Atlanta 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.
So Jon Gallagher nets two goals and the local Kalonji Academy product Yosef Samuel nabbed a goal and an assist. A big win in front of a sizable crowd is the perfect start to a club’s inaugural season.
“It feels great (to score ATL UTD 2’s first ever goal). It’s my first goal as a professional also. It’s something that I dream about every night when I go to sleep and this is what we work for,” said a very humble Yosef Samuel. “It’s great that my family is here to watch me. They sacrifice a lot for me and this is my way of repaying them.”
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.
LINESCORE
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’
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.
-Jon J.
Photos: Courtesy of ATL UTD 2
[…] 24, 2018, Samuel was one of the first players signed by ATL UTD 2. On March 24, 2018, he scored the first goal in team history in the club’s first match. On June 29, 2019, it was reported that he was released from the […]