Atlanta United 2 played to a 2-2 draw with OKC Energy FC Sunday night at Taft Stadium. ATL UTD 2 battled back twice from a one-goal deficit to split the points as MatÃas BenÃtez scored his first goal for the club in his debut while Homegrown Tyler Wolff netted a late equalizer for his first professional goal.
ATL UTD 2 dictated the pace early, controlling the majority of possession and holding Energy FC without a shot for the initial 35 minutes. Despite Atlanta’s early control, it was OKC who found the game’s first goal in the 36th minute. Atlanta failed to clear an Energy FC corner and Villyan Bijev buried the loose ball with a low shot to the bottom right corner.
Atlanta responded early in the second half when Darwin Matheus earned a penalty in the 54th minute. OKC attempted to play a back pass to goalkeeper C.J. Cochran, but Matheus intercepted the ball and dribbled into the box where Conor Donovan crashed into him. BenÃtez took the penalty, but Cochran made a diving save to the bottom right corner. However, the ball fell right to BenÃtez who easily tapped in the tying goal.
Energy FC regained the lead in the 65th minute from a set piece. Tucker Stephenson delivered a free kick from the left side into the center of the box and the ball was deflected into the air. Mitchell Osmond finished with an acrobatic leaping kick into the right side of the net.
However, ATL UTD 2 again tied the match with just moments remaining. After good work from BenÃtez down the left side earned Atlanta a corner kick, it was played short to Connor Stanley, who also made his debut. Stanley played a cross into the box where it was knocked down to an unmarked Wolff standing on the left side of the six-yard box. The Homegrown blasted a half-volley shot into the side-netting for the equalizer in the 89th minute.
Atlanta tried to steal the game-winner in stoppage time when academy forward Coleman Gannon attempted to curl a shot into the top-left corner from just outside the 18-yard box on the right side, but it missed just wide of the far post.
ATL UTD 2 (1-1-1, 4 points) returns to action for its home opener against FC Tulsa Wednesday, May 19 at Fifth Third Bank Stadium (ESPN+, 7:30 p.m. ET).
MATCH INFO
Atlanta 2, OKC Energy FC 2
Taft Stadium
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
STATS
Shots: 12-8 Atlanta
Shots on Target: 4-4 tied
Corner kicks: 5-4 Atlanta
Fouls committed: 26-20 OKC
Offside: 4-0 Atlanta
Possession: 58-42 Atlanta
Passing Accuracy: 78-72 Atlanta
SCORING SUMMARY
OKC – Villyan Bijev 36’
ATL – MatÃas BenÃtez 56’
OKC – Mitchell Osmond 65’
ATL – Tyler Wolff 89’
DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY
ATL – Aiden McFadden (yellow) 78’
OKC – Aiden Daniels (yellow) 86’
OKC – Conor Donovan (yellow) 90+1’
OKC – Charlie Ward (yellow) 90+2’
ATL UTD 2 STARTING LINEUP
Rocco Rios Novo; Caleb Wiley, Bradley Kamdem Fewo ©, Josh Bauer, Aiden McFadden; Chris Allan (Efrain Morales – 76’), Tyler Wolff, Ajani Fortune (Brendan Lambe – 57’); Darwin Matheus (Coleman Gannon – 60’), Connor Stanley, MatÃas BenÃtez.
Substitutes not used: Vicente Reyes, Amadou Macky Diop.
OKC ENERGY FC STARTING LINEUP
C.J. Cochran; Mitchell Osmond, Conor Donovan ©, Robert Coronado, Samuel Rogers, Jonathan Brown, Aidan Daniels, Kodai Iida (Charlie Ward – 71’), Hiroki Kurimoto, Arun Basuljevic, Villyan Bijev (Tucker Stephenson – 38’).
Substitutes not used: Groutchov Pierre, Sam Howard, Brad Dunwell, Kyle Ihn, Muengnenshime Goshit.
OFFICIALS
JC Griggs (referee), Matthew Rodman, (assistant), Seth Barton, (assistant), James Norris (fourth).
TEAM NOTES
- Matias Benitez and Connor Stanley made their ATL UTD 2 debuts
- Benitez scored his first goal with the club
- Tyler Wolff scored his first professional goal
- Ajani Fortune made his first appearance with the team this season
ABOUT ATL UTD 2
ATL UTD 2 is owned and operated by AMB Sports & Entertainment and is the United Soccer League (USL) affiliate of Major League Soccer’s Atlanta United. ATL UTD 2 joined USL for its expansion 2018 season and plays its home matches at Fifth Third Bank Stadium in Kennesaw, Georgia.
