Chica, Ransom Carry ATLUTD2 Past Toronto II

Starting Lineup

Atlanta United 2 spent July 4 in Athens, playing through a hot holiday night at Turner Soccer Complex. Atlanta entered the night with Santiago Pita unavailable because of an ankle injury.

Toronto FC II arrived with changes of its own. Head coach Gianni Cimini made three changes from Toronto’s previous match against New England Revolution II, with Reid Fisher, Stefan Kapor, and Micah Chisholm returning to the back line.

ATLUTD2 beat Toronto FC II 1-0 in MLS NEXT Pro play. Daniel Chica scored in the 34th minute. Atlanta slowed the game down in the second half by keeping possession and limiting Toronto’s chances. Jonathan Ransom protected the lead in the final stretch with double saves, and Atlanta turned a controlled first half into its fourth clean sheet of the season.

1st Half

Atlanta opened the match on the front foot. Adrian Gill took a corner from the left in the 4th minute, then another from the same side two minutes later. In the 7th, Moises Tablante sent one in from the right, and Arif Kovac got to the ball in the box for a header that went over the bar.

Kovac had another look in the 12th minute, sending a left-footed shot over from the right side. Toronto answered a minute later when Luca Costabile served the ball in for Jahmarie Nolan, whose header missed the target from inside the box.

Cameron Dunbar took Atlanta’s next chance in the 16th, cutting a right-footed shot over the bar from outside the box.

Atlanta’s first clear chance came in the 23rd minute. Dunbar carried the ball across the top of the box and found Kovac to his left. Kovac pulled defenders toward him, then slipped Dominik Chong Qui behind the defense on the left side. Chong Qui hit the ball first time with his left foot, and Toronto deflected it just wide of the far post.

Ignacio Suarez-Couri took the ensuing corner. Toronto cleared the first ball, but Atlanta kept the attack alive, and Chica got a right-footed chance in the center of the box that missed left.

Atlanta’s attack broke through in the 34th minute from a Chong Qui throw-in. He launched it from the right side into the Toronto box, and Matthew Senanou flicked a header centrally. Chica rose between defenders and headed the ball into the bottom-right corner for a 1-0 Atlanta lead. This was Senanou’s first professional assist.

Toronto defender Reid Fisher went into the book later in the 40th minute as Atlanta kept the game near Toronto’s box. Tablante took two corners from the right, and Gill added another from the left in stoppage time.

2nd Half

The second half started slower. Toronto was exploring their options on their right. In the 49th minute, Tristan Blyth found Luca Costabile inside the box, and Costabile put a left-footed shot on frame. Ransom saved it, keeping Atlanta’s 1-0 lead intact.

Atlanta found Kovac in the center of the box in the 58th minute. Gill played the ball into him, and Kovac took a left-footed shot that forced De Rosario into a save.

Toronto’s next chance came in the 64th minute. Lucas Dawson served the ball into the box, but Reid Fisher headed it wide.

The match grew more physical after that, with Toronto seeing three yellows in a four-minute span. Looking for defensive stability, , bringing on Kervon Kerr and Dékwon Barrow for Micah Chisholm and Fisher in the 66th minute.

Atlanta answered from a set piece in the 68th minute. Tablante delivered from the right, and Mohamed Cisset reached it on the left side of the box. His header put De Rosario back to work, and the Toronto goalkeeper made the save.

Toronto’s biggest chance came in the 78th minute. Nolan lifted a ball toward the back post, and Barrow headed it from close range. Jonathan Ransom got to the ball on the line, and the rebound stayed alive in front of goal. Kapor followed from the center of the box, but Atlanta kept that chance out as well.

Atlanta made one of the night’s notable changes in the 79th minute, when Noe Santillan replaced Suarez-Couri for his first professional appearance.

Toronto had one more chance in stoppage time. After Santillan was shown a yellow card in the 95th minute, Toronto won a corner from the right and sent Boneau to take it. Barrow got to the delivery in the center of the box, but his header went over.

The final whistle came moments later. Atlanta United 2 beat Toronto FC II 1-0.

Closing Thoughts

Atlanta finished with 13 shots, four on target, 10 corners, and 89 percent passing accuracy. Toronto finished with seven shots, three on target, two corners, and 84 percent passing accuracy.

Atlanta did most of its attacking work in the first half. It created the better chances, won repeated corners, and turned Chong Qui’s long throw into Chica’s goal. After halftime, Atlanta protected the lead through possession, box defending, and Ransom’s saves.

Chica gave Atlanta the match-winning goal from the right side of the back line. It was his second goal of the season and the highest-scoring MLS NEXT Pro season of his career. Matthew Senanou’s flick on the goal gave him his first professional assist, and Dominik Chong Qui’s throw-in gave Atlanta the action that broke the match open.

Ransom’s biggest work came in the 78th minute. He stopped Barrow’s close-range header on the goal line, then recovered from the ground to deny Kapor on the rebound and preserve the clean sheet.

Noe Santillan gave Atlanta one more first on the night. The U-16 Academy midfielder replaced Suarez-Couri in the 79th minute for his professional debut.

Atlanta moved to 8-5-3 with 27 points and recorded its fourth clean sheet of the season. The next match comes Saturday, July 11, against Inter Miami CF II at Turner Soccer Complex.