CHATTANOOGA, TN —- Former Chattanooga Football Club captain Richard Dixon was appointed as the team’s interim head coach on Monday afternoon after the sudden departure of Chris Nugent. Nugent’s exit comes just five days ahead of the side’s opening pre-season game (vs. Birmingham Legion, Feb 7) and a month out from the opening of the MLS Next Pro season.

The club has been clear that Nugent’s departure came from a ‘shared understanding that the club requires a different leadership profile’. Regardless of the inner workings of the organization and the specific reasons for this decision, it certainly doesn’t appear to be an acrimonious split, given the kind parting words offered by both Nugent and club officials.

The remainder of the article can be found through this link on the National Soccer Network! Most, and eventually all, Southeast Soccer Report articles in full will begin to appear on NSN, with full website merger details arriving at a later date.

CHATTANOOGA, TN — Chattanooga Football Club recently confirmed their squad numbers for the 2026 season. After making no less than 11 new signings and renewing deals with several more players, Sporting Director Sebastian Giraldo and Head Coach Chris Nugent now have a deep squad of 25 professionals to work with.

In advance of their pre-season getting up-and-running, it’s a good time to look at the squad in-full.

Goalkeepers

Eldin Jakupović (#1)

Age: 41
Nationality: Switzerland, Bosnia-Herzegovina
Contract expiry: End of 2026
2025: Chattanooga FC (31 apps)
Former Leicester City, Everton, and Hull City keeper Jakupović played every single minute of CFC’s 2025 campaign and finished as the league leader in clean sheets (10) and total saves (124). He was named MLS Next Pro Goalkeeper of the Year. First name on the teamsheet in more ways than one.

Michael Barrueta (#51)

Age: 23
Nationality: United States
Contract expiry: End of 2026
2025: Chattanooga FC (0 apps)
Local keeper Barrueta will be hoping to make some competitive appearances for the club this season after deputizing for Jakupović for all of 2025.

The remainder of the article can be found through this link on the National Soccer Network! Most, and eventually all, Southeast Soccer Report articles in full will begin to appear on NSN, with full website merger details arriving at a later date.

CHATTANOOGA —- Chattanooga Football Club has confirmed its pre-season schedule and opponents in advance of the 2026 MLS Next Pro season. The schedule sees them welcome four sides to Finley Stadium across four matches, two of which will be behind closed doors. TECCE FC, Birmingham Legion FC, One Knoxville SC, and Georgia Southern are the visitors after a busy off-season in the transfer market.

Chattanooga FC v TECCE FC (Sunday, 25th January at 15:00pm)

Kicking things off will be the visit of the Tecce Football Collective on Sunday 25th January. This is not a soccer club per say, it plays in no league. Rather, it’s a sort of hub that provides training, exposure, and pro and college connections for young players in that nexus between youth, amateur, and pro soccer. In a sense, it’s a kind of agency mixed with an academy that plays friendlies and hosts combines. Based in Columbia, South Carolina, it is closely connected with South Carolina United of USL League Two. As well as visiting Finley, they will also be playing friendlies against Greenville Triumph, South Georgia Tormenta, Red Wolves, and Charlotte Independence of USL League One this pre-season.

This will be the first time CFC has played TECCE FC. The game is closed and fans will not be allowed to attend.

Chattanooga FC v Birmingham Legion FC (Sunday, 8th February at 15:00pm)

The afternoon of Sunday February 8th sees Birmingham Legion come to town in what will be CFC’s first open friendly. Legion began playing in 2019 and competes in the USL Championship. In 2025 they finished bottom of the Eastern Conference, with a 5-13-12 record and a goal difference of -14. This offseason, their Head Coach Mark Briggs departed the organization for a job on the coaching staff of FC Dallas. He was replaced immediately with former New England Revolution boss Jay Heaps, who has been working within the Legion organization since 2018. Haitian international Ronaldo Damus (on loan from GIF Sundsvall in Sweden) was their top scorer in 2025 with 11 goals.

This is the third year in-a-row that Chattanooga and Birmingham have met in pre-season. In 2024, the USL side were 3-0 winners at Finley Stadium in CFC’s penultimate exhibition match before their maiden MLS NEXT Pro season. Last year, Chattanooga were 3-2 winners over Legion in a preseason game played at the latter’s training facility in Alabama. An Ameziane Sid Mohand (retained for 2026) brace and a goal from substitute Robert Screen (recently released) gave CFC the win. Their first meeting, however, was back in 2021 when Birmingham ran out 2-0 winners at BBVA Field, the home of UAB’s soccer program.

The sides have met once in competitive circumstances. In April 2023 a penalty-shootout was all that separated them in the Third Round of the US Open Cup, controversially played in Tuscaloosa. Markus Naglestad (recently released) netted in a 1-1 tie that ended with a Legion shootout win 4 to 3.

The game on February 8th is open only to season ticket holders. It will be Legion’s second pre-season fixture after they host Nashville SC on January 31st. Chattanooga resident Alhassan Alhassan who has played for nearby sides Red Wolves and Kaistorms is among the Legion trialists. Another trialist familiar to some in the Scenic City will be goalkeeper Daniel Gagliardi who played at Finley in the colors of Syracuse Pulse back in the 2022 NISA season.

Chattanooga FC v One Knoxville SC (Saturday, 14th February at 15:00pm)

One Knoxville’s Valentine’s Day visit to Finley Stadium will be the only CFC pre-season match open to the wider public. Following the demise of the NPSL’s Knoxville Force in 2018-19, One Knox first took to the field in 2022, fielding a side in USL League Two. After a successful debut season, they jumped to USL League One from 2023 and last year were crowned champions after beating Spokane Velocity 2-0 at home in the League One Final in November. They also won the Players' Shield after finishing the regular season in first place. Jordan Skelton and Sean Lewis won the league’s best defender and goalkeeper of the year awards respectively and were named to the All-League First Team of the Season.

This is the fourth time CFC and One Knox will contest the Tennessee River Showdown in pre-season. CFC won the first edition of the derby in 2023 thanks to an Olympic goal from captain Alex McGrath. In 2025, the clubs drew 1-1 at Finley Stadium. The visitors scored a penalty before new signing Keegan Ancelin equalized for Chattanooga with his first goal as a professional. A third meeting between the two teams in 2024’s preseason was not completed due to weather conditions.

This game is open to all and tickets can be purchased from CFC’s website HERE.

Chattanooga FC v Georgia Southern (Sunday, 21st February at 15:00pm)

Rounding out the club’s pre-season will be the visit of Georgia Southern Eagles on February 21st in what will be another closed game.

The Eagles are coming off an impressive 2025 campaign, finishing with an overall record of 13-4-1 and a Sun Belt Conference record of 6-3-0. They earned the fourth seed in the SBC tournament and achieved a national ranking for six weeks during the season. The season ended in the Sun Belt Conference tournament quarterfinals with a 3-2 overtime loss to UCF in November. Forward Ricky Louis was a standout player and selected as the second overall pick for FC Dallas in the 2026 MLS SuperDraft. Midfielder Kevin Pierre was a second round pick for NYCFC. Head coach Lee Squires was given a three-year contract extension following the successful season.

To my knowledge, this will be the first time Chattanooga FC and Georgia Southern will have faced one another, but if I am wrong about that, please let me know in the comments below.

I expect the MLS Next Pro schedule for 2026 to drop within the next week meaning that by the time CFC kicks off its pre-season, the lay of the land for the regular season should be known. And while the club has been busy in recruitment, it is my understanding that more signings are still to come as CFC looks to establish a firm roster in advance of the season kick-off.

So, CFC fans should have the full season schedule and possibly new players by the time their side takes on TECCE on January 25th.

