Three second half goals powered Atlanta United 2 to a 3-2 win over Richmond Kickers in the team’s final match of its inaugural season. Lagos Kunga scored a pair of goals eight minutes apart while Devon Sandoval added a third to close out ATL UTD 2’s season on a four-match unbeaten streak.
Despite a dominant first half on both sides of the ball, including 12 shots and nine chances created, Atlanta didn’t find the back of the net until the 61st minute. Kunga received the ball on the edge of the 18-yard-box from Jose Hernandez and split a pair of defenders as he ran into the penalty area. The 19-year-old Homegrown bolted toward goal where an onrushing Brandon Barnes came off his line, but Kunga slipped a shot to the far-right post that bounced into the side netting for a 1-0 lead.
Kunga doubled ATL UTD 2’s lead and in the 69th minute. Oliver Shannon turned Oscar Umar over at the top of the box where Kunga collected the loose ball. The forward easily beat defender Mallan Roberts to enter the 18 and scored with a chip over Barnes for his fifth goal of the season and his second brace.
Seven minutes later, Sandoval scored his third goal of the year and what proved to be the game-winner. An attempted clearance deep in Richmond’s half of the field was blocked by Shannon and fell to Sandoval who was immediately in a one-on-one opportunity with Barnes on the right side of the penalty area. The Richmond goalkeeper came out to attempt a save, but swiped Sandoval’s feet just as he attempted to shoot. The 6-foot-1 striker fell to the ground, but swung his left foot at the ball, which rolled into the bottom left corner for a 3-0 Atlanta lead.
Richmond, however, did not go away easily as substitute Giuseppe Gentile scored a pair of goals in the final 10 minutes. Gentile was played in behind ATL UTD 2’s backline by Conor Shanosky and finished at the near post on the right side. His second goal came shortly into stoppage time with a glancing header from a Luiz Fernando cross.
