ATL UTD 2 draws Charlotte Independence, 2-2, to snap 6-game losing skid

ATL UTD 2 and the Charlotte Independence entered Wednesday night’s match having drawn their previous three meetings. That trend continued as a 72nd minute goal by Aaron Maund saw the teams play to a 2-2 draw at Fifth Third Bank Stadium, Atlanta’s first result since a 1-1 draw at the Charleston Battery on May 25.

The first half belonged to Bienvenue Kanakimana as he helped himself to a brace in the opening 45 minutes. First, with ATL UTD 2 trailing 1-0 in the 33rd minute, Jackson Conway beat his defender and hit Kanakimana in stride, with the youngster from Burundi ending a pretty run with his first goal in an Atlanta uniform.

Conway was involved in Kanakimana’s second goal that gave Atlanta the lead. The former Academy forward chipped a ball from midfield to his teammate, who cut inside and got on the end of his own deflected shot to put his team ahead.

Despite that, ATL UTD 2 would have to settle for a draw as Maund’s 72nd minute ensured that the clubs would end the night sharing the honors. But it will do so having ended a grueling 6-match losing streak during which it was outscored 23-3.

The macth got a little spicy at the end, though, and included a red card for former Charlotte man Jack Metcalf and yellows to both Laurence Wyke and the Independence’s Niki Jackson. Metcalf, along with Conway and Jose Hernandez (yellow card accumulation), will miss Saturday’s trip to North Carolina FC, so expect a player or two from the Academy to potentially get onto the gameday roster.