Kennesaw, Ga.- After 90 minutes of playing on the front foot, Atlanta United 2 could not find the net leading the 2’s to a 1-0 loss in their 2025 opening match against Red Bulls 2.
The winning goal was scored by New York Red Bulls 2’s Andy Rojas in the 51st minute, completely against the run of play. After dribbling 20 yards into the box, Rojas curled a shot that deflected slightly off 2’s defender Efrain Morales and into the top left corner to score his first career MLS NEXT Pro goal, leaving the Atlanta United 2 team shocked.
“We didn’t expect the first goal,” said winger Moises Tablante. “I don’t think they had a clear chance before the goal. When they scored we were shocked and we were not thinking about what we were going to do with the ball, we were just trying to tie the game and see what happens.”
The 2’s maintained ball possession throughout the game, but could not seem to find the goal. They ended the game with four shots on goal made by Tablante and their captain, Javier Armas. This struggle was not unnoticed by New York Red Bulls 2 goalkeeper Aidan Stokes, who made six saves this match.
Although this was the first match for the 2’s, the players seemed eager to win. There was a total of 28 fouls, and at times the game seemed focused on free kicks rather than shots on goal. In the first half, Red Bulls 2’s Dylan Sullivan, Jair Collahuazo and Juan Esteban Gutierrez all received yellow cards alongside Atlanta United 2’s winger Luke Brennan. There was a total of six yellow cards in the game.
Ultimately the 2’s couldn’t break down the defense of Red Bulls 2, especially their top defender, Steven Sserwadda, who won 89% of his tackles.
“There were a couple of moments where we could’ve been better,” said 2’s head coach Steve Cooke. “Because this is the first game of the season there is a little more emotion behind it.”
The man of the match was Braden Dunham, who completed 77% of his passes as a rookie on the team this season. Dunham is only 17-years-old from the Atlanta United Academy, and just played his first MLS NEXT Pro game.
“He’s been fantastic… Braden is a person people have written off,” said Cooke. “People didn’t expect much but we did, that is why he was selected, and believe me I thought he was very much up there with our best players tonight.”
“I was talking to him asking if he was okay before the first game, but he was balling out there and I am really glad for him,” said Tablante.
As the 2’s look ahead to the next game against Orlando, they look towards Tablante to guide the team through his old turf. The game will broadcast on Apple TV at 7 p.m. on March 16.
Let us know down below what you thought of the match!