Atlanta United drew 2-2 with Nashville SC after a wet and stormy night in Nashville at GEODIS Park. Nashville’s goals came from CJ Sapong and Hany Mukhtar while Atlanta’s came from Thiago Almada and Dom Dwyer.
Once the game kicked off, it wasn’t long before the interruptions began due to the weather. It took nearly three hours of delays but the match would eventually restart.
A few minutes after the restart, Nashville SC struck first with a goal by CJ Sapong. Hany Mukhtar sent a through ball that broke Atlanta’s backline to CJ Sapong who beat Bobby Shuttleworth in front of goal.
Atlanta was able to respond immediately thanks to a Joe Willis mistake. The Nashville keeper was under pressure and sent an errant ball straight to Marcelino Moreno. Moreno dribbled forward, laid the ball off to Thiago Almada, and the new signing one-timed an effort past Willis to draw the game level 1-1.
In the 30′ minute, Sapong was able to return the favor to Mukhtar and break the deadlock. Receiving a cross from a set-piece, CJ Sapong headed the ball across goal to an unmanned Mukhtar who headed in Nashville’s second goal of the match.
In the dying embers of the match, Atlanta United had one last chance to draw level. Almada sent a beautiful lob to Brooks Lennon, who was unmarked, and with a simple tap, sent the ball across the face of goal to Dom Dwyer. Dwyer slid to make the one-timed effort and found the back of the net to make the score 2-2.
Atlanta United will feel hard done in extra time as they intercepted an errant pass in Nashville’s defensive third and the referee called the match. The Atlanta players were furious and had to be separated by staff and even Gonzalo Pineda himself.
The five stripes will return to Atlanta next Saturday, May 28 to host the Columbus Crew at Mercedes Benz Stadium.
-Jon Jones
Photo: Courtesy of ATL UTD