"We all want to cry now, but when we look back tomorrow morning or Monday we all should smile because it (hosting the NPSL title match) happened. I never thought I would see 18,000 for one of our matches, but we had great support all season."
-- Chattanooga FC coach Bill Elliott
CHATTANOOGA 8-8-15 -- Led by a talented midfielder Ibrahim Diaby with two goals, the top-seeded and undefeated New York Cosmos B (15-0-1) edged Chattanooga FC, 3-2 in the championship match of the National Premier Soccer League Saturday night at Finley Stadium.
CFC never led, but tied the match at 1-1 in the 68th minute on a goal by Chris Ochien (Milligan College grad) and pulled within a goal at 3-2 on Samuel Goni’s goal in the 115th minute (second overtime period).
Playing before the largest amateur soccer crowd ever in the United States -18,227 - the host squad gave its hometown fans plenty to cheer about to the final whistle as a CFC header in the box hit the left post with the score 3-1 in the 108th and Cosmos goal keeper Kyle Zobeck was able to making a diving deflection of CFC’s last scoring attempt on Goni’s shot in the final minute of the match from 15 yards out on the left side.
First Half: The Cosmos took a 1-0 lead into the locker room as Diaby’s goal in the 43rd minute.
Second Half and Overtime: After Ochien’s goal in the 68th minute made it 1-1, Diaby put the champions back in front on a goal in the opening minute of the first overtime.
Julain Stahler pushed the Cosmos advantage to 3-1 in stoppage time of the first overtime period.
But CFC did not fold and had the aforementioned shot off the left post trailing 3-1 and Goni’s shot knocked away in the final minute.
"It's a tough loss for us, but it is hard to put into words the season we have had and the support the city has given to us tonight and all season," said Goni, a rising sophomore at Bethel University (McKenzie, Tenn.) and was the Southern State Athletics Freshman of the Year in 2014.
"I love this city and hopefully I can play for CFC next season," stated Goni who reports to school Monday for the first day of pre-season practice.
What Might Have Been: "We hit the post, what, two or three times ??... we should have gone to penalty kicks ..." CFC coach Bill Elliott. "We never quit when we were down and their goalkeeper (Kyle Zobeck) made a world class save at the end."
Hixson Should Be Proud: Hixson HS grad Bill Elliott leads CFC to the NPSL final ... Hixson resident Sean Ryan qualifies for the 2016 Olympics in the 10k Open Water swimming ... not sure Chattanooga Sports Hall of Fame will have to add many other names to the list of special honorees for the 2016 hall of fame dinner ...
More Great Soccer - And Now the U.S. Women National Team Come to Town: Soccer fans will be able to watch practice Tuesday Aug, 18 at Finley fStadium or free ... The U.S. team hosts Costa Rica Wed. Aug 19 in the second match of a 10-city victory tour following the World Cup win.
National Premier Soccer League - Championship Final
Saturday, Aug. 8 Finley Stadium 18,227 - largest crowd ever for a U.S. amateur soccer match
NY Cosmos B, 3 Chattanooga FC 2
NY Cosmos 1 - 0 - 2 - 0 -- 3
Chattanooga FC 0 - 1 -0 -1 -- 2
Scoring
43rd Minute: Abrahim Diaby (Cosmos), Cosmos 1-0
68th Minute: Chris Ochien (CFC), 1-1
91st Minute (first overtime) - Diaby (Cosmos), Cosmos, 2-1
104th Minute (first overtime) - Julian Stahler (Cosmos) 3-1
115th Minute (second overtime) - Sam Goni (CFC), Cosmos, 3-2
Records:
Cosmos (15-0-1) ... CFC (17-3-1)
Player of the Match: Abrahim Diaby (Cosmos) 2 goals
Stats:
Goals: Cosmos, 3-2
Shots: CFC, 17-13
Saves: Cosmos, 8-5
Corner Kicks: Cosmos, 4-3
Free Kicks: Cosmos 14, CFC 13
Penalties: Cosmos 11, CFC 12
Offsides: Cosmos 2, CFC 2
Yellow Cards: Cosmos (2) James Mulligan (31st minute) ... Daniel Evuy (35th minute)
CFC (1) Luke Winter (55th minute)
contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net