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. --- Chattanooga Football Club yesterday announced the signing of Argentina forward Alexis Arrúa from Racing Club. He joins Ashton Gordon and Damien Barker John as the latest recruits as CFC have been busy this off-season. We’ll have more on them in the coming days but first wanted to go a little deeper on the club’s first three signings of the post-season, as in late 2025 they brought in Antony Sorenson, Griffin Huff, and Yves Tcheuyap. Below we take a look at all three, where they’ll likely fit in at CFC, and what they’ll bring. My thanks to those below who contributed to this article, sharing their knowledge of the players.

Antony Sorenson

The first of CFC’s new recruits, 22-year-old Sorenson was brought in as early as November 17. The 5’7’ left-back is originally from Haiti but was raised in Michigan where he began his youth career with Columbus Crew’s academy side the Michigan Wolves.

At youth international level, he was involved with USYNT age groups from U14 to U16 levels. Notably, he was part of the US U-16 squad that finished third in the Torneo Delle Naizoni in 2018, a tournament that also featured the likes of Benjamin Šeško, Jude Bellingham, Joško Gvardiol, Nuno Mendes, and Fábio Silva.

In 2019 he joined the Philadelphia Union Academy system’s U17 squad and spent the 2020 season playing for Union II in the USL Championship. That year he made 12 appearances scoring one goal and getting one assist. He scored his first professional goal for Union II in a 4-0 victory over Loudoun United. The goal was the result of a charging solo run down the left-flank, taking a well-timed pass just outside the box, two touches and a nice finish. Sorenson appeared on the bench for Union’s 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs Eastern Conference Final loss to New York City FC and went on to make 45 more appearances for Union II across 2022 and 2023 after they joined MLS Next Pro.

In March 2024 he joined Charlotte Independence of USL League One. That season, Sorenson started 15 of his 20 appearances with a total of 1,375 minutes played. Becoming known for his quick speed and skill up and down the left wing, he recorded three assists with 44 clearances, 26 tackles won, 24 interceptions and two blocks.

In 2025, he scored his second career goal, on opening day at home against the Richmond Kickers. Much as against Loudoun, the goal came via a counterattack but with Sorenson making a one-touch finish after a darting run into the box that flat-sided Richmond’s defense. He made a further 30 appearances last year, grabbing an assist and playing 2,068 minutes. He won 20 tackles, made 44 clearances, six blocks and 21 interceptions.

In determining where Sorenson will fit in at CFC the natural answer is at left-back. Milo Garvanian, the club’s stalwart in that position since 2024 is, I believe, yet to sign a new contract with Chattanooga. Should he stay, then Sorenson can be seen as competition for the position, something Garvanian hasn’t really had to contend with since joining the club. Should he leave, then Sorenson can be seen as a direct replacement. This leads to a natural comparison of the two. The (league only) comparison below is, I know, crude but does appear to show two very similar players, with Sorenson possibly stronger in defense but Garvanian more prolific going forward. Time will tell how Head Coach Chris Nugent plans to use his new man.

The final word I’ll leave to those who know Sorenson best.

Mike Jeffries, Charlotte Independence General Manager/Head Coach who signed Sorenson in 2024 and was his coach during his entire stint in Charlotte told me: “Anton is a pacey, attacking left back - creative 1 v. 1 and in the final third; he brings energy, a competitive mindset, and an upbeat personality to the group. Pacey is likely an understatement - fans will enjoy watching him fly by players and recover dramatically”.

Mike Umberger, Secretary of the The Mecklenburg Reserves (a Charlotte Independence supporters group) shared: “We really enjoyed getting to watch Sorenson play these past 2 seasons. Y’all are getting a great 2-way player in him. He’s got the pace and agility to lock down a crafty winger on defense, the technical ability to penetrate the opposition’s defense on the dribble, and the stamina to go the full 90 week in and week out. At Charlotte we saw him play a lot of left back and a little left mid. I wager he would be best used as a left wingback. Really any defensive role that affords him latitude to get forward and doesn’t require him do a lot of aerial defending. If you like a solid defender that is also a potent attacker, you’re gonna love Sorenson.”

Griffin Huff

Signed on November 24, Griffin Huff is a 22-year-old goalkeeper out of upstate New York. At 6’5’ he will be the tallest of CFC’s keepers and is currently the tallest player in the squad. At youth level he was affiliated with Soaring Capital SC, Rochester NY FC, and Greater Binghampton FC in his native state.

Huff was a four-year starter at Lafayette College, where he was named to the 2024 All-Atlantic Region Second Team and the All-Patriot League Third Team in 2023 and 2024. From 2021 to 2024 he made 34 appearances for the Leopards, giving up 39 goals. What stands out from his college stats though, is the marked level of improvement he clearly showed. While conceding 16 goals in six games in 2021-22, he went on to only concede 23 in 28 games in 2023-24. He made 88 saves in the four years, got 11 shutouts, and ended his college career with a 12-11-11 record.

During his time with Lafayette, he lined out for USL League Two’s Charlotte Eagles in 2023-24. More recently, he was attached to Lexington SC of USL League One who offered him a place in their organization in late 2024. He played for Lexington’s Pre-Professional sides in UPSL and USL League Two. A highlight reel from his time in Kentucky demonstrates some quality shotstopping prowess.

In terms of his fit at Chattanooga FC, this is a replacement for the departed JP Philpot who spent last season with the club as one of its two back-up keepers, alongside Michael Barrueta. Neither Philpot nor Barrueta made a competitive appearance in 2025, and Huff will no doubt be hoping to get a run out at some point in 2026. This highlight reel from his college days shows a physically imposing goalkeeper with a decent punch, unafraid to come out of his box nor use his head (physically as well as mentally). In some senses, he resembles a certain Eldin Jakupović

Again, we’ll let someone who knows Huff better than I tell us more about him. Steve Cooke, Lexington SC Youth Technical Director told me that “Griffin was an excellent member of our club in 2025. Not only is he a very good goalkeeper, but he is a person of outstanding character. He played a major role while training with the first team and was pivotal in our USL Academy success. He gained the utmost respect of everyone at Lexington Sporting Club, and we wish him nothing but the best as he begins his professional career.”

Yves Tcheuyap

On December 1, the arrival of Canadian full-back Yves Tcheuyap was announced by CFC. Hailing from the Toronto suburbs, Tcheuyap was signed to a one-year contract with a club option for a further year.

The 22-year-old was most recently with Crown Legacy FC, the Next Pro outlet for MLS’s Charlotte FC. Last season, his first as a pro, he played 1,310 minutes in 20 league appearances for Crown Legacy, providing two assists.

Prior to Crown Legacy, and after representing local side Woodbridge Strikers in Canada, he played three years of collegiate soccer at East Tennessee State University before transferring to NC State University. In his last year with ETSU (2023) he made 17 appearances (1,513 minutes) notching a goal and an assist. He then made 20 appearances in 2024 with NC State and tallied four assists in his last season of college soccer. While in college, he also lined out for West Virginia United (2022) and NC Fusion / Salem City FC (2023-24) in USL League Two.

Tcheuyap is a right-back and played in that position for Crown Legacy last year. It will be interesting to see how Nugent uses him in 2026 as that position is currently occupied by the club’s best player in 2025, Tate Robertson. A comparison of the two based on their 2025 stats naturally shows Roertson as the superior player. This shouldn’t come as a surprise; Robinson is older and more experienced and just had the season of his career with a playoff team. Tcheuyap does have some statistical tricks up his sleeve though; he enjoyed a better pass accuracy (88% to 77%), got caught offside less, and received less cards. He drew 15 fouls, which is less than Robertson, but still good, and roughly equaled Robertson in passing/distribution and defensive duties. Where he really lags behind is in offense. At the very least this is a fine understudy, but perhaps Nugent has different, more attacking ideas in-mind for Robertson in 2026?

