Alright, Atlanta soccer future-watchers! Our ATL UTD 2 hit the road to face Crown Legacy FC and battled to a thrilling late draw!
Last night in Matthews, North Carolina, ATL UTD 2 fought hard for a 2-2 draw against Crown Legacy FC, extending their unbeaten run to four games! While Legacy grabbed the extra point in the penalty shootout, there was plenty of excitement for our Young Five Stripes!
We came out firing! In the 10th minute, Javier Armas sent in a clever short cross from the left, and Cayman Togashi produced a moment of brilliance! With his back to goal, the Japanese forward audaciously flicked the ball over the defender and the keeper, watching it bounce into the net for his first of the MLS NEXT Pro season! What a way to take the lead!
Crown Legacy leveled in the 35th minute through Aron John, who won the ball in midfield and finished well. Just before halftime, Legacy thought they had another, but the offside flag denied them.
The second half saw strong defense from both sides, but Legacy took the lead in the 67th minute from a set piece. John delivered a curling ball, and Subotic headed it home.
But our Young Five Stripes showed their grit! Substitute Gabriel Wesseh was a menace, and in the 88th minute, his pressure paid off! He won the ball high up the pitch and was tripped in the box, earning a penalty! Javier Armas stepped up, his initial penalty was saved, but he was lightning-quick to fire in the rebound, leveling the score at 2-2!
We pushed for a late winner, with the Legacy keeper making some key saves in stoppage time to send it to a penalty shootout. While Armas, Mazzaferro, and Neri converted their kicks, Wesseh’s attempt was saved, and Crown Legacy went perfect to claim the extra point.
Despite the shootout loss, a draw on the road and extending that unbeaten streak is a positive step for ATL UTD 2!
Up Next: Our Young Five Stripes are back home at Fifth Third Stadium this Friday, May 23rd, to take on Orlando City B at 7:30 p.m. ET! You can catch the action on MLSNEXTPro.com and Soccer Down Here, with some matches also on MLS Season Pass!
Let’s keep supporting the future of our club! On to the next one!
