The first professional goal for Jackson Conway is the game-winner
Atlanta United 2 came out on top of a wide-open entertaining match beating North Carolina FC 2-1 Saturday night at Fifth Third Bank Stadium In Kennesaw Georgia. The host picked-up goals from Gordon Wild in the first half and scored the game-winner in the second half for his first professional goal.
The win over one of the top teams in the USL Champions league is a nice step for the young squad. For the second match in a row, the average starting XI with an average age of 20.8 years old, which tied the team record for youngest starting XI. The win is the second for ATL UTD 2 in the last four days after picking up a 2-1 win on Wednesday over Memphis 901 FC on the road.
This performance is part of the development of the team this season as they continue to improve under ATL UTD 2 head coach Stephen Glass. Glass highlighted this when speaking to the media after the match, “I think that was part of the challenge tonight … I think for the young group to … take on another really important performance from start to finish was nice for us to see and see what they have in them and if they want to continuously play at a high level.”
Scoring
Atlanta United 2 – 1 North Carolina FC – 0 – Gordon Wild 25’ (Andrew Carleton)
Andrew Carleton gathered the ball from a North Carolina header just outside the middle circle and chipped it over the backline as Gordon Wild made his run down the left. Wild struck it with his left-foot past the outstretched foot of goalkeeper Alex Tambakis.
.@andrewcarleton7 with the ✨@gorwld with the ? pic.twitter.com/qDvth2XGVr
— ATL UTD 2 (@atlutd2) April 14, 2019
Atlanta United 2 – 1 North Carolina FC – 1 – Marios Lomis 36’ (D.J. Taylor)
North Carolina FC equalized in the 36th minute when D.J. Taylor sent a cross from the right side and into the box where Marios Lomis scored with a shot into the left side of the goal.
Atlanta United 2 – 2 North Carolina FC – 1 – Jackson Conway 67’ (Laurent Kissiedou)
Jackson Conway bagged the game-winner in the 67th minute. After a defensive tackle from ATL UTD 2’s Luiz Fernando, second-half substitute Laurent Kissiedou pounced on the ball. Conway was wide open in the center of the 18-yard-box where he received the pass and hit a clean right-footed strike into the left corner past NCFC keeper Alex Tambakis. It was the first assist of the season for Kissiedou.
What were you doing when you were 17?@jaxsonconway's out here scoring his FIRST pro goal! ? pic.twitter.com/z7vsrtMzgG
— ATL UTD 2 (@atlutd2) April 14, 2019
Personnel Details
The young backline was anchored by a young tandem of centerbacks in 17-year-old George Campbell and 19-year-old Wesly Decas. Each put in an excellent shift being very tidy with the ball. Decas had a team-leading four tackles that included 70 touches and an 88.2% passing accuracy. Campbell put in another excellent performance controlling the ball with 85.5% passing accuracy on 81 touches and 69 passes, both the touches and passes represented the second highest on the team.
Atlanta United 2 came out on top of a wide-open entertaining match beating North Carolina FC 2-1 Saturday night at Fifth Third Bank Stadium In Kennesaw Georgia. (photo: Anthony Pugh-Roberts)
Man of the Match
Jackson Conway deserves the Man of the Match. Not only did he collect his first professional goal, but he also did a lot of hard work with his hold-up play and his dragging defenders with him. After the match, Jackson spoke to netting his first professional goal, “Like every young professional, it is always good to get your first goal. I just had to stay composed and make sure I put it away because I had a bunch of chances in the first half but could not put one in the goal. It helped the team out and we came out with a win, so everything is good.”
Head coach Glass praised Jackson’s work and growth, “He has been great. He does a lot of work for the team, but sometimes does not get as many opportunities as he might like, and he is playing against experienced defenders, but he is great and done great in the Academy.” He continued describing his experience, “He has played against experienced guys more often now and starting to learn how to use his body a little bit more, getting a lot more knocks and a lot more hits, but he is taking them and not hiding. He found the composure to finish off a pretty difficult finish. He got himself into two or three spots tonight where he could have had chances, but he did not stop, and that is a top striker. He just keeps getting in the box, keeps getting in positions to score goals, and he got the reward in the end.”
Atlanta United 2 captain Jack Metcalf during the wide-open entertaining match in which ATL UTD 2 defeated North Carolina FC 2-1 Saturday night at Fifth Third Bank Stadium In Kennesaw Georgia. (photo: Anthony Pugh-Roberts)
Line-ups
Atlanta United 2
- GK: Brendan Moore
- Defenders (4): Jon Gallagher, George Campbell, Wesly Decas, Guillermo Benitez
- Midfielders (4): Will Vint, Anderson Asiedu, Jack Metcalf (Laurent Kissiedou – 56’), Andrew Carleton
- Forwards(2): Gordon Wild (Luiz Fernando – 45’), Jackson Conway (Laurence Wyke – 86’
Unused Substitutes
- Dylan Castanheira, Lagos Kunga, Jose Hernandez, Kevin Barajas
North Carolina FC
- GK: Alex Tambakis
- Defenders (4): Aaron Guillen, Sam Brotherton (Robert Kristo – 84’), Alexander Comsia, D.J. Taylor
- Midfielders (4): Steven Miller (Manny Perez – 68’), Thomas McCabe, Graham Smith, Benjamin Speas
- Forward (2): Ulrich Ewolo (Yamikani Chester – 73’), Marios Lomis
Unused Substitutes
- Duval Wapiwo, Viktor Igbekoyi, Darrin MacLeod, Caleb Duvernay
Up Next
ATL UTD 2 returns to action Wednesday, April 24 against the Tampa Bay Rowdies at Fifth Third Bank Stadium, kick off is at 7:30 p.m. EST.
Atlanta United 2
USL
