MARIETTA, Ga. (Sept. 8, 2026) - Atlanta United 2 earned a 4-1 victory over CT United FC on Tuesday at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Training Ground in Marietta. Atlanta moved up to third in the MLS NEXT Pro Eastern Conference and took a major step toward clinching a playoff berth on the back of Cameron Dunbar's 20th goal contribution of the season.
Atlanta entered the match with crucial playoff implications, as with a win, an NYCFC II draw or loss and Huntsville claiming one point or fewer on Wednesday night, it would clinch its first-ever playoff appearance.
With the stakes of the match high, it was a back-and-forth opening frame until, in the 22nd minute, Daniel Chica put Atlanta ahead. Standing over a free kick on the left side of the box, Andrew Jardines clipped a cross to Mohamed Cisset at the back post. Attempting to play the ball back to the middle of the box, Cisset popped a header into the air, which Daniel Chica was first to react to. Jumping over his marker, Chica directed a header toward goal that deflected off Connecticut center back Lukas Kamrath, lofted over the goalkeeper, and looped into the net to give Atlanta the lead.
Matthew Senanou nearly doubled the Atlanta lead on another header in the first minute of stoppage time. From the edge of the center circle, Santiago Pita hit a deep cross into the box toward Senanou, who had broken free from two defenders. With a leap and a flick of his head, Senanou aimed a bouncing header toward the bottom left corner of the net, but it dribbled just far of the post as Atlanta entered the half with its one-goal advantage.
In the 54th minute, Connecticut was reduced to 10 men on a straight red card for violent conduct. Senanou, in his own box, was shielding the ball from Connecticut winger Barnabas Tanyi, who pulled on the arm of Senanou and gave away a foul. As Senanou walked away after the whistle, Tanyi kicked him on the thigh, dropping him to the ground. With little hesitation, the referee ran over to the scene, reached to his back pocket, and presented the Connecticut winger with a red card.
Pita and Enzo Dovlo combined to force an own goal and double the Atlanta lead in the 66th minute. The move began with a long ball from Jardines toward Dovlo running down the right flank. With two defenders on him, Dovlo stopped and spun around, seeing Pita charging into the box. With a diagonal pass on his left foot, Dovlo sent the ball toward Pita, who just missed tapping it home. However, center back Michael Boamah, standing behind Pita, reacted poorly and scuffed the ball into the back of his own net.
In the 79th minute, Connecticut pulled a goal back after a turnover. Jardines, being pressed by Connecticut midfielder Robbie Mora, relinquished the ball at midfield, starting a break for the opponents. As Mora drove forward, he spotted midfielder Daniel D’Ippolito running between Senanou and Cisset and delivered an accurate ball to him in the box. One-on-one with Jonathan Ransom, D’Ippolito finished across his body to the bottom left corner, beating Ransom and ending the shutout.
Dunbar cemented the result in the 85th minute with his 20th goal contribution on the season. Dovlo, receiving a pass from Chica at midfield and driving down the center of the pitch, found Dunbar standing open in the box. Faced with a defender in front of him, Dunbar took two close touches to keep the defender off balance before wrapping a right-footed shot around him and past the goalkeeper to restore Atlanta’s two-goal advantage late.
In the final minutes of stoppage time, Atlanta added another on the second own goal of the match. After a cross from Amir Henry was deflected, the ball ricocheted to Dominik Chong Qui on the left side of the box. Chong Qui, after a heavy touch, went to ground to make a pass across to Kovac, who was standing in front of goal. However, the pass was cut out by Kamrath, who had too much momentum to prevent the ball from deflecting off his foot and into the back of his own net.
Atlanta United 2 (13-8-5, 45 points) returns to action Sunday, Sept. 13, when it travels to Chattanooga to take on Chattanooga FC at Finley Stadium (3 p.m. ET, MLSNEXTPro.com, OneFootball App, Soccer Down Here).
