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Gameday Report: August 7, Week 22

By NICHOLAS MURRAY - nicholas.murray@uslsoccer.com, 08/07/18, 7:27PM EDT

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Atlanta, Ottawa end all square following completion of contest


Photo courtesy Karl L. Moore / ATL UTD 2

THREE THINGS THAT MATTERED

1. Under the circumstances, things played out about the way you might have expected in a game that resumed moments before the halftime break after June 16’s postponement, with two early flashes before the sides started to try and find a rhythm in possession. The hydration break seemed to bring more urgency, though, and either Ottawa Fury FC or ATL UTD 2 could have claimed victory as they both hit the woodwork in the final 10 minutes, only for the game to end where it had resumed.

2. There was a clear contrast in styles, but Ottawa didn’t find the range on its direct approach until late on and could rue the fact that it failed to find a breakthrough when it did. Picking up a point as it heads to a crucial contest with Nashville SC on Friday night was good, but the edge the side needed to jump fully into the contest from the start of the second half just didn’t quite seem to be there, as understandable under the circumstances as that might have been.

3. The USL Cup Playoffs are out of reach for ATL UTD 2, but if they continue to play in the manner they did on Tuesday evening they could still have a role to play in the makeup of the postseason field thanks to a side that might be young but that looks smart on the ball and will cause problems for some sides. Nine of Atlanta’s final 13 games of the season are on home turf, where the side has now lost only once in eight games so far in 2018.

GAME REPORTS

ATL UTD 2 (1), OTTAWA FURY FC (1)

KENNESAW, Ga. – ATL UTD 2 and Ottawa Fury FC both hit the woodwork late but ended in a 1-1 draw following the resumption of a contest that began on June 16 at Fifth Third Bank Stadium on Tuesday evening. With the contest level upon its resumption after an own goal by Jamar Dixon that had put the hosts ahead before Kevin Oliveira replied before the contest was postponed on June 17, both teams had chances early in the second half as Oliveira went close again for Fury FC and Devon Sandoval for Atlanta inside the opening 10 minutes of the second half. Atlanta almost struck with 15 minutes to go as Sandoval’s cutback from the right almost found Lagos Kunga for a first-time finish, and the hosts threatened again from a corner kick two minutes later only to see Kunga send a free header high. Ottawa hit the woodwork in the 83rd minute as Adonijah Reid knifed through two defenders into the left side of the penalty area only to see his near-post finish be turned onto the post by Atlanta goalkeeper Mitch Hildebrandt, while Alessandro Castro volleyed just high for Atlanta from a free kick four minutes later. Atlanta also hit the woodwork as AJ Cochran headed off the crossbar in the final minute, but the sides shared the points as neither side found a decisive breakthrough.

USLSoccer.com Man of the Match
Andrew Carleton, ATL UTD 2
– Carleton played a decisive part in Atlanta’s opening goal and pushed the play well upon its resumption, recording two key passes while winning 9 of 16 duels.

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