We’ll have to wait and see, but in the meantime, as always, we’ll leave it to an expert to tell us more. Chris Williams, Salem City Head Coach told me that “Yves is not only a top footballer, but a great person. His demeanor is calm, and focused but when he plays, he plays with a steel. Such a likeable character that the entire dressing room will love! As a footballer, his ability to defend one vs one is top level. Combine this with his capacity to go both ways is what makes him so impressive. Chattanooga, Chris, Liam and Adam have a fantastic player, but an even better human!!”

My thanks to Chris, Steve, and the two Mikes for their contributions. Which of these three players are you most excited to see at Finley Stadium? Please share your thoughts below.

Chattanooga Football Club’s second MLS Next Pro season came to an end on 19 October when they were beaten 2-0 at home by Huntsville City. The loss marked the end of a topsy-turvy season that felt like it happened in three separate parts - a rip-roaring spring, a difficult summer, and a fall renaissance. It was a season marked by bumper crowds, a cross-town grudge match, and impactful new signings.

A season of tw…three halves!

Looking back, it really feels like three different seasons were played by CFC in 2025. After a strong pre-season they would go undefeated in all competitions until they were soundly beaten away at Columbus on 27 April. That was a stretch of eight games won or drawn in league and Cup play. They won the award for MLS Next Pro Team of the Month for April. Early pacesetters were new signings Keegan Ancelin and Daniel Mangarov, left-back Milo Garvanian, and returnee Tate Robertson. Not that the result against Columbus changed much, as CFC would go on a four-game unbeaten run into May.

June would introduce a spell of inertia to the season. The club would go on a 10-game winless streak that lasted until mid-August. At times it seemed that nothing Head Coach Chris Nugent did could inject a winning mentality into the side. Goals dried up, injuries took their toll, and fans at Finley Stadium were witness to three home losses during that run. The few bright sparks were found in the performances of Robertson who continued to be CFC’s primary offensive creator, and goalkeeper Eldin Jakupović, without whom many of the draws during this spell could have been losses.

That first win-in-ten, in mid-August was away at Carolina Core. A late Robertson penalty was the difference and this set the side on a seven-game unbeaten run, including away victories at Crown Legacy, New York City, and Atlanta. And while Robertson and Jakupović were heroic during this run, it was characterized most by the impact of youthful newer signings in Luke Husakiwsky and Gavin Turner.

If Spring was a season of guile and Summer one of despair, Autumn was a season of fight, grit and sacrifice. Which will you remember most?

A crowd behind you

I’ve said many times that Chattanooga’s fanbase is its most valuable asset. Players, coaches, and front-office staff come-and-go, so do sponsors. But a club’s heart, tradition, and legacy are built on community and fanbase. There’s likely fewer clubs in America for whom home support and bums-on-seats is more intrinsic to its operating model than Chattanooga Football Club. In 2025, over 70,000 people attended a home match at Finley Stadium. This included 4,732 at their final game with Huntsville. Impressively, soccer fans in Chattanooga continued to show up during the tough summer months, for example, when 3,337 of them were there when Toronto beat CFC 3-1 on August 2nd. (As an aside, a notable 1,231 fans showed up for CFC Women’s Southeast Conference Championship match against Nashville Rhythm in early July).

I’ve heard it often said, especially when some doubted the wisdom of moving to a league with reserve teams, that CFC fans will turn up regardless of who they play. That crowds have remained strong in MLS Next Pro, and even during scorching, winless summer months proves it.

The highlight in the stands though was undoubtedly in early April when CFC hosted those Red Wolves in the US Open Cup. Despite the disappointing penalty shootout result, over 12,000 were in the stands that evening. My estimation is that 10,000 or so of them were wearing blue. Not only was it terrific home support but it demonstrated most profoundly who Chattanooga’s team is.

The value of leadership

Back in early April, CFC announced that club captain Alex McGrath would miss the rest of the season. It was a bitter blow for the club, the fans, and the player. With promising early form under their belt, the injury created a gaping hole in the middle of the squad.

That hole in midfield took a while to plug, but while McGrath’s leadership role cannot be underestimated, what we witnessed was the evidence of a strong leadership group ensconced within the squad. Farid Sar-Sar took the armband for the entirety of the season. I’ve heard Nugent speak often of how much he values and trusts the Argentine center-back. While Sar-Sar wasn’t completely faultless all season at the back (name a defender who is), he clocked 2,760 minutes in league play. Essentially, he played every minute of the club’s league season. That kind of reliability, added to the command he regularly demonstrated on the field, was essential to the side dealing with the loss of McGrath. Behind Sar-Sar, Jakupović equally played every minute. His energy and intensity were on display and audible even from all the way up in the press ox at times. Robertson and Markus Naglestad were also on-hand to provide steel and draw from experience that many in this youthful squad may not have had (although Husakiwsky has captained Des Moines Menace in USL League 2).

I don’t claim to know the inner workings of this squad nor its dynamics but having such a deep pool of leaders is essential to ensure continuity of competitiveness. I think this was most on display during those gritty and battling Autumn games.

Individual Highlights

Best Goalkeeper

Eldin Jakupović

Yes, he was the only goalkeeper to play competitively for CFC in 2025, but his performances were at times epic. He nabbed 10 clean sheets, led the league with 124 saves averaging 4.42 saves per match, and finished the season with a league-best save percentage of 77.1%. It resulted in his being named MLS NEXT Pro’s Goalkeeper of the Year and selected for the Best XI.

Best Central Defender

Nathan Koehler

Signed late, Koehler came into the team as Nugent looked to reshape his side after McGrath’s injury. After that, he never looked back and started all 28 games in the league afterward. He forged a strong defensive partnership with Farid Sar-Sar, remaining in Nugent’s favor when a back four is used, as well as a back three. He offered an impressive 12 scoring attempts, mostly with his head and scored three goals. Defensively reliable, he led CFC with an average of 5.6 clearances per 90, fifth most in the league.

Best Wide Defender

Tate Robertson

The most consistent performer in this squad, and its most potent goal creator. Robertson broke the club’s single-season club record with 10 assists, finishing joint-third in the league and completed 59 key passes, the fourth most in the league. His nine goals were the joint-most in the side, his 19 goal contributions the most. A finalist for best defender of the year and named to the Best XI in the league.

Best Central Midfielder

Gavin Turner

This was a competitive one. Callum Watson, Nick Mendonca, and Husakiwsky all had good seasons, but Gavin Turner, on-loan from DC United, was the most impressive for me. I think CFC’s season started to look like it might turn around when Turner started away at Philadelphia Union and nabbed a stunning goal. For someone so young, I was so impressed to see, not just guile and skill, but a lot of determination and sacrifice in his play. He fought for CFC, which isn’t something you always expect of a kid on loan in a lower league. I’d love to see him back but hope he gets his chance in the big leagues.

Best Winger

Daniel Mangarov

The 23-year-old started the season blisteringly and was something of a surprise package. Deployed mainly on the wing in an advanced attacking flank, he contributed five assists and nine goals for CFC in his first season. One of several players to have a quieter summer, he came back strong in the fall and was instrumental in CFC’s run to the playoffs. He’s also drew a club leading 46 fouls, contributing importantly to CFC’s set piece play.

