Augusta rolls to 6-0 win over Atlanta City

New season, new players, new coach, new affiliations all for Augusta…same results (Win)

The Augusta Arsenal Soccer Team rolled to a convincing 6-0 win over a scrappy Atlanta City FC Saturday afternoon at the Augusta Soccer Park.

The new season saw Augusta welcome numerous new faces in the lineup, a new Head Coach Dallas Dickerson, a new professional affiliation with the Augusta Arsenal youth soccer club, and their first competitive match since getting bounced out of the UPSL Georgia Division One playoffs last spring.

Despite all the changes, the same community-focused, soccer brotherhood of players, getting a chance to continue to play the game they love, was evident in all areas of the team’s performance today.

Augusta wasted little time in pinning the youthful Atlanta City side in their own end and this pressure paid off in the 10^th minute as Augusta’s #4 Kaynan Ibrahim ripped a thunderous shot through the Atlanta City’s goalkeeper’s arms for the 1-0 advantage.

A well-worked free kick from the edge of the penalty box bounced neatly far post for a crashing #29 Matthias Baladi to sweep into the net for the 2-0 Augusta lead in the 26^th minute. Augusta tacked on a third goal in the 37^th minute as #21 Alejandro Gonzalez torched the high Atlanta City defensive backline with a timely run to slot in the ball and send the game to the half with Augusta holding a comfortable 3-0 cushion.

The City fouls increased in the second half mostly on late challenges and desperate sliding tackles and Augusta used one of the moments to play a quick free kick from the midfield to catch the Atlanta City defense flat footed for their fourth goal. Augusta’s #4 Kaynan Ibrahim collected the quick pass forward and finished the play slotting the ball into the net despite the onrushing City goalkeeper for his brace.

Another goal from beating the high Atlanta City line came in the 86^th minute as #3 Austin Bryant slotted home a square ball neatly into the empty net after drawing the keeper out of position and despite the scrambling efforts of the recovering City defenders.

The final goal of the match was created in the 89^th minute off a corner kick as the ensuing scramble in the goalmouth rattled around for several touches until it was misplayed across the line as an Atlanta City own goal from the failed clearance.

Final Score 6-0 Augusta.

Adalphe Amehon went all 90 minutes in the Augusta nets earning the shutout with two very important saves during the second half. Both saves displayed his quick reaction skills to smother the low, driven shots without giving up any rebounds.

“The overall impression is that we have an idea (style of play) and we just need to trust the process,” said Augusta Head Coach Dallas Dickerson. “There were a lot of moments that could have been way better, but the first game, a brand-new team, creating that chemistry again…overall I’m happy with it.

When asked about any standout players Coach Dickerson said “All of them, I could say one or two, but this team is a brotherhood with all of them doing what I’m asking…I love it.”

Up next is a road match on September 21 in Columbus to play the Knight Eagles. Kickoff is at 6 PM at Russell County HS.