USL Atlanta United 2

Match Preview: ATL UTD 2 vs. Hartford Athletic

Published on April 1, 2022 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Atlanta United 2 News Release


ATLANTA - Atlanta United 2 travels to Trinity Health Stadium in Hartford, Connecticut for a match against Hartford Athletic on Saturday night. The match is scheduled to kick off at 7:00 p.m. ET and will be streamed live on ESPN+.

MATCH INFORMATION

Saturday, April 2 | Trinity Health Stadium, Hartford, Connecticut | 7:00 p.m. ET

ATL UTD 2 (1-3-0, 3 points) vs. Hartford Athletic (0-1-1, 1 points)

Stream: ESPN+

ATL UTD 2 is coming off its first win of the season, taking all three points after a 4-1 result against Charleston Battery on Sunday, March 27. Jackson Conway scored the first hat trick of his professional career, assisted twice by Atlanta United Academy product Jonantan Villal. Venezuelan forward Darwin Matheus came on for the second half, netting his first goal of the season in stoppage time.

USL CHAMPIONSHIP PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Conway was named the USL Championship Player of the Week on Tuesday, the fifth time an ATL UTD 2 player has won the award.

The 20-year-old wrote his name into multiple history books, tallying the fourth hat trick in ATL UTD 2 history and the 100th in USL Championship regular-season history.

Notching an assist on Matheus' goal, Conway is also the 13th player to record at least three goals and one assist in a single game in the league's history.

JONANTAN VILLAL

After signing for ATL UTD 2 from the academy in January, Villal has made an impressive start to the 2022 campaign.

The 16-year-old was industrious in his appearances off the bench to begin the season and was selected in the starting XI for the first time in his professional career against Charleston.

The winger created four chances on the night, more than anyone on either team, to become the fourth USLC player to log two assists in one game this season.

VETERAN PRESENCE

Atlanta United defenders Alex De John and Mikey Ambrose put in a shift against the Battery, cutting out any danger and distributing the ball well from the back.

De John won 13 of his 14 duels on the night, winning a figure of nine aerial duels which ties a game high among USLC players this season.

Locking down on defense at left back, Ambrose was also dangerous getting forward; he crossed in Conway's header for the team's second goal and made 29 passes ending in the final third.

HARTFORD ATHLETIC IN 2022

Hartford Athletic is in search of its first win on the season, most recently coming off a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Tampa Bay Rowdies on Saturday, March 26.

Liberian defender Joel Johnson opened the scoring in the sixth minute at Tampa Bay's Al Lang Stadium with a curling effort from 20-plus yards out; fellow Liberian Prince Saydee earned the assist on the strike for his team-leading second assist of the year.

Tampa Bay's Jake LaCava carved out an equalizer in the 39th minute, but neither team could find a winner after what was an admirable performance from Hartford Athletic against the second-ranked team in the Eastern Conference.

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