Best Striker

Peter Plougmand

Oh, what could have been! The Dane came to CFC with an intriguing record at Mars Hill in NCAA Division II. His monstrous goalscoring at that level (59 goals in 69 games) certainly raised eyebrows. Sadly absent for much of the season, mainly due to injury, he nonetheless got to play 13 games. He scored four goals and gave two assists. During April and May he was really cooking, and was developing a nice partnership with Robertson. His final appearance was on July 5th and we sadly saw nothing more of him. Should he return in 2026, fans will be excited to see what he can offer, given a full, injury-free season.

Best Goal

Gavin Turner’s absolute thunderbastard at Philadelphia Union was as sweet as it gets.

Best Moment

It came at the end of a penalty shootout Cup loss, but Logan Brown defending CFC’s center circle as the Red Wolves’ Eric Kinzner attempted to plant the enemy’s flag there really sticks out. It added to an already epic occasion, one which the entire soccer-loving community of the country was watching. Brown sadly won’t be returning in 2026, but I don’t think CFC’s fans will ever forget that moment. Defended their honor, as well as their goal.

Final thoughts

A whirlwind season with layers of stories and intrigue. No weekend was ever boring at Finley Stadium in 2025. The club should be happy with its year. In Nugent’s first full season in charge, they made history by becoming only the second independent team to qualify for a playoff and the first to host one. Nugent brought the club its first-ever MLS NEXT Pro playoff spot and a top four finish and also the Southeast Division Championship to boot. While the Cup-run didn’t last long, the club undoubtedly made an absolute killing on the ticket sales. I want to credit Chris Nugent if I may. Even during the tough summer months, when a lot of scrutiny was being placed on this team, he never once failed to turn up for a post-game press conference, never once shied from answering tough questions, and never once placed blame on his players. His professionalism kept this team going.

I’m excited to see if Chattanooga Football Club can build on 2025’s successes and deliver more in 2026. Perhaps a more sustained push for the MLS Eastern Conference title, a longer playoff run, and also a longer Cup-run. New signings will be needed, and recruitment is already underway. Fans will be there, core squad leadership will be there, and we will be there to cover it.

The 2025 season concluded last weekend for Huntsville City FC as the club from northern Alabama saw their playoff run come to an end in the Eastern Conference Semifinals following a 1-0 defeat to Philadelphia Union 2.

It was a year of firsts for Huntsville, as the club witnessed its first playoff berth, followed by its first playoff win in the road in Chattanooga.

It was also a very successful first full season for head coach Chris O’Neal, and the 2025 season saw first Nashville SC appearances for Alan Carleton, Ethan O’Brien, and Chris Applewhite.

But what defined the 2025 campaign for Huntsville?

The season was defined by three things, and those three things simultaneously explain how Huntsville got to where they did, and ultimately why they may not have been able to get further.

First is a lack of consistent production from the number nine position. Huntsville primarily five players in that position throughout the year. For the first half of the season, it was one of Gunnar Studenhofft, Adem Sipic or Gio Miglietti.

That trio combined for just six goals, with Studenhofft accounting for five of those. Then, in the back half of the year, the club was able to get Alioune Ka and Maximus Ekk healthy and in the lineup.

While it was more of the same from Ka, who found just one goal from eight appearances, Ekk was able to provide a spark late in the year, with four goals in seven appearances.

All in all, that’s eleven goals from the number nine position. That’s just under 19% of the team’s 58 goals (including playoffs). For all too often, Huntsville just wasn’t getting production from a key position in the forward line.

That’s probably part of the reason Huntsville found themselves so reliant on the second defining factor of the year. The individual performances of Christian Koffi and Alan Carleton.

Koffi and Carleton combined for 23 goals in 2025, or 39.6% of the team’s total count. So a number 10 and a winger accounted for basically double the goals as all of the five different strikers Huntsville tried out.

This limited Huntsville’s top end ability against the best teams in the league. You can’t expect a number ten and a winger to be your biggest volume scorers, and also expect consistent results.

This is reflected in the team’s overall form as well. There’s several big winning streaks in Huntsville’s schedule, but it also includes runs like matchdays 8-12, where Huntsville collected just 10 of a maximum 21 points, owing to two regular time losses, and two shootout losses.

There was also the run from matchdays 22-25, where the club lost four straight, coming immediately on the heels of the preceding six games, in which the Rocket Men collected 17 of 18.

Long story short, Huntsville’s over-reliance on positions you don’t normally create bunches of goals from meant they were often a team defined by their form rather than accented by it.

The club will, as always, have plenty of roster decisions to make in the coming weeks alongside the staff in Nashville as the season winds down there as well.

The likes of Ekk, Knight and Carleton seem sure to stick around, and challenge for first team minutes in 2026, but there’s questions around others, including star man Christian Koffi.

He already trains in Nashville almost exclusively, and were it not for his international status, would probably be on an MLS roster somewhere. Nashville is going to have a bit more flexibility this offseason, but it remains to be seen if tagging Koffi with an international spot produces enough juice to make it worth the squeeze.

But, let’s focus on the good to wrap up this article, and this season.

Huntsville, you as fans showed up and showed out consistently throughout the season, and truth be told probably deserved a home playoff game. While that wasn’t in the cards, the traveling support in Chattanooga (in the triple digits!) was more than loud enough to be heard on the broadcast.

This club, whatever the roster looks like, has a bright future.

New director of Soccer Operations Alec Dufty will work alongside the front office staff in Nashville, such as GM Mike Jacobs, Director of Soccer Operations Chance Myers, and assistant GM Oliver Miller-Farrell, not to mention Nashville head coach BJ Callaghan, and Director of Methodology Rumba Munthali will make sure the roster is fine.

Now is a time to pat yourselves on the back, you helped create the first of what will be many magical seasons in northern Alabama. See you in 2026!

CHATTANOOGA FOOTBALL CLUB yesterday announced their first roster updates as the club heads into its offseason. After getting knocked out of the MLS Next Pro Playoffs at home by Huntsville City 2-0 on October 19 the club has begun evaluating its roster and contract options as it aims to improve again in 2026.

The most eye-catching pieces of news were the departure of the club’s record goalscorer Markus Naglestad and the retention of captain Alex McGrath.

34-year-old Naglestad first joined CFC in 2021. Between then and end-2023 during the club’s time in the National Independent Soccer Association (NISA), he notched 58 goals. Initially not retained for 2024 when the club moved to MLS Next Pro, he was eventually re-signed in August 2024 and made six appearances that year, providing one assist and converting two penalties in shootouts. He signed with Chattanooga for the recently concluded 2025 season and made 19 appearances scoring two goals, including an extra-time winner over Corpus Christi in the first round of the Open Cup. In total; Naglestad made 116 appearances for Chattanooga FC. He scored 60 goals and contributed 18 assists.

The Norwegian striker will be fondly remembered by the CFC faithful, not just for his goals, but for his easy-going and jovial personality. Having been a fixture of the club since its early professional days, he, along with Alex McGrath, in many ways personifies this phase of the club’s story and his departure is something of an end of an era.

Speaking of McGrath, his retention was the other major announcement in this roster update. Him staying in 2026 will be met with a lot of joy in the Scenic City. Chattanooga’s captain is one of the club’s leading appearance makers (98) and was expected to hit the century mark in 2025 before an injury in March ended his season most prematurely. The Englishman played in 27 league games in the club’s inaugural MLS Next Pro season, starting 24. He scored seven goals and provided five assists as he firmly established himself as this team’s leader following the retirements of Juan Hernandez and Richard Dixon.

This year he only made four appearances, notching one assist before his injury. When we spoke to him back in July, he mused on his situation for 2026 saying he was “hoping that things can get sorted for next season. Obviously, I’m out of contract currently at the end of this year, but optimistic that things are going to get figured out. I should be back next pre-season and have a full pre-season to work everything back to hopefully full fitness and being better than I was when I got injured. That’s the plan and that’s always the motivation that keeps you going at the minute, even if things aren’t perfect all the time. Hopefully things figure themselves out and get back on track going into next season. So that’s all I’m looking forward to”. His retention will not only cause a sigh of relief in the McGrath household, but in countless others in Chattanooga.

