Atlanta United back home for HBCU Night, loses 2-0 in front of sparse crowd
Atlanta United will host its annual HBCU Night on April 18th at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, featuring special appearances from local celebrities, scholarship presentations, and a halftime performance by T.I. The post Atlanta United back home for HBCU Night, loses 2-0 in front of sparse crowd appeared first on The Atlanta Voice.
Black News 
Atlanta United hosted its annual HBCU Night on Saturday, April 18. There were special appearances from local celebrities and scholarship presentations to local HBCU students.
T.I. was this year’s HBCU Night halftime performer.
Cardi B was in town for the second night of her “Little Miss Drama” tour across the street at State Farm Arena.
What a night.
And then there was soccer. Atlanta United lost 2-0 to Nashville SC in front of 35,895 fans.
Fresh off a 3-1 win over Chattanooga FC in the U.S. Open Cup earlier this week, Atlanta United was back home, where they haven’t played very well this season.
The first 10 minutes of the match looked like both Atlanta United and their guests for the evening, Nashville SC, were trying to find their footing. While that was taking place, a group of supporters in the upper deck cheered loudly. With a sparse crowd on hand for the match, it could easily be confused for a game in Nashville if not for the massive roof and the visible Atlanta skyline through the stadium windows.
Back in the starting lineup, Atlanta United midfielder Ajani Fortune looked to be heading towards a shot-on-goal when he was knocked down from behind by a Nashville SC defender in the 27th minute. There was no call from the referee who was just feet from the play. The score remained 0-0 after 30 minutes of play, but the home team looked like the aggressors for once. Nashville goalkeeper Brian Schwake was forced to make a couple of first-half saves. The score was 0-0 at halftime.
T.I.’s halftime performances of his classic hit “What You Know” and his new hit, “Let Em Know,” were the most exciting moments of the first half.
In the 57th minute, Fortune had another shot at opening this game up when he put his right foot on a long pass and found himself near the Nashville goal. He didn’t score; his soft shot was easily stopped by Schwake, but the move he made to get by the defender before he took the shot demonstrated what he is capable of.
Many fans of Major League Soccer know what Nashville star Hany Muktar and Cristian Espinoza are capable of, but in case the fans in attendance didn’t know, the pair showed them in the 61st minute. The pair hooked up on the first goal of the match. Muktar’s assist led Espinoza to the mouth of Atlanta United’s goal and his seventh goal of the season.
Nashville scored another goal in extra time, but it wasn’t a factor in this game. The road team had a home-field advantage on this night.
Up next: Atlanta will host the New England Revolution on Wednesday night (7:45 pm). Perfect timing for the game, because the Atlanta Hawks will host the New York Knicks in game three of their playoff series on Thursday night.
The importance of hosting HBCU Night has not been lost on those within the organization who have called HBCUs home for both their education and their communities, long after graduation.
“As a club, celebrating Atlanta means celebrating the institutions that shape its identity, and HBCUs are a cornerstone of that legacy,” said Ivy Scott, Atlanta United Director of Integrated Marketing Operations. Scott is a graduate of Clark Atlanta University.
“They are deeply embedded in the fabric of this city, cultivating generations of leaders, creatives, entrepreneurs, and changemakers who continue to define Atlanta’s influence and impact,” said Scott. “At Atlanta United, we see our role as a reflection of the community we serve, which makes it essential that we honor and uplift the HBCUs in our backyard—not just for their history, but for the future they continue to build.”
The post Atlanta United back home for HBCU Night, loses 2-0 in front of sparse crowd appeared first on The Atlanta Voice.
