THREE THINGS THAT MATTERED

1. After securing a stoppage-time draw against the Tampa Bay Rowdies on Wednesday, ATL UTD 2 played its part in the Eastern Conference playoff race for the second time this week as the side earned a 2-1 home victory over the Charleston Battery on Sunday afternoon at Coolray Field. The home side trailed by a goal at halftime but turned the game on its head as Romario Williams scored twice in the first 20 minutes of the second half to send ATL UTD 2 to a four-point week.

2. The Charleston Battery missed out on a chance to clinch a top-four finish in the Eastern Conference as the visitors lost from a winning position for the second straight weekend, matching their 2-1 setback against Toronto FC II last Saturday. The Battery can still secure a home date in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals but will need a point next Saturday in Ottawa against a Fury FC side that will be fighting for its own playoff hopes.

3. ATL UTD 2 forward Romario Williams haunted his former club on Sunday as he scored two goals in the second half to help his side to a 2-1 comeback victory. Williams, who spent time on loan with Charleston in 2016 and 2017, headed home Andrew Carleton’s corner kick three minutes after halftime to level the contest and rounded Battery goalkeeper Joe Kuzminsky before firing home in the 65th minute to double his haul for the season and give his side a second straight result against an Eastern Conference playoff contender.

GAME REPORTS

ATL UTD 2 (2), CHARLESTON BATTERY (1)

GWINNET, Ga. – Romario Williams scored twice in the second half as ATL UTD 2 rallied for a 2-1 comeback victory over the Charleston Battery on Sunday afternoon at Coolray Field. The hosts started brightly and had a chance to open the scoring in the 13th minute as Lagos Kunga worked his way down the right wing and cut the ball back for Andrew Carleton but the midfielder’s backheeled effort didn’t have enough power to trouble Battery goalkeeper Joe Kuzminsky. Charleston took the lead against the run of play 14 minutes later as Angelo Kelly-Rosales found Ataulla Guerra in the center of the penalty area and the forward made no mistake with a powerful finish past Atlanta goalkeeper Alec Kann into the bottom-left corner for his 15th goal of the season. ATL UTD 2 came close to equalizing just before halftime as former Battery loanee Romario Williams tried a first-time shot from a tight angle but Kuzminsky reacted well at his right-hand post to keep the shot out. Williams wouldn’t be denied though as he scored against his former club three minutes after the break, rising highest to head Carleton’s corner kick into the bottom-right corner. The duo connected again to give ATL UTD a 2-1 lead in the 65th minute as Carleton’s through pass put Williams in behind the Charleston defense and the forward took a touch to round Kuzminsky before firing a left-footed shot into the empty net from a tight angle. Guerra tried to pick up his second goal of the match from a direct free kick four minutes later, but he couldn’t quite find the corner and Kann dove across his goal to punch the ball clear. The Battery nearly got their equalizer in the 74th minute as Patrick Okonkwo got on the end of Jay Bolt’s left-wing cross but the midfielder’s header sailed just over the crossbar and ATL UTD 2 held on for its first win since September 8.

USLSoccer.com Man of the Match:

Romario Williams, ATL UTD 2 – Williams completed all ten of his passes and scored twice in the second half against his former club to lead ATL UTD 2 to a 2-1 comeback victory.