Atlanta stoppage-time goal salvages tie with Philadelphia

Tyrone Mears scored in stoppage time to help Atlanta United pull out a 2-2 draw with the Philadelphia Union on Saturday at Talen Energy Stadium in Philadelphia.

Mears entered the match in the 75th minute and delivered the equalizer off a set piece.

Philadelphia keeper Andre Blake was pulled out of the goal, trying to punch away an Atlanta corner kick, and Mears took advantage. His header sailed over Blake’s head for the tying goal in the first minute of stoppage time.

Philadelphia got goals from Roland Alberg and Alejandro Bedoya during a frantic eight-minute stretch in the first half and led for more than 72 minutes before giving up the goal in stoppage time.

Alberg opened the scoring in the first half by capitalizing off a pinpoint pass from defender Giliano Wijnaldum. United failed to clear a ball in the box and Wijnaldum delivered a perfect chip over the back line that Alberg chested down and then beat Atlanta keeper Brad Guzan in the 18th minute.

Bedoya made it 2-0 five minutes later, scoring on an acrobatic, overhead kick that came after an Alberg corner was flicked across the face of the goal by Jack Elliott.

Atlanta answered back, with Yamil Asad hitting a bounding ball inside the Philadelphia box that cut the Union lead to 2-1 in the 26th minute.

Despite an aggressive, pressing pace, neither team could finish the second half until Mears’ goal in stoppage time.

Both teams now get two weeks off before returning for the closing stretch of the regular season.

United will open the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Sept. 10 when Dallas FC visits. Philadelphia travels to Minnesota on Sept. 9.