KENNESAW, Ga. (April 23, 2025) - Atlanta United 2 defeated Carolina Core FC in a back-and-forth match Wednesday night at Fifth Third Stadium where Atlanta earned the extra point in the shootout after regulation ended 2-2. Academy midfielder Gabriel Wesseh notched a goal and an assist in his first professional start, and Moises Tablante scored his third goal of the season.
Atlanta United 2 held a majority of the ball in the opening moments of the game, and created the chances to show for it. In the 15th minute, Nyk Sessock dribbled into midfield and laid the ball off to Wesseh on the right wing. Wesseh played a ball down the sideline to Rodrigo Neri, who's cross met Ryan Carmichael, but the header was saved.
Six minutes later, Atlanta took the 1-0 lead. Wesseh received the ball on right before cutting inside with space in front of him. The midfielder chipped the ball into a streaking Tablante inside the Carolina box. The Venezuelan patiently took a soft touch to beat his defender and squeezed a missile through the near-post into the roof of the net.
In the 29th minute, Carolina Core equalized. Santiago Cambindo won the ball off a goal kick, and played the ball forward to Jacob Evans. Evans quickly played laterally to Drake Hadeed, who fired a skipping-ball from 30 yards out to finish in the bottom-right corner.
Tablante looked to double his tally in the 43rd minute. Neri was taken down from behind during a counter attack 20 yards from goal, and Tablante stood over the direct free kick. The forward curled a left-footed shot over the wall but just left of the framework. Both sides entered the break level at one.
The 5-Stripes struck fast in the second half through the Academy-standout Wesseh. Carmichael played Wesseh wide on the right, and the 16-year old made a long dribbling run before firing outside of the box into the bottom-left corner to retake the lead.
Atlanta kept the pressure high throughout the second half. Javier Armas dribbled into the left side of the box and slotted Neri close to the net, but his shot rattled the outside of the near post for a goalkick.
Carolina equalized with nine minutes left to play. Ibrahim Covi received the ball and touched it to Paul Leonardi. With space in front of him, Leonardi took a touch and finished across the goal into the far post. Neither side found a winner in regulation, and for the third time this season, Atlanta went to a shootout. Both teams scored four penalties before sudden death, and goalkeeper Jayden Hibbert clinched the extra point with a save to his right.
Atlanta United 2 (1-2-3, 7 points) returns to action Sunday, April 27 when it travels to FC Cincinnati 2 at NKU Soccer Stadium (2 p.m. ET, MLSNEXTPro.com). Some ATL UTD 2 matches are available with an MLS Season Pass subscription, located on the Apple TV app while the remainder of matches are streamed live on MLSNEXTPro.com.
Penalty Shootout:
ATL
Javier Armas - ✅
Moises Tablante - ✅
Sal Mazzaferro - ✅
Adyn Torres - ❌
Kaiden Moore - ✅
Patrick Weah - ✅
CCFC
Jacob Evans - ✅
Alex Sutton - ✅
Ibrahim Covi - ❌
David Polanco - ✅
Facundo Canete - ✅
Paul Leonardi - ❌