Departees

The other announced departures are those of goalkeeper J.P. Philpot (0 games in 2025), defenders Logan Brown (16 games), Ethan Dudley (19 games) and Robert Screen (14 games), midfielders Nick Mendonca (27 games) and Callum Watson (28 games, 1 assist), and forward Minjae Kwak (17 games, 1 goal, 1 assist). The club declined contract options for Philpot, Mendonca, and Kwak, while the contracts for Brown, Dudley, Screen, Watson, and Nalestad were not renewed after expiring. Gavin Turner’s (13 games, 1 goal, 1 assist) loan from D.C. United expires at the end of the year.

The average number of games played by departing players in 2025 was 17. In total, departing players contributed two goals and three assists.

Returness

In addition to McGrath, contract options for 2026 were exercised for defenders Nathan Koehler (28 games, 3 goals), Tate Robertson (30 games, 9 goals, 10 assists) and Farid Sar-Sar (31 games, 1 goal), midfielders Steeve Louis Jean (23 games, 1 goal) and Daniel Mangarov (31 games, 9 goals, 5 assists), and forward Keegan Ancelin (29 games, 3 goals, 2 assists). Midfielder Luke Husakiwsky (8 games, 2 goals) and forward Anthony García (7 games) have signed with the club through the 2026 season. Darwin Ortiz (7 games) remains under contract with a club option for a further year in 2027.

The average number of games played by returning players in 2025 was 20. In total, returning players contributed 28 goals and 18 assists.

Pending

Ongoing discussions are taking place with goalkeepers Eldin Jakupović (31 games) and Michael Barrueta (0 games), defender Milo Garvanian (30 games, 2 goals, 3 assists), and forwards Ameziane Sid Mohand (5 games), Peter Plougmand (13 games, 4 goals, 2 assists) and Yuval Cohen (7 games, 1 goal).

Defender Mike Bleeker (2 games) and forwards Colin Thomas (14 games, 1 assist), Jalen James (14 games, 2 goals), and Xavier Rimpel (7 games) have been invited to participate in the club’s 2026 preseason.

The average number of games played by pending players in 2025 was 12. In total, pending players contributed nine goals and six assists. Jakupović kept 11 clean sheets.

As it stands

Goalkeepers (0):

Defenders (3): Nathan Koehler, Tate Robertson, Farid Sar-Sar

Midfielders (5): Luke Husakiwsky, Steeve Louis Jean, Daniel Mangarov, Alex McGrath, Darwin Ortiz

Forwards (2): Keegan Ancelin, Anthony García

Club statement

“Becoming the first independent club to host a playoff game and winning our first MLS NEXT Pro division championship are achievements that reflect the incredible commitment of our players, staff, and supporters,” said CFC’s Sporting Director Sebastian Giraldo. “We’re deeply grateful to everyone who played a part in this historic season—they’ve raised the standard for what Chattanooga FC can be. As we make our roster decisions, our goal is to honor that work by continuing to build a team that embodies our values and progresses us to greater heights.”

In its press release, the club stated that “everyone at Chattanooga Football Club would like to thank all departing players for their significant contributions to the club and community”.

This is a developing story and this srticle will be updated as more announcements are made.

Huntsville City FC banished its regular season demons by finally putting to the sword a Chattanooga FC side that had become something of a bogey team in 2025. After three losses in three games to their rivals from Tennessee, Huntsville would finally win when it mattered, posting a convincing 2-0 win away from home on Sunday night to march on to the MLS Next Pro Eastern Conference Semi-Final.

Goals from Philip Mayaka and Christian Koffi in each half capped off a dominant performance in which Huntsville possessed more of the ball (62%-38%) and outgunned their hosts in shots (13-8) and shots on target (5-2). Chattanooga, for all their hard work, always looked second-best and struggled to take a grip of the game.

A huge crowd of 4,732 including an impressively large and loud gaggle of fans from Huntsville witnessed an entertaining Sunday evening game that will serve as another installment in a growing rivalry between these two cities.

Chattanooga Lineup

Head Coach Chris Nugent went with his best XI (injury permitting) as he looked to extend Chattanooga’s run into the playoffs. The only surprise in the squad was the return of Algerian attacker Ameziane Sid Mohand. Coming from Columbus Crew 2 and signed to a one-year contract with a club option for a further year, the 21-year-old has barely featured this season due to injury. Otherwise, it was a largely ‘as you were’ team-sheet.

Huntsville Lineup

Well, I’m gonna pat myself on the back here. I correctly predicted ten of the 11 starters for Huntsville here.

The one I got wrong was in goal, as Chris O’Neal rolled out US Open Cup Champion Brian Schwake. He started behind a back four of Tyshawn Rose, Zach Barrett, Chris Applewhite and Jordan Knight.

In midfield, as always, it was Philip Mayaka paired with Pep Casas, supporting a front four of Maximus Ekk, Damien Barker John, Alan Carleton and Christian Koffi.

Ethan O’Brien and Gio Miglietti were the only two names called upon from the bench.

Between The Whistles

As stated above, it was Huntsville that controlled most of the attacking play throughout the game. Chattanooga was limited to rarer forays into attack and only managed three shots on target, all easily dealt with by Brian Schwake.

Not that CFC didn’t have their chances, and one in particular on 20 minutes would provide the game’s only controversial point. A superb long throw into Huntsville’s box by Callum Watson was met by the head of Nathan Koehler who fed it right into the middle of the box, a yard in front of the goal-line. It bounced close to CFC’s Milo Garvanian and Yuval Cohen before bumbling out to Luke Husakiwsky who smashed it into the net. The home crowd were elated but referee Elvis Osmanovic, from his vantage point outside the box, deemed it a handball by either Cohen or Garvanian. It’s hard to see that on the replay with only one camera. But it is notable that the assistant referee didn’t appear to signal anything, nor does it seem like the ball’s movement was changed by any hand ball. In fact, Cohen might be aggrieved that he was fouled by a Huntsville defender when the alleged handball took place. Whatever the truth of the matter, the goal was disallowed, and that may have changed the game.

Huntsville made their dominance count in the 42nd minute when Christian Koffi, in the Chattanooga box and despite being pressed by four CFC players, found Philip Mayaka with a tidy little pass. Mayaka was completely unmarked and allowed two touches to put a shot past Eldin Jakupović. 1-0 to Huntsville and just before half-time. The goal was probably coming, but the defensive effort from CFC should have been better.

Chattanooga was still in the game, albeit less industrious in attack than their visitors, for much of the tie. That was until Koffi got a goal of his own on 76 minutes. Collecting the ball on the left wing, he dribbled into the box, wrong footing Farid Sar-Sar and got off a wicked shot into Jakupović’s near post that the Swiss international didn’t expect. An excellent goal to cap off an excellent performance for Koffi, and his 11th goal of the season.

CFC were beaten. Huntsville were triumphant, deservedly. They march on.

The Numbers

Chattanooga FC

Shots: 8

Shots on goal: 3

Possession: 38%

Corners: 6

Huntsville City FC

Shots: 13

Shots on goal: 6

Possession: 62%

Corners: 10

Analysis

Philip Farrell: I think Chattanooga’s luck, when it comes against Huntsville, ran out on Sunday. They’d frustrated their opponents in the previous three games, coming away with some unlikely, and closely fought wins, against the run-of-play. You felt on Sunday that doing so a fourth time would be tough, and that CFC would need to find a way to outplay Huntsville.

That didn’t happen, and the team from Alabama demonstrated that although they’d finished a place below Chattanooga in the regular season table, they’re likely the better side. Even Chattanooga’s set pieces, often so devastating from Tate Robertson and Daniel Mangarov were blunt and its excellent defensive wall of Jakupović, Sar-Sar, and Koehler was finally toppled.

Huntsville deserved their win, they deserve to go to the Semi-Finals, and I think a lot of fans in Chattanooga will wish them well, even root for them against northern opposition.

For Chattanooga, it’s the end of a season of three parts. Spring was their high-point and for a while they looked like the best team in the league. Summer was their low point, where wins looked impossible. At that time, them even making the playoffs, let alone hosting seemed unlikely. Autumn came, and with it a tough resiliency that saw them battle to wins. But one felt that those performances might not be enough in knock-out soccer.

Ronan Briscoe: I may have correctly predicted the lineup (mostly), but I could not have been more wrong about the game script. Don’t get me wrong, Huntsville still dominated the ball and had most of the best chances of the game, but this game was different.

We talked about how in the first three matchups, both teams played sort of strength-on-strength. Chattanooga wants to play without the ball, Huntsville wants to play with it. That game script in theory favored both teams, and it was easy for both teams to fall into.

Huntsville forced Chattanooga to play a bit more straight up in this one, giving the hosts their highest share of the ball in any of the four matchups these teams played this season.

I think that broke up the defensive rhythm and structure for Chattanooga just enough to generate a couple of great chances, and then also Huntsville benefitted from a really great solo goal from Christian Koffi.

I really don’t know if Chattanooga’s opener was a handball, we don’t have a good enough camera angle, but that’s a really brave call to make in a playoff game to me, and it didn’t result in a goal until after the whistle anyway.

Box Score

Chattanooga FC v Huntsville City FC

MLS Next Pro

Venue: Finley Stadium | Chattanooga, TN

Final Score: Chattanooga 0-2 Huntsville

Attendance: 4,732

Referee: Elvis Osmanovic

Scoring summary:

42’: P. Mayaka (HNT)
76’: C. Koffi (HNT)

Discipline:

22’: A. García (CFC) - foul, yellow card
38’: A. Carleton (HNT) - foul, yellow card
54’: D. Barker John (HNT) - foul, yellow card
66’: F. Sar-Sar (CFC) - foul, yellow card
78’: P. Casas (HNT) - foul, yellow card

Line-ups:

Chattanooga FC (4-3-3): Eldin Jakupović; Milo Garvanian, Farid Sar-Sar (C), Nathan Koehler, Tate Robertson; Luke Husakiwsky (Steeve Louis Jean 74’), Gavin Turner, Callum Watson; Daniel Mangarov (Ameziane Sid Mohand 74’), Anthony García (Keegan Ancelin 62’), Yuval Cohen

Substitutes not used: Michael Barrueta, Logan Brown, Ethan Dudley, Nick Mendonca, Markus Naglestad, Xavier Rimpel

Huntsville City FC (4-2-3-1): Brian Schwake; Tyshawn Rose, Christian Applewhite, Zach Barrett (C), Jordan Knight; Pep Casas, Philip Mayaka; Christian Koffi, Alan Carleton, Damien Barker John (Ethan O’Brien 69’); Maximus Ekk (Gio Miglietti 78’)

Substitutes not used: Erik Lauta, Blake Bowen, Kevin Carmichael, Gabriel Alonso, Moisés Véliz, Real Gill, Gunnar Studenhofft

Head Coach: Chris O’Neal

Chattanooga FC hosts Huntsville City FC at Finley Stadium in the MLS NEXT Pro Eastern Conference Quarterfinals on Sunday.

This will be the fourth time this season that these sides will have met. Chattanooga achieved a regular season series sweep over their visitors across the three previous meetings. Back in March they earned a 1-0 win thanks to Daniel Mangarov’s first professional goal. At Joe Davis Stadium in May, goals from Mangarov and Nathan Koehler sealed a 2-1 comeback win for CFC after Alan Carleton had opened the scoring for Huntsville. A header from midfielder Luke Husakiwsky helped Chattanooga to a 1-0 win at Finley Stadium in their final meeting.

The game kicks off at 7pm (Eastern) / 6pm (Central) and will be officiated by Elvis Osmanovic. The broadcast will be on MLSNextPro.com and the league’s account on YouTube.

Match Details

Date: Sunday 19th October, 2025

Time: 7PM EST / 6PM CST

Location: Finley Stadium, Chattanooga, Tennessee

Watch: MLSNextPro.com

Head Coaches: Chris Nugent (CFC), Chris O’Neal (HNT)

Chattanooga Lineup Prediction

Barring injuries, I don’t expect Head Coach Chris Nugent to deviate from the 4-3-3 and much of the starting XI he’s used for the past several games. This week, goalkeeper Eldin Jakupović and right-back Tate Robertson were named to the 2025 MLS NEXT Pro Best XI for the 2025 season. The former was named the league’s Goalkeeper of the Year, while Robertson also finished as a finalist for Defender of the Year. Alongside captain Farid Sar-Sar, Jakupović played every single minute (2,520) of Chattanooga’s regular season campaign and finished as the league leader in clean sheets (10) and total saves (124). Robertson contributed nine league goals and 10 assists, leading the club in both categories.

The defense will be completed by Nathan Koehler (who has scored against Huntsville this year) and left-back Milo Garvanian (2 goals, 3 assists). The midfield is typically composed of three of Nick Mendonca, Steeve Louis Jean (1 goal), Callum Watson (1 assist), Gavin Turner (1 goal, 1 assist), and Luke Husakiwsky (2 goals). The latter two joined the club mid-season and have played a large part in the team’s resurgence since August.

Up front, Anthony Garcia and Yuval Cohen have been preferred lately. Cohen scored his first goal for the club in their last regular season game at home against Atlanta. A crucial goal, it evened up the tie allowing for a penalty shootout that CFC then won to leapfrog Huntsville into fourth. I fully expect Daniel Mangarov (9 goals, 5 assists) to join them.

Huntsville Lineup Prediction

I’m going to roll with a nearly unchanged lineup to the one that beat Carolina Core in the final game of the regular season.

Erik Lauta starts in goal, behind Tyshawn Rose, Chris Applewhite, Zach Barrett and Jordan Knight in defense. With Blake Bowen having been out since early September, this is the best back four Huntsville can field, in my opinion.

Midfield is settled. As has been the case the majority of the year, Pep Casas and Phillip Mayaka lock down the two midfield spots, supporting a front four of Christian Koffi, Alan Carleton, Damien Barker John and Maximus Ekk.

Ekk has provided a different spark than we’ve seen from any of the other options in the striker slot for Huntsville this year, so he gets the nod from me.

Analysis & Predictions

Philip Farrell:

Can Chattanooga really heap a fourth loss on Huntsville? Can they really, once again, steal a win in spite of Huntsville dominance? There’s an ill feeling that this trick cannot possibly be repeated for a fourth time. Mind you, people said the same thing before their third meeting.

I feel this game will be tight with the midfield battle being key. The difference could well be from a set-piece and if that’s the case, expect Tate Robertson or Daniel Mangarov to have their say should it be CFC that prospers.

I think this will be a nail-biting 0-0 or 1-1 tie. With extra time and penalties…who knows?

Ronan Briscoe:

I feel like we already know the basic script to this game, because it’s been played out the exact same way three times already.

In the three games in this series this year, Chattanooga won by a combined score of 4-1, despite being outshot by Huntsville to the tune of a combined 69-19 in favor of Sunday’s visitors.

