ATHENS, Ga. (June 27, 2026) - Atlanta United 2 drew 3-3 with Crown Legacy FC on Saturday at Turner Soccer Complex in Athens. Arif Kovac scored scored his league-leading 11th and 12th goals of the season, but Atlanta fell in the extra-point penalty shootout, 4-3.
In the sixth minute, Crown Legacy scored with its first chance of the match. Central midfielder Aron John, taking a corner from the right side, whipped a cross to the middle of the box where left back Assane Ouedraogo, evading defenders, connected with a powerful header at close range to give the visitors an early lead.
With the momentum from its first goal, Crown Legacy doubled its advantage eight minutes later. Central midfielder Adrian Mendoza, running with the ball past the midfield stripe, found teammate Nimfasha Berchimas running ahead of him in space on the left wing. Berchimas, who had time to dribble into the box before he was closed down, took the ball to the goal line before quickly firing a pass across to the oncoming right winger, Brian Romero, who finished into the top left corner of the net at the near post.
Atlanta earned just its second penalty of the season in the 18th minute. Moises Tablante, dribbling into the right side of the box, fired a left-footed cross into the center of the area. However, his cross was deflected off the toe of center back Wyatt Holt before ricocheting straight into the hand of fellow center back Jack Neeley, causing the referee to immediately gesture to the spot for a penalty kick. Arif Kovac, the designated penalty taker, took a short run up before guiding the ball past the diving Lazar Kalicanin and into the bottom right corner of the net to make it 2-1.
Kovac’s brace in the 30th minute equalized the game for Atlanta. Dominik Chong Qui, who was chasing a ball down the left sideline, beat his defender in a ground duel before laying off a sideways pass to Cameron Dunbar, who was running into the box. Dunbar, with space in the area, continued his dribble to the goal line, waiting for Kovac to arrive at the near post before hitting a short pass across to him. Kovac, reacting quickly with a first time shot on his left foot, dragged the ball across the face of the goal and into the bottom right corner of the net.
In the 54th minute, Crown Legacy regained the lead. Berchimas, starting the attack from the left wing once more, dribbled past three Atlanta defenders on his way into the box and to the goal line. His ensuing pass, intended for a center forward Michael Ayovi, was interrupted by the trailing leg of Mohamed Cisset, but the deflection fell straight to the chest of the right winger Nathan Richmond, who rolled the ball past Jonathan Ransom at close range.
However, just four minutes later, Crown Legacy received a straight red card. Neeley, who had lost control of a ball he intercepted, created a turnover for Dunbar. Not wanting to be caught out, Neeley left a trailing leg that landed high on the shin of Dunbar, sending him straight to ground. With little hesitation, the referee walked over and presented Neeley with a straight red card, reducing Crown Legacy to 10 men.
Atlanta equalized for the second time in the 60th minute. Dunbar, starting from his own half, found Chong Qui in space at midfield. After a few forward dribbles, Chong Qui returned the pass to Dunbar, who was making the overlapping run down the left wing. Stopping his run at the top of the box, Dunbar waited for Chong Qui to get into position, then played a line breaking pass for him into the box. Chong Qui, running on to the pass, struck the ball hard and low with his left foot, deflecting off the goalkeeper and into the back of the net.
Despite being one man short, Crown Legacy defended the draw until full time, sending the match to penalties. In penalties, each goalkeeper saved one, but Santiago Pita’s effort off the crossbar was the difference as the visitors took the shootout, 4-3.
Atlanta United 2 (7-5-3, 24 points) returns to action Saturday, July 4, when it takes on Toronto FC II at Turner Soccer Complex (7 p.m. ET, MLSNEXTPro.com, OneFootball App, Soccer Down Here).
