ATHENS, Ga. (June 13, 2026) - Atlanta United 2 drew 4-4 with Chattanooga FC before dropping the extra-point penalty shootout 6-5 on Saturday at Turner Soccer Complex in Athens. Andrew Jardines and Matthew Senanou both scored their first professional goals as Atlanta worked back from a three goal deficit in the second half.
Atlanta started the match on the front foot, putting together multiple dangerous attacks in the Chattanooga defensive third. The best of the chances came in the 13th minute, when Moises Tablante, who had received a lofted through ball, dribbled into the box and picked out Cameron Dunbar, who was free to take a shot on goal at the center of the box. However, the shot was directly at Chattanooga goalkeeper Eldin Jakupovic, who was able to make the save.
In the 40th minute, Chattanooga scored on a breakaway. Central midfielder Tate Robertson, clearing the ball away from the Chattanooga box, simultaneously played striker Alexander Krehl, who was standing at midfield, in behind. Krehl, touching the ball down out of the air, won a contest of strength against Mohamed Cisset and was then through on goal. James Donaldson came charging forward, but the Chattanooga striker was able to roll it past him to make it 1-0.
In the first minute of first half stoppage time, Chattanooga doubled its lead on a set piece. Robertson, taking a corner from the left side, lofted a ball to the back post and found the head of Krehl, whose header was driven into the ground with enough pace to beat Donaldson and extend the Chattanooga lead.
Three minutes into the second half, Chattanooga grabbed a third. Daniel Mangarov, who had just entered the pitch, was playing a one-two game with Robertson as both ran down the left wing. Taking the ball to the edge of the box, Mangarov laid off a pass to Robertson, who had drifted centrally. Alone at the top of the box, Robertson took an opportunity to strike a left-footed curler that deflected off Donaldson at the near post and into the net.
In the 57th minute, Atlanta got its first goal through an error. Chattanooga center back Mattias Hanchard attempted to play a routine pass back to Jakupovic, but the keeper was at the top of his box, and the pass was hit with conviction. Jakupovic attempted to sprint back to prevent the ball from trickling into the net, but he was unable to arrive in time, cutting the Chattanooga lead to two.
In the 68th minute, Chattanooga suffered another own goal to cut the lead to one. Moises Tablante, dribbling the ball at midfield, picked out Enzo Dovlo making a run toward goal with a lofted through ball. Dovlo, surrounded by two defenders, touched the ball down, but Jakupovic came charging out of his box. A quick touch to his left saw Dovlo maintain possession and leave the goalkeeper stranded, providing Dovlo the opportunity to shoot on an open net. However, Chattanooga center back Farid Sar-Sar Cairo attempted a clearance at the same time, resulting in a clash of legs that caused the ball to skid off Cairo’s foot and into the net for the second own goal of the night.
Atlanta equalized through Jardines’ first professional goal in the 71st minute. Ignacio Suarez-Couri took a corner from the left side, finding Tablante standing alone just outside of the box. Tablante then ripped a long shot toward goal, but the effort was blocked among the tangle of bodies in the box. With a bit of fortune, the rebound spilled directly to Jardines in front of net, and he was able to slot it past Jakupovic to level the match at three.
Senanou’s goal completed the comeback in the 79th minute. Dominik Chong Qui launched a long throw-in from the left side that carried straight to the center of the Chattanooga box. Toto Majub, who was wrestling with a defender in the box, managed to force a deflection straight into the path of Senanou, who was standing in front of goal. The ensuing right-footed effort from Senanou beat the outstretched legs of his marker and the goalkeeper, giving Atlanta the lead and Senanou his first professional goal as well.
Over the next 16 minutes, Atlanta had five shots, with major chances from Tablante and Suarez-Couri that were narrowly saved, keeping Chattanooga in the match.
With the last kick of regulation, Chattanooga equalized. Left back Antony Sorenson whipped a ball into the box from the left side that was touched down by center midfielder Alex McGrath. Majub was in the area to snuff out the danger, but his clearance deflected off Dovlo and straight into the path of Yuval Cohen, whose first-time effort equalized the match. The referee blew for full time after the ensuing kickoff.
In the penalty shootout, Ilan Ettinger’s sudden-death penalty was saved by Jakupovic, and Sorenson scored the decider to earn Chattanooga the two points as the visitors won the shootout 6-5.
Atlanta United 2 (7-4-2, 23 points) returns to action Sunday, June 21, when it travels to Columbus to face Columbus Crew 2 at Historic Crew Stadium (6 p.m. ET, MLSNEXTPro.com, OneFootball App, Soccer Down Here).