The two games in Chattanooga this year? Huntsville outshot the hosts 50-12, and still lost both times by 1-0 margins.

Chattanooga this season is, to put it incredibly mildly, very comfortable without the ball. They make their living picking their spots to burst forward, and be the more efficient team in the final third.

Huntsville is going to have about four trillion shots in this game. Chattanooga will probably have few enough shots you can count them on your hands.

Who scores more of their opportunities? I’ve been wrong picking this game a lot, because the stat profile tells you that Huntsville is just dominating the game, every time, and yet Chattanooga finds a way. It is incredibly difficult to beat a team three times in one season. What about a fourth?

Give me Chattanooga 2-1, with Huntsville’s goal coming from Maximus Ekk.

NISA returned to action for the first time in over a year on October 13, with their Pro Cup hosted at the Michigan Stars Soccer Complex a showcase of why the league should regain professional sanctioning in 2026 and become a restored 3rd division where clubs with big dreams, but not necessarily the same funds or facilities as USL or NEXT Pro teams, can join and help grow the game in the United States. There were a lot of positives in this effort to impress US Soccer, but negatives that reminded fans of the former NISA regime occasionally plagued the first 4 games of the group stage.

Let’s quickly break down the games themselves, focusing on the performances and results of two Southeast teams, Arkansas Wolves and DC Hyper.

Game 1: Modesto City FC 0-4 Northern Colorado Hailstorm

This is where the familiar problems of NISA made an appearance, a bad look for the first game of the tournament. At an odd 9:00am start time, California’s Modesto City arrived with only 9 players to face off against former USL1 side and Jäegermeister Cup champions Northern Colorado Hailstorm (who were initially set to host the tournament before losing access to the Future Legends Complex). After an initial strong effort from the undermanned Modesto side, NoCo scored four goals from exploiting space in the final third. Bamadele Esan opened the scoring with a brace, Travis Ward added the third, and Carlos Valenzuela’s 45th minute goal was the last of the game. The second half was not played, as after Modesto picked up a few injuries, the match was abandoned.

Although the broadcast said NISA would make a statement on the incident, they have not (another reminder of previous NISA failures). Modesto are still set to play Sin City FC today at 2:30pm EST.

Game 2: Arkansas Wolves 2-4 Los Angeles Force

The most entertaining game of the matchday quickly reminded viewers of the quality of soccer NISA could bring. Josue Cartagena opened up scoring for the Force in the first half after precisely placing a free kick off the inside of the right post. Another goal would not be scored until the 82nd minute, after multiple great saves from both goalkeepers and as the Wolves were applying pressure for an equalizer. A great passing sequence in the box saw the ball selflessly given up to Joel Quist to make it 2-0, and then Micheal Salazar was played in behind off a free kick to make it 3-0 four minutes later. Two minutes after that, Arkansas would get their first professional goal off a header from a corner by George Almeida, but Brian Ortega made it 4-1 for LA in the 91st minute, exploring a tired Wolves defense to ice the game. Arkansa’s best goal came in the 94th minute, where Daisuke Otsuka was played through after a long switch of play from the midfield to the right wing. He’d settle the ball comfortably and power a half-volley past the keeper.

If the Wolves had finished earlier chances, this game could have been much different, but it was the longtime NISA club that came away with all 3 points.

Game 3: Capo FC (3) 1-1 (2) Sin City FC

This game was a physical battle with not many key chances. Capo showed much improvement from their first NISA Pro side in 2024 and were rewarded with a penalty in the 37th minute, scored by Jonathan Estrada. Sin City would hang around until David Villanueva scored a penalty of their own in the 80th minute. Like the Leagues Cup or MLS NEXT Pro, this tournament goes straight to penalties to award an extra group stage point for the shootout victor; Capo was that winner 3-2 after multiple key saves.

Game 4: DC Hyper 2-0 Peak XI FC

DC were one of the most dominant teams in the entire tournament from matchday one, and were rewarded for their chance creation with an own goal off a corner in the 50th minute. Seventeen minutes later, a rapid ball driven across the box would be buried by the streaking Fabio Jr for the 2nd goal and insurance in the easy victory. A lot of credit should be given to the DC Hyper social media team, who was very active during and after the match promoting goals and the tournament overall. It was a contrast to the NISA account, who were sporadically active and only posted occasional highlights. While the standard for graphics on social media and TV production on the National Soccer Network is high and a good sign for wanting sanctioning back, other elements of tournament promotion were not up to par, disappointing when the level of play was solid and sometimes great!

The next matchday in the group stage starts today, with Arkansas Wolves facing off against DC Hyper in a Southeast matchup at 2:30pm EST. The LA Force matchup against Peak XI is currently underway.

Current Standings:

Group A -

1. DC Hyper: 3 Points (+2 GD, 0 GA)

2. LA Force: 3 Points (+2 GD, 2 GA)

3. Peak XI FC: 0 Points (-2 GD, 2 GA)

4. Arkansas Wolves: 0 Points (-2 GD, 4 GA)

Group B -

1. Northern Colorado Hailstorm: 3 Points (+4 GD, 0 GA)

2. Capo FC: 2 Points (0 GD, 1 GA)

3. Sin City FC: 1 Point (0 GD, 1 GA)

4. Modesto City FC: 0 Points (-4 GD, 4 GA)

CHATTANOOGA, Tn. — Chattanooga Football Club on Sunday were crowned MLS Next Pro Eastern Conference Southeast Division Champions after a come-from-behind tie with and penalty shootout win over Atlanta United 2. By doing so they successfully completed their mission of obtaining fourth place and a home playoff spot in the league. Atlanta, meanwhile, were condemned to 10th place and their season is now over.

After first half goals from Santiago Pita for Atlanta and Yuval Cohen for Chattanooga, the game was decided by Eldin Jakupović who made two saves in the resulting penalty shootout. CFC pulled a crowd of 4,532 their highest of the season in league play on a perfect October afternoon.

Atlanta started the game the better of both sides. They applied immediate pressure that saw Patrick Weah wielding the ball in CFC’s box despite pressure from Nathan Koehler. Weah managed to feed it back to an unmarked Santiago Pita in the box who was given time to control the ball and shoot with a second touch. It was a second goal of the season for the 18-year-old Floridian, but questions will need to be asked about how he was unmarked in a dangerous position and allowed multiple unchallenged touches of the ball in the box.

Some early sloppy passing from CFC saw Atlanta make a number of interceptions as pressure continued. Chattanooga seemed initially dumbstruck by Atlanta’s pressure but gradually began getting into the game. When they eventually settled, Luke Husakiwsky was key to their more composed form, acting as a competent play maker.

On 26 minutes, CFC’s attempts at forward play were rewarded when Yuval Cohen grabbed his first goal for the club. The move began with a cracking long, low pass from Daniel Mangarov that sliced through Atlanta’s defense and into the path of Yuval Cohen, who timed a perfect run to meet it. The 19-year-old then held off the challenge from Ronan Wynne to slot tidily passed Jonathan Ransom.

The pace of the game wasn’t helped by the performance of referee Izlen Peksenar who appears to breath using his whistle. I counted 31 times that he called a halt to proceedings for perceived fouling. While the game wasn’t without foul play, it wasn’t a drastically dirty affair but the referee from South Carolina seemed poised to blow his whistle at the slightest touch. There was no bias in favor or against any side, just a persistent level of strict officiating that spoiled the ability for the game to flow.

Peksenar did have to card Toto Majub twice in the second 45 minutes, both times for cynical fouls. The second, when he brought down an attacking Keegan Ancelin late in the game and as last-man-back, saw him given a straight red. Gavin Turner was having a good game for CFC. On loan from DC United and demonstrating again the skillset and talent he has, he constantly weaved his way through Atlanta’s defense, spinning webs of attacking moves. He almost won it for Chattanooga in regulation time, hitting the post on 65 minutes.

