Local product Yosef Samuel scored the first goal in team history while Jon Gallagher netted two goals as Atlanta United 2 earned a 3-1 win over New York Red Bulls II in its inaugural match in front of 5,615 fans at Coolray Field in Lawrenceville, Ga. Saturday night.
“This group of players will always be part of the club’s history, in terms of being the group that got the first win for ATL UTD 2,” said head coach Scott Donnelly. “We’re proud to represent the club well and I’m proud of them. I thought they worked really hard, they laid it on the line when they had to.”
After a mostly quiet first half, Samuel opened the scoring in the 25th minute as winger Gallagher ran on to a ball down the left side and sent in a low cross. The ball deflected off a New York defender and into the air where Samuel acrobatically buried the loose ball into the back of the net with a scissor kick from his right foot.
Red Bulls II equalized just minutes later when Jared Stroud sent in a cross from the right flank toward the middle of the box. Uncontested, Brian White headed the ball past goalkeeper Alec Kann to even the score in the 32nd minute.
However, ATL UTD 2 would grab the lead back before the half when Gallagher earned a penalty after Jordan Scarlett took him down in the box in the 41st minute. The Irish forward calmly slotted the ball to the left while New York goalkeeper Evan Louro guessed to the right. ATL UTD 2 took a 2-1 lead into halftime.
Atlanta’s third and final goal of the night came early in the second half after Samuel whipped in a fierce cross from the right side which found Gallagher, who headed the ball into the net to set the score at 3-1 in the 52nd minute.
Each side had scoring opportunities throughout the second half, while Atlanta goalkeeper Alec Kann was called into action on several occasions down the stretch and made three saves on the night. However, the home side held on to earn its first victory.
ATL UTD 2 (1-0-0, 3 points) returns to action March 31 at Charlotte Independence at 7:00 p.m. The match will be streamed live on atlutd.com/2.
MATCH RESOURCES
LINE SCORE
Atlanta 3, New York 1
Coolray Field
Lawrenceville, Georgia
STATS
Shots: 10-10 tied
Corner kicks: 6-10 New York
Fouls committed: 10-10 tied
Saves: 3-1 Atlanta
Offside: 1-4 New York
SCORING SUMMARY
ATL UTD 2 – Yosef Samuel (Gallagher) 25’
NYRB II – Brian White (Jared Stroud) 32’
ATL UTD 2 – Jon Gallagher (penalty) 41’
ATL UTD 2 – Jon Gallagher (Yosef Samuel) 52’
DISCLIPINARY SUMMARY
NYRB II – Steven Echeverria (yellow) 23’
NYRB II – John Murphy (yellow) 89’
ATLANTA UNITED 2 STARTING LINEUP
Alec Kann; Mikey Ambrose, AJ Cochran, Miles Robinson; Andrew Wheeler-Omiunu; Jack Metcalf ©, Oliver Shannon, Jon Gallagher (Devon Sandoval –56’), Laurent Kissiedou (Jose Carranza—75’), Lagos Kunga (Andrew Kendall-Moullin—85’); Yosef Samuel.
Substitutes not used: Paul Christensen, Nicolas Caraux, Kevin Barajas.
NEW YORK RED BULLS II STARTING LINEUP
Evan Louro; Tommy Redding (Hassan Ndam—67’), Kevin Politz, Jordan Scarlett (Cristian Casseres Jr—67’); Ethan Kutler, Nike De Vera, Andrew Tinari, Steven Echeverria (John Murphy—84’), Jared Stroud, Amando Moreno; Brian White.
Substitutes not used: Christopher Lema, Scott Levene, Tom Barlow, Wahab Ackwei.
ATTENDANCE
5,615
OFFICIALS
Sergii Demianchuk (referee), Nick Uranga (assistant), Brian Marshall (assistant), Matthew Jackson (fourth).
TEAM NOTES
- Yosef Samuel scored the first goal in team history, it was also his first professional goal
- Jon Gallagher scored his first professional goal with a penalty in the 41st minute
- Oliver Shannon and Gallagher each made their professional debuts
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 will play its home matches at Gwinnett County’s Coolray Field.
