Soccer fans in the Scenic City, be happy! You can not only get your fill of World Cup action (as semifinals take place on Tuesday and Wednesday), but you can also get your fill of live soccer action as NPSL Southeast Conference semifinals and finals take place this Friday and Saturday at Finley Stadium.
Chattanooga won the bid to host the conference tournament this weekend, and home team Chattanooga FC is the number 1 seed. The club secured that spot after winning a tight race with Atlanta and New Orleans for the regular season title.
Two semifinal matches will be played on Friday, July 11. The first game between the second seed Atlanta Silverbacks Reserves and third seed New Orleans Jesters will be at5:00pm. The second game between our own Chattanooga FC and fourth seed Nashville FC will be at 8:00pm.
The winners of the two games will then meet at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 12 in the Conference Championship. The winner of that game will not only claim the postseason title, but they will advance to the Region semifinals, with a chance to qualify for the National Semifinals.
Tickets will be $10 online and at the gate, but that price will get fans into both games on Friday night. Tickets for Saturday's Championship game are also $10, online and at the gate. But there is also a bargain ticket: $15 for a pass that will get fans into all 3 playoff games.
Chattanooga FC season passes will be honored at the games.
CFC VS TEAMS IN THE TOURNAMENT
Chattanooga FC tied Nashville FC 0-0 in the home opener (played 3 days after a dramatic US Open Cup victory against pro team, Wilmington Hammerheads). CFC then defeated Nashville FC in Nashville 2-0 on June 13.
Chattanooga FC's only league loss came to New Orleans 3-2 in a road trip on May 24. Chattanooga FC then won the home fixture on June 28, 3-0 at Finley.
Through an odd scheduling quirk, each Southeast club had one team in the conference that they did not play, and Atlanta Silverbacks Reserves are the team that CFC did not play in the regular season.
Atlanta played New Orleans twice, tying 1-1 on the road and winning 3-1 at home.
Fans will recall Chattanooga FC's 5-0 US Open Cup loss to pro team, Atlanta Silverbacks of the NASL, on May 28. The Atlanta Silverbacks Reserves is the development team of that club.
CHATTANOOGA FC SOUTHEAST TITLES & PLAYOFF HISTORY
Chattanooga FC has won the regular season title for the Southeast Conference four times in its six season history: 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2014. In both 2010 and 2013 there were no Conference playoffs.
In 2010 the team won the Southeast title outright and advanced to the National Semifinals, defeating Madison 56ers 2-0, then falling to Sacramento Gold 3-1 in the National Championship.
In 2012, Chattanooga FC won the Southeast-West regular season title, and advanced to the Southeast Conference Championship, where it defeated Georgia Revolution 1-0 in Conyers. The team then advanced to the National Semifinals where they won over Bay Area Ambassadors 3-2. The team ultimately lost 1-0 in its second National Championship match (Chattanooga FC is the only NPSL team to be in two National Final games).
In 2013, Chattanooga FC won the Southeast Conference regular season title and advanced to the South Region Semifinals away at Tulsa, OK – where it won over the previously undefeated Tulsa Athletic 3-0 in penalty kicks (after going 0-0 through regulation and over time). Keeper Greg Hartley saved 3 consecutive PKs. The team fell 1-0 the next week in the South Region Final to RVA in Richmond. RVA went on to become the eventual NPSL National Champion.