulled one goal back in the 64th minute. ATL UTD 2 gained possession after a Memphis throw in and charged forward as Mejia and Robbie Mertz combined down the middle of the field. As Mejia entered the 18-yard box the ball was poked away, but Fortune followed the play and curled a shot into the left side of goal for his second of the season.
Memphis restored its two-goal lead in the 69th minute. Dacres led a counterattack and played Murphy down the right side. Murphy put a shot on goal where Reyes saved it, but he pushed it directly into the path of Alan Winn where he tapped home the goal from inside the six-yard box.
ATL UTD 2 (8-14-10, 34 points) will return to action for its season finale Wednesday, Oct. 20 against FC Tulsa at ONEOK Field (ESPN+, 8:00 p.m. ET).
MATCH INFOÂ
Atlanta 2, Memphis 4
AutoZone Park
Memphis, Tennessee
STATS
Shots: 14-14
Shots on Target: 9-5 Memphis
Corner kicks: 4-3 Memphis
Fouls committed: 16-11 Memphis
Offside: 4-1 Atlanta
Possession: 58-42 Atlanta
Passing Accuracy: 78-73 Atlanta
SCORING SUMMARY
ATL – Abdoulaye Diop (penalty) 44’
MEM – Roland Lamah 50’
MEM - Kadeem Dacres 53’
MEM - Kyle Murphy (Laurent Kissiedou) 60’
ATL – Ajani Fortune 64’
MEM – Alan Winn 69’
DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY
ATL – Abdoulaye Diop (yellow) 37’
MEM – Mark Segbers (yellow) 43’
ATL – Bryce Washington (yellow) 75’
ATL UTD 2 STARTING LINEUP
Vicente Reyes; Caleb Wiley (Bradley Kamdem Fewo – 60’), Aiden McFadden, Josh Bauer, Bryce Washington, Ajani Fortune; Abdoulaye Diop (Darwin Matheus – 67’), David Mejia (Connor Stanley – 80’), Robbie Mertz ©; Danial Sebhatu (Amadou Macky Diop – 60’), Luke Brennan (Phillip Goodrum – 60’).
Substitutes not used: Rocco RÃos Novo, MatÃas BenÃtez.
MEMPHIS 901 FC STARTING LINEUP
Cody Cropper; Mark Segbers, Skylar Thomas, Brecc Evans, Niall Logue, Kadeem Dacres (Rashawn Dally – 86’), Laurent Kissiedou (Dominic Oduro – 76’), Leston Paul ©, Andre Fortune (Michael Salazar – 76’), Roland Lamah (Alan Winn – 69’), Kyle Murphy (Zach Carroll – 86’).
Substitutes not used:Â Brady Scott, Andre Reynolds.
OFFICIALS
Gerald Flores, (referee), Justin Howard, (assistant), Nicholas Seymour, (assistant), DeShun Beard, (fourth official)
TEAM NOTES
- Academy player Luke Brennan made his professional debutÂ
- Abdoulaye Diop scored his first goal with ATL UTD 2
- Ajani Fortune scored his second goal of the season
ABOUT ATL UTD 2
ATL UTD 2 is owned and operated by AMB Sports & Entertainment and is the United Soccer League (USL) affiliate of Major League Soccer’s Atlanta United. ATL UTD 2 joined USL for its expansion 2018 season and plays its home matches at Fifth Third Bank Stadium in Kennesaw, Georgia.
