Atlanta United 2 fell 2-1 to Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC on Saturday night in Fifth Third Bank Stadium. Jackson Conway headed in his eighth goal of the campaign, tying the ATL UTD 2 single-season record set by Aiden McFadden in 2021.
Pittsburgh midfielder Robbie Mertz had an open net to shoot into in the 29th minute but Bryce Washington made an intelligent read and blocked the shot to prevent a near-certain goal.
Albert Dikwa opened the scoring in the 44th minute to put Pittsburgh in front. Mertz slipped through the Cameroonian forward with a one-touch pass and Dikwa took a single touch before slotting a shot off Vicente Reyes’ hand and in.
Conway equalized for the hosts in the second half, finishing off a team move in the 66th minute. Erik Centeno came on as a substitute in the 57th minute and began to change the game for Atlanta on the right side. After creating space with a couple stepovers, he sent a pass to the byline for an overlapping Ajani Fortune. The Atlanta captain sent a cross toward the middle of the Pittsburgh penalty area and Conway was there to nod a header past Kevin Silva.
Riverhounds SC found a winner in the 71st minute. Dani Rovira sent in a cross from the edge of the penalty area and found the head of Dikwa, who secured his brace by driving his header down and inside the post.
Tristan Trager almost pulled Atlanta back a second time in the 82nd minute but his chip-shot attempt sailed into the hands of Silva.
ATL UTD 2 (4-20-4, 16 points) returns to Fifth Third Bank Stadium in Kennesaw, Georgia to face FC Tulsa on Saturday, Sept. 3 (7:30 p.m., ESPN+).
MATCH INFO
Atlanta 1, Pittsburgh 2
Fifth Third Bank Stadium
Kennesaw, Georgia
STATS
Shots: 13-7 Pittsburgh
Shots on Target: 6-4 Pittsburgh
Corner kicks: 2-1 Atlanta
Fouls committed: 9-8 Pittsburgh
Offsides: 2-0 Pittsburgh
Possession: 53-47 Pittsburgh
Passing Accuracy: 81-79 Pittsburgh
SCORING SUMMARY
PIT – Albert Dikwa 44’ (Robbie Mertz)
ATL – Jackson Conway 66’ (Ajani Fortune)
PIT – Albert Dikwa 71’ (Dani Rovira)
DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY
ATL – Ajani Fortune 9’ (yellow)
ATL – Bryce Washington 35’ (yellow)
PIT – Danny Griffin 62’ (yellow)
PIT – Mekeil Williams 89’ (yellow)
ATL – Raimar 90+3’ (yellow)
PIT – Jesse Williams 90+5’ (yellow)
ATL UTD 2 STARTING LINEUP
Vicente Reyes; Bryce Washington, Noah Cobb (Efrain Morales – 59’), Mikey Ambrose (Nelson Orji – 78’); Luke Brennan (Erik Centeno – 57’), Toni Tiente (Darwin Matheus – 78’), Ajani Fortune ©, Nick Fortune, Raimar; Tristan Trager, Jackson Conway.
Substitutes not used: Nash Skoglund, Jonantan Villal, Alan Carleton.
PITTSBURGH RIVERHOUNDS STARTING LINEUP
Kevin Silva; Shane Wiedt, Arturo Osuna, Mekeil Williams; Alexander Dixon (Luis Argudo – 71’), Kenardo Forbes © (Marc Ybarra – 71’), Daniel Griffin, Daniel Rovira (Jesse Williams – 85’); Robbie Mertz (Angelo Kelly-Rosales – 71’), Albert Dikwa, Edward Kizza (Jelani Peters – 85’).
Substitutes not used: Chase Vosvick, Dane Kelly.
OFFICIALS
Katja Koroleva (referee), Brian Marshall (assistant), Rhett Hammil (assistant) Joshua Belk (fourth official)
ATTENDANCE
531
NOTES
- Jackson Conway scored his team-leading eighth goal of the season, tying the team’s single-season record set by Aiden McFadden in 2021
- Ajani Fortune recorded his first professional assist
