The USL Championship announced Tuesday the Team of the Week for Week 17 of the 2021 regular season, which included Atlanta United 2 players Robbie Mertz, Phillip Goodrum and Caleb Wiley. ATL UTD 2 secured four points in two matches in Week 17. On Wednesday, Atlanta came back from a one-goal deficit twice to draw 2-2 versus OKC Energy FC. Then, on Saturday, Atlanta had a commanding 4-1 win over Sporting KC II to secure three points on the road.
Mertz had one goal and two assists in Week 17. After going down a goal against OKC, Atlanta responded with a goal of its own from a screaming shot by Mertz in the 67th minute, as he nailed a rebound off a one-time shot into the upper-90 of the goal to even the game (watch goal). Additionally, the Pittsburgh native registered an assist in the match on Saturday from a turnover. Tyler Wolff blocked a clearance at the top of the box and the ball found its way to Mertz. The midfielder calmly found an open Darwin Matheus near the penalty spot, where he buried the one-time finish (watch assist). Across the two matches, Atlanta’s No. 10 completed 62 of 73 passes overall while winning nine of 15 duels.
Goodrum collected his points against Kansas City on Saturday. Coming on as a halftime substitute, the forward made an immediate impact in just nine minutes. He registered an assist in the 48th minute, as he fed Wolff for the second goal of the match (watch assist). In the 54th minute, Mertz made a run behind SKC’s backline for a ball from Ajani Fortune, where he took a shot, but a SKC II defender made the block. The rebound from the block fell to Goodrum and he hammered home his first goal of the match (watch goal). Then, the Nashville native netted his second in the 74th minute from a low cross from Amadou Macky Diop (watch goal).
Wiley earned his second consecutive selection to the Team of the Week in Weeks 16 and 17. Previously, he was named to the Team of the Week bench in Week 7. The 16-year-old Academy product won 15 of 24 duels and completed four tackles. He also recorded 16 recoveries, four interceptions and three key passes throughout the two matches. So far this season, Wiley leads all Atlanta United Academy players in USL minutes with 1,412 minutes, which is the second most by an Atlanta United Academy player behind George Campbell as he played 1,772 minutes in 2019. Wiley is also second in most minutes overall in the USL for an Atlanta United Academy player with 2,322 minutes.
ATL UTD 2 (6-7-7, 25 points) will return to action against Pittsburgh Riverhounds on August 22 at Highmark Stadium (ESPN+, 5:00 p.m. ET).
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.
