September 4, 2021 – Major League Soccer (MLS) – Atlanta United FC News Release
INDIANAPOLIS – Atlanta United 2 won 1-0 against Indy Eleven at IU Michael A. Carroll Track & Soccer Stadium Saturday night. Aiden McFadden scored his team-leading seventh goal of the season, which tied the single-season record for ATL UTD 2. Additionally, Ben Lundgaard recorded his second clean sheet of the season.
With a rainy start to the match, Atlanta handled a high press from Indy and tried to find its rhythm in possession. However, in the 22nd minute, Lundgaard was called into action. Jeremiah Gutjahr used the slick conditions to his advantage and took a low-driven shot from 20-yards out, but the goalkeeper made a diving save to his left to parry the ball away.
McFadden found the game’s lone goal in the 26th minute. From a short corner kick, Atlanta patiently kept possession in the left flank, where Caleb Wiley eventually crossed in the ball. An Indy player headed the ball out of the box right to the feet of McFadden, who took a bouncing touch and volleyed a bending ball into the far side netting, leaving Jordan Farr no chance of saving it.
Atlanta nearly found its second goal in the 36th minute when Matías Benítez gathered the ball in the left flank and drove into the box to take Farr one-on-one. The forward tried to poke it past the keeper at the near post, but Farr made the save.
On a transition to attack in the 55th minute, Amadou Macky Diop gathered the ball at half and drove down the field with pace. Once he arrived to the penalty box, he tried to shake off the defender with a series of cutbacks until he eventually fired off a shot with his left foot, but it went just over the crossbar.
A few minutes later, Indy had an opportunity in the 57th minute when Nick Moon found an open Nicky Law on the opposite side of the box. Lundgaard stepped off his line to meet Law and denied the forward’s shot to keep it a one-goal game.
McFadden tried to put away his second of the night in the 74th minute. The West Chester native capitalized off a poor touch from an Indy defender and spun with the ball towards goal to set up a left-footed shot outside the box, but it continued to rise over the crossbar.
ATL UTD 2 (7-9-7, 28 points) will return to action against Charleston Battery on Sept. 15 at Fifth Third Bank Stadium (ESPN+, 7:30 p.m. ET).
MATCH INFO
Atlanta 1, Indy 0
IU Michael A. Carroll Track & Soccer Stadium
Indianapolis, IN
STATS
Shots: 17-8 Indy
Shots on Target: 4-4
Corner kicks: 5-2 Indy
Fouls committed: 13-10 Atlanta
Offside: 1-0 Indy
Possession: 51-49 Atlanta
Passing Accuracy: 77-70 Atlanta
SCORING SUMMARY
ATL – Aiden McFadden 26′
DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY
ATL – Phillip Goodrum (yellow) 90+4′
ATL UTD 2 STARTING LINEUP
Ben Lundgaard; Caleb Wiley, Josh Bauer, Bradley Kamdem Fewo ©, Bryce Washington; Robbie Mertz (Mathieu Brick – 90+5′), Abdoulaye Diop, Brendan Lambe; Aiden McFadden, Amadou Macky Diop (Phillip Goodrum – 78′), Matías Benítez (Darwin Matheus – 61′)
Substitutes not used: Rocco Rios Novo, David Mejia, Connor Stanley, Noah Cobb
INDY ELEVEN STARTING LINEUP
Jordan Farr; Jared Timmer, A.J. Cochran, Neveal Hackshaw ©; Nick Moon, Jeremiah Gutjahr (Aboubacar Sissoko – 79′), Gershon Koffie (Rece Buckmaster – 66′), Patrick Seagrist (Ayoze – 79′); Gordon Wild (Carl Haworth – 73′), Nicky Law, Manuel Arteaga
Substitutes not used: Karl Ouimette, Robert Edwards, Aidan Liu
OFFICIALS
Calin Radosav, (referee), Seth Barton, (assistant), Chris Schurfranz, (assistant), Youssef Elmessoussi, (fourth official)
TEAM NOTES
Aiden McFadden recorded his seventh goal of the season, which leads ATL UTD 2 and ties the single-season team record.
Ben Lundgaard records his second clean sheet of the season, and it is the fourth clean sheet for the team.
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