At Joe Davis Stadium on Saturday night, Atlanta United 2 defeated Huntsville City FC 2-1 thanks to two goals in the second half from Rodrigo Neri, who scored his first goals for the team. In the team’s second road victory of the year, midfielder Tyler Wolff and defender Matt Edwards both contributed an assist.
In a scoreless first half for both teams, Atlanta managed a couple opportunities. Midfielder Nick Firmino attempted a long-range shot that was curling to the upper right corner in the eleventh minute, but Bryan Dowd of Huntsville dipped to retain the scoreless early. Firmino had another opportunity to score in the 31st minute when Javier Armas crossed in a free kick. The ball bounced around in the box and the Brazilian positioned himself in front of it to spin and attempt a shot, but Dowd collected it.
Atlanta got the second half underway right away. In the 47th minute, Wolff advanced the ball up the left wing and then sidestepped his defender to send a pass into the box for Neri, who scored his first goal for Atlanta United 2 by flicking the ball over the goalkeeper and into the roof of the net.
Three minutes later, Neri rose above his defender to get his head on the ball and squeeze it past Dowd to give Atlanta a 2-0 lead. Edwards had whipped in a cross from the right side to the middle of the box.
Oliver Wright, a forward for Huntsville, attempted a free kick in the 70th minute, but Armas, who was leaning against the wall, clipped the ball. The referee deliberated for a short while before awarding Huntsville a penalty for a handball on Armas.
Wright took the penalty, trimmed the lead in half, and delivered it across the center. In an attempt to give ATL UTD 2 the victory in the closing minutes of play, defender Erik Centeno lofted a cross from the right wing to the back post, where Firmino met the ball with a header at point blank range. Nevertheless, Dowd managed to scurry and secure the shot.
Author: Quique Lopez
Quique Lopez doesn’t just cover soccer—he deconstructs it with the precision of a veteran and the wit of a storyteller. A former player who sees the pitch as both a tactical chessboard and a cultural stage, Quique balances sharp critiques with a genuine love for the game’s soul. He’s as quick to call out the ego of a superstar as he is to find the hidden beauty in a local derby.