Chattanooga Football Club took their first match against Toronto FC 2 into a penalty shootout that left the fans on the edge of their seats. They battled it out at home for the second week in a row and the fans were ready. This would mark the first time that CFC would face off against Toronto. Chattanooga wasn’t fazed by this at all and started the game strong and scored early. However, a late extra time goal from Toronto would take the game to the penalty box. Chattanooga would take the game after winning on penalties by a score of 5-3.
The hometown Blues looked to turn their season around for the past couple of games. They had a strong start to the season, which allowed them to remain undefeated at home. Unfortunately for the blue, things started to take a turn for the worse. After a month without a single win, at home or on the road, something needed to change if the blue would turn things back around. CFC did just that with two back-to-back wins at home.
Saturday night the name of the game was consistency. Chattanooga have taken pride in their work and their ability to make the right decision during every minute of play and through every touch on the ball. Two things that CFC had done all season had been creating a lockdown defensive line and maintaining possession for most of the game. In the last couple of seasons for Chattanooga, the blue had conceded fewer goals than any other team in their league. Toronto would not make it easy for them.
Toronto FC 2 had a rocky start to the game as their defense gave away the ball on multiple occasions. Plenty of teams have started games on the back foot before and turned things around in the end. However, this would force them to play catch up for the remainder of the match. CFC refused to let off the high press after they realized that fatal flaw. This led to more than a handful of chances in the box for the blue.
Finally, after coming up short in their last few attempts, Chattanooga found the back of the net to give them their well-deserved lead. The goal came from French forward, Mehdi Ouamri in the 36th minute. The perfect run down the wing was made by Alex McGrath. McGrath was given the easiest assist of his career as Toronto left Ouamri wide open at the back post to tap it in.
The game would stay in CFC’s hands for the remainder of the first half and continue into the second half as well. Chattanooga decided to park the bus and hold on to their lead. They used their possession from the back line to keep Toronto away from the ball. The rest of regular time went scoreless. Then Toronto pulled off one of the most sensational added time goals. With a last-ditch effort to score in the 92nd minute, Toronto’s Luca Accettola received the ball at the top of the box. Accettola hit it first time and sent it past four players and into the bottom corner to make it 1-1.
The full-time whistle was then blown and both teams prepared to enter a penalty kick shootout to win it. Goals were traded back and forth until CFC’s Jalen James would put in the fifth and final penalty to give Chattanooga the win with a penalty kick score of 5-3.
Head Coach Rod Underwood spoke about the win and the game plan of the team going into their first match against Toronto FC 2.
“Goals are important. Goals change games. In that stretch of not winning, we weren’t scoring. We were scoring after the teams went up. The last couple of games we have been scoring first. That’s a big deal for us. We made a lot of changes, and we used all the changes. We used six because of the concussion. So, we basically changed over half the team and that really helped.”
Opening goal scorer and forward for Chattanooga FC, Mehdi Ouamri, spoke on his perspective of the win.
“The gameplan is to take the most points. The last two weeks we took five points and that is the most important thing. So I hope we keep going forward for the rest of the year. I keep believing I’m going to receive that goal. I saw alex making a good movement behind the defender. When I see that I just try to give my best to be in the right position.”
Game Summary
Toronto FC 2 0 1 --0 (3)
Chattanooga FC 1 0 --1 (5)
Goal Scorers:
Chattanooga FC- Mahdi Ouamri.
Assists:
Chattanooga FC- Alex McGrath.
(Contact Alex McElyea at alexmcelyea26@gmail.com)