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Atlanta United FC

Atlanta United Defeats Charleston Battery in Penalty Shootout

May 21, 2024 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Atlanta United FC News Release


Atlanta United's Stian Gregersen, Efrain Morales, Josh Cohen, and Luis Abram celebrate win
Atlanta United's Stian Gregersen, Efrain Morales, Josh Cohen, and Luis Abram celebrate win
(Atlanta United FC)

CHARLESTON, S.C. - Atlanta United defeated Charleston Battery in a penalty shootout Tuesday night at Patriots Point Soccer Stadium, advancing to the U.S. Open Cup Quarterfinals for the first time since 2019. With the match tied at 0-0 after regulation and extra time, Atlanta won the shootout 5-4 as goalkeeper Josh Cohen saved Charleston's final two attempts.

Atlanta's first good chance of the match came in the 17th minute. Ashton Gordon forced a turnover in the attacking half and played a ball to Luke Brennan. The Homegrown winger drove toward the box and played Jamal Thiaré in with a through ball. The striker's first touch pushed the ball wide and allowed Charleston's keeper Daniel Kuzemka the chance to close the angle on the shot for the save.

In the 21st minute, Cohen was called into action for the first time. Charleston forward MD Meyers was played in over the top and popped up free 10 yards from goal, however Cohen came out and stopped the right-footed shot with a strong foot save to keep the match scoreless.

In the 26th minute a good move from back to front gave Atlanta another scoring chance. Ronald Hernández started the play down the left wing and found Edwin Mosquera. The winger played a one-time cross toward the middle of the penalty area where Brennan took a touch and shot the ball toward the bottom left corner and narrowly missed. A couple of minutes later, Brennan was once again involved in a nice move as he dropped a cross to the back post for Thiaré who couldn't direct his header on frame. Neither team was able to find a breakthrough before halftime.

Atlanta started on the front foot in the second half. Thiaré had another great diving header opportunity after Brennan and Matt Edwards combined down the right side. The Senegalese striker got behind the defense but his diving header went wide left of the mark. In the 76th minute, Hernández sent a corner to the penalty spot where Firmino had a diving header bounce over the bar. After a scoreless 90 minutes, the match went to extra time.

The first chance of the extra period went to Charleston when a deflected free kick from Juan David Torres left Cohen flat footed but the ball struck the left post and went out for a corner kick. In the second half of extra time, Firmino had another good opportunity off a Brooks Lennon cross, but his right-footed volley found the side netting.

Lennon stepped up to the spot for the first kick of the shootout, however his attempt was saved by Kuzemka. Atlanta and Charleston proceeded to score on the following eight attempts until Cohen kept the away side in the shootout with a diving save on Diego Gutierrez. Stian Gregersen put his penalty away and Cohen saved the deciding attempt from Aaron Molloy to send Atlanta into the next round of the tournament.

Atlanta United (3-6-4, 13 points) returns to action on Saturday, May 25 when it hosts LAFC at Mercedes-Benz Stadium (7:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass, 92.9 The Game, La Mejor). All Atlanta United matches are available with an MLS Season Pass subscription, located on the Apple TV app.

Match Summary

Stats

Shots: 20-12 Charleston

Shots on target: 4-2 Charleston

Corner kicks: 11-8 Charleston

Fouls Committed: 22-11 Atlanta

xG: 1.66 - 1.03 Atlanta

Possession: 51 - 49 Atlanta

Passing accuracy: 81 - 78 Atlanta

Scoring

None

Disciplinary

ATL - Luke Brennan 20'

CHS - Mark Segbers 74'

ATL - Bartosz Slisz 77'

ATL - Edwin Mosquera 102' Notes

Matt Edwards and Ashton Gordon made their second starts for ATL UTD, both in the Open Cup this season.

Alan Carleton made his First Team debut.

Atlanta recorded the first penalty shootout win in club history.

Atlanta's record is now 10-4 all-time in U.S. Open Cup play and 7-2 against non-MLS teams.

Penalty Shootout Result:

ATL - Brooks Lennon - Saved

CHS - Arturo Rodriguez - Goal

ATL - Daniel Ríos - Goal

CHS - Jackson Conway - Goal

ATL - Bartosz Slisz - Goal

CHS - MD Myers - Goal

ATL - Ronald Hernandez - Goal

CHS - Graham Smith - Goal

ATL - Nicolas Firmino - Goal

CHS - Diego Gutierrez - Saved

ATL - Stian Gregersen - Goal

CHS - Aaron Molloy - Saved

ATLANTA UNITED STARTING LINEUP

GK: Josh Cohen

D: Matt Edwards (Alan Carleton - 100')

D: Efrain Morales

D: Luis Abram (Stian Gregersen - 85')

D: Ronald Hernandez (c)

M: Dax McCarty (Adyn Torres - 76')

M: Nicolas Firmino

M: Ashton Gordon (Bartosz Slisz - 63')

M: Luke Brennan (Brooks Lennon - 85')

M: Edwin Mosquera

F: Jamal Thiaré (Daniel Ríos - 63')

Substitutes not used:

Quentin Westberg CHARLESTON BATTERY STARTING LINEUP

GK: Daniel Kuzemka

D: Leland Archer (c)

D: Nathan Dossantos (Joshua Drack-Asami - 120')

D: Mark Segbers (Jackson Conway - 120')

D: Graham Smith

M: Aaron Molloy

M: Chris Allan (Robert Crawford - 109')

M: Emilio Ycaza (Arturo Rodriguez - 74')

F: Juan David Torres (Diego Gutierrez - 109')

F: MD Myers

F: Nicholas Markanich (Jake LaCava - 86')

Substitutes not used:

Enzo Mori

OFFICIALS

Abdou Ndiaye (referee), Kevin Huet (assistant), Joshua Belk (assistant), Izlen Peksenar (fourth)

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Images from this story

Atlanta United's Stian Gregersen, Efrain Morales, Josh Cohen, and Luis Abram celebrate win
Atlanta United's Stian Gregersen, Efrain Morales, Josh Cohen, and Luis Abram celebrate win
   

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