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USL Atlanta United 2

Atlanta United 2 Scores Late to Tie 1-1 vs. Indy Eleven

August 25, 2018 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Atlanta United 2 News Release


LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. - Atlanta United 2 scored deep into stoppage time to earn a much-deserved 1-1 draw against Indy Eleven. Academy product Dylan Gaither scored his first career USL goal in the 96th minute to secure the point, while fellow academy players Natnael McDonald and Luke Mitchell made their professional debuts.

"It is a huge moment for the team. We more than deserved that goal at the end. Obviously, it is a point, but tonight it feels like more than that." said head coach Scott Donnelly. "They absolutely laid it on the line, and I think it is such a growth moment for many of our guys and the group at large. They deserved it."

The three Academy products entered the match in the second half and all made contributions for ATL UTD 2. Atlanta out-shot Indy Eleven 9-1 on shots inside the box in the second half, and that pressure paid off in the 96th minute. McDonald collected a loose ball at the midfield stripe and launched a long ball towards the box. Gaither pressured an Indy Eleven defender and then pounced on the short header back to the keeper. With Fon Williams onrushing, Gaither took a touch around the keeper and slotted the ball into the empty net for the last-minute equalizer.

In a tightly contested first half, both sides had a couple of opportunities to open the scoring. Indy Eleven's best chance came in the 22nd minute, when Mitch Hildebrandt saved a shot from the top of the box off the foot of Soony Saad. ATL UTD's best look of the period came in the 45th minute off a counterattack. Laurent Kissiedou ignited the play, while Alessandro Castro's right-footed shot forced a diving save from Owain Fon Williams.

Indy Eleven looked dangerous in the opening minutes of the second half and opened the scoring in the 53rd minute. Ayoze hit an in-swinging corner kick from the right side that was met by Karl Ouimette in the six-yard box and the defender buried the header to give Indy Eleven the 1-0 lead.

ATL UTD 2 was unfazed and went right back on the attack looking for a quick response. In the 71st minute, Jon Gallagher was on the end of Devon Sandoval's through ball and drove a low shot by the keeper, but an Indy Eleven defender cleared the ball off the line. Atlanta continued to push for the equalizer and were rewarded late through Gaither's goal.

ATL UTD 2 (3-13-8, 17 points) returns to action Friday, Aug. 31 against Toronto FC II at 8:00 p.m. EST at BMO Field. The match will be streamed live on ESPN+.

LINE SCORE

Atlanta 1, Indy 1

Coolray Field

Lawrenceville, Georgia

STATS

Shots: 15-13 Atlanta

Shots on Target: 4-3 Atlanta

Corner kicks: 6-7 Indy

Fouls committed: 13-16 Indy

Saves: 2-3 Indy

Offside: 0-1 Indy

Possession: 52-48 Atlanta

Passing Accuracy: 82-76 Atlanta

SCORING SUMMARY

IND - Karl Ouimette (Ayoze) 53'

ATL - Dylan Gaither 90'+6

DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY

ATL - Laurent Kissiedou (yellow) 29'

IND - Seth Moses (yellow) 45'+1

IND - Brad Ring (yellow) 69'

ATLANTA UNITED 2 STARTING LINEUP

Mitch Hildebrandt; Jack Metcalf ©, AJ Cochran, Tyler Ruthven (Natnael McDonald 61'), Jon Gallagher; Andrew Kendall-Moullin, Kevin Barajas (Luke Mitchell 85'), Alessandro Castro (Dylan Gaither 78'), Laurent Kissiedou; Devon Sandoval, Lagos Kunga.

Substitutes not used: Nico Caraux, Paul Christensen.

INDY ELEVEN STARTING LINEUP

Owain Fon Williams; Ayoze, Reiner Ferreira, Karl Ouimette, Kevin Venegas; Soony Saad (Nathan Lewis 77'), Dylan Mares (Eugene Stanikov 69'), Juan Guerra, Brad Ring ©; Jack McInerney (Benjamin Speas 84'), Seth Moses.

Substitutes not used: Bradford Rusin, Carlyle Mitchell, Nico Matern, Ben Lundgaard.

ATTENDANCE

3,008

OFFICIALS

Greg Dopka (referee), Jeff Sinker (assistant), Kevin Huet (assistant), Kyle Johnston (fourth).

TEAM NOTES

Natnael McDonald and Luke Mitchell made their professional debuts. They become the 9th and 10th academy players to debut with ATL UTD 2.

Dylan Gaither scored his first professional goal for ATL UTD 2

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United Soccer League Championship Stories from August 25, 2018


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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