HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. (April 27, 2025) — Atlanta United 2 picked up its first clean sheet of the 2025 MLS NEXT Pro season in a hard-fought 0-0 draw against FC Cincinnati 2 on Sunday afternoon at Northern Kentucky University’s Scudamore Field. The 5-Stripes fell in the ensuing penalty shootout, earning one point from the match.
The contest marked a milestone for Santiago Pita, who made his first professional appearance and converted his penalty in the shootout.
Match Summary
Both sides began the match cautiously, trading half-chances in a tight opening 45 minutes.
Atlanta nearly struck first in the 12th minute when Javier Armas collected a loose clearance and fired a volley from 18 yards, just wide of the target. Cincinnati responded with an attempt of its own in the 21st, as Stefan Chirila curled a shot from distance that narrowly missed the top corner.
Atlanta continued to probe through 16-year-old Gabriel Wesseh, who created danger down the right flank and found Dominik Chong Qui at the top of the box in the 23rd, though the Homegrown midfielder couldn’t keep his shot down.
The visitors’ best chance of the half came in the 31st minute. Armas swung in a cross to Moises Tablante, whose looping header forced Cincinnati goalkeeper Paul Walters into a difficult save.
On the other end, Jayden Hibbert preserved the shutout by calmly collecting a long-range strike from Tega Ikoba just before halftime.
Second Half & Shootout
Atlanta’s back line held firm throughout the second half, while Hibbert made key stops to keep Cincinnati off the board. In the 79th minute, second-half sub Ryan Carmichael nearly delivered a stunning go-ahead goal with a curling effort toward the top-left corner, only for Walters to deny it with an acrobatic save.
After 90 minutes of scoreless action, the match moved to a penalty shootout to decide the extra point. While Armas, Sal Mazzaferro, and Santiago Pita converted for Atlanta, Carmichael’s attempt hit the post, and Cincinnati converted all five of their spot kicks to claim the additional point.
Penalty Shootout Results
FC Cincinnati 2
- Stefan Chirila – ✅
- Peter Mangione – ✅
- Brian Schaefer – ✅
- Xhosa Manyana – ✅
- Ben Augee – ✅
Atlanta United 2
- Javier Armas – ✅
- Sal Mazzaferro – ✅
- Ryan Carmichael – ❌
- Santiago Pita – ✅
Looking Ahead
Atlanta United 2 (1-2-4, 8 points) returns to action on Saturday, May 3, as the team travels to face Huntsville City FC at Joe Davis Stadium. Kickoff is set for 8:00 p.m. ET, and the match will be available to stream on MLSNEXTPro.com and Soccer Down Here.