In the end, and after nine minutes of added time, matters were settled by Eldin Jakupović who got a hand to the final three penalties he faced in the shootout. First, he saved from Sal Mazzaferro, then touched the kick by Moises Tablante, only for it to cruelly go under him and into the net. It mattered little though. After Gavin Turner put CFC ahead again with a cheeky little spot-kick, Jakupović saved from Gabriel Wesseh to claim the bonus point. It was cruel for Wesseh, who was lively in the first half and often much of what Atlanta did well came through him.

Atlanta’s season is now concluded. Chattanooga marches on to the playoffs. They’ll learn their opponents this week and host on Sunday October 19th.

Box Score

Chattanooga FC v Atlanta United 2

MLS Next Pro

Venue: Finley Stadium | Chattanooga, TN

Attendance: 4,532

Final Score: Chattanooga 1-1 Atlanta (Chattanooga wins 5-4 on penalties)

Referee: Izlen Peksenar

Scoring summary:

2’: S. Pita (ATL)
26’: Y. Cohen (CFC)

Shootout summary:

T. Robertson (CFC) X 0-0
P. Weah (ATL) ✓ 0-1
D. Mangarov (CFC) ✓ 1-1
J. Armas (ATL) ✓ 1-2
X. Rimpel (CFC) ✓ 2-2
A. Kovač (ATL) ✓ 2-3
C. Watson (CFC) ✓ 3-3
S. Mazzaferro (ATL) X 3-3
F. Sar-Sar (CFC) ✓ 4-3
M. Tablante (ATL) ✓ 4-4
G. Turner (CFC) ✓ 5-4
G. Wesseh (ATL) X 5-4

Discipline:

14’: D. Mangarov (CFC) - foul, yellow card
45+4’: A. García (CFC) - foul, yellow card
49’: R. Wynne (ATL) - foul, yellow card
74’: T. Majub (ATL) - foul, yellow card
90+4’: F. Sar-Sar (CFC) - foul, yellow card
90+8’: T. Majub (ATL) - foul, red card

Man of the Match: Eldin Jakupović (CFC) - made two saves and six recoveries during regulation time. Was the difference during a penalty shootout that swung both ways, gettting a hand to three last spot kicks, saving two. As well as his talent, his leadership is invaluable.

Line-ups:

Chattanooga FC (4-3-3): Eldin Jakupović; Milo Garvanian (Tate Robertson 69’), Farid Sar-Sar (C), Nathan Koehler, Steeve Louis Jean; Luke Husakiwsky (Nick Mendonca 79’), Gavin Turner, Callum Watson; Daniel Mangarov, Anthony García (Keegan Ancelin 60’), Yuval Cohen (Xavier Rimpel 79’)

Substitutes not used: Michael Barrueta, Ethan Dudley, Logan Brown, Darwin Ortiz, Markus Naglestad

Atlanta United 2 (3-4-3): Jonathan Ransom; Salvatore Mazzaferro, Toto Majub, Ronan Wynne; Moises Tablante, David Sibrian (Adyn Torres 69’), Javier Armas, Ryan Carmichael; Santiago Pita (Arif Kovač 77’), Gabriel Wesseh, Patrick Weah

Substitutes not used: James Donaldson, Rodrigo Neri, Ignacio Suarez, Ilan Ettinger

Head Coach: Jose Silva Caparros

Next Game

• October 19th: Chattanooga FC v TBD, Finley Stadium, Chattanooga, TN (MLS Next Pro)

Match: Chattanooga FC vs. Atlanta United 2

Date: Sunday, October 5th, 2025. 13:00 (Eastern)

Venue: Finley Stadium, Chattanooga, TN. Capacity: 20,412

How to watch: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV+

Tickets: Chattanooga FC Website

It’s Decision Day in the MLS Next Pro. In the Eastern Conference; five teams (including Atlanta United 2) are in the hunt for the last two playoff positions while three teams (including Chattanooga FC) battle for two hosting seeds, and one Pick-Your-Opponent position. The scene is set for a cracking battle along I-75 between Chattanooga and Atlanta tomorrow afternoon, with both chasing a win.

Chattanooga FC (P:27 W:13 D:8 L:6 SOW:4 GF:41 GA:35 GD:+6) has already claimed a club-first MLS NEXT Pro Cup Playoffs berth. What remains uncertain is if they’ll be hosting at Finley Stadium. To do so, they need to finish in the top four and are currently in fourth place. No side in this league has more to gain from a home playoff berth, given CFC consistently brings the most fans. The Scenic City faithful are a key part of the club’s matchday culture and business model. Chattanooga are on a seven-game unbeaten run. Should they win and New England Revolution II fails to beat Inter Miami II, they may even claim third place. They can also claim the Southeast Division title with a victory. They’ve won seven and lost six of their 13 league games at Finley Stadium.

Atlanta United 2 (P:25 W:9 D:8 L:10 SOW:2 GF:38 GA:39 GD:-1) currently sits in 10th place, one point outside of the playoff spots. Unlike CFC they don’t control their own destiny. Not only do they need to win, but they’ll need at least two of Carolina Core, Toronto II, and Cincinnati 2 to slip up. This makes their job somewhat easier and possibly relieves them of stress, knowing they have just one thing they can do. A stoic approach will be needed from Jose Silva Caparros’ men. Atlanta has only won two of its 13 away games, but has drawn another eight. They’ve scored 19 and conceded 25 on the road.

The match kicks off at 1pm Eastern and will be officiated by Izlen Peksenar of South Carolina. Streaming will be available to those with MLS Season Pass on Apple TV+.

The history

Chattanooga: P:5 W:1 D:2 L:2 SOW:2 GF:8 GA:9 GD:-1
Atlanta: P:5 W:2 D:2 L:1 SOW:0 GF:9 GA:8 GD:+1

The short history of meetings between these sides offers a roughly balanced record. Atlanta United 2 has two wins to CFC’s one, but CFC has claimed shootout wins in their two draws.

This afternoon will be their third meeting in 2025. Back in March they played out an exciting 2-2 draw. Scores came through an own goal from Atlanta’s Efrain Morales (now with CF Montréal), a Rodrigo Neri equalizer on 78 minutes, a presumed Keegan Ancelin winner for CFC on 84 minutes, and a second Neri equalizer four minutes into stoppage time. Chattanooga would go on to win the shootout 4-3.

More recently, the teams played out a two-part game that began on 24 September and ended on 1 October. Heavy rain caused the game to be initially postponed and then resumed a week later. The halt came on the 71st minute of play, with CFC 1-0 up thanks to a Daniel Mangarov strike. In many ways, the win belonged to CFC’s veteran goalkeeper Eldin Jakupović who proved he’s not only the most experienced goalkeeper in the league, but he’s easily the best too. Across both segments of the tie he made 12 crucial saves (five in the box), and eight recoveries.

Report cards and lineups

Chattanooga

Both clubs have had a somewhat staggered schedule of late, owing to that postponed and resumed tie between them. In between the two segments of that game CFC visited the Big Apple and came away with a 1-0 victory thanks to a Tate Robertson free-kick. The win was impressive, considering New York City FC II’s dominance in possession and attack on Randall’s Island, particularly in the first 45 minutes. The same situation played out when the Atlanta game was resumed on Wednesday, where United pounded Chattanooga’s goal line for the 20 or so minutes of play, only for CFC’s goalkeeper to turn into a brick-wall. Head Coach Chris Nugent has managed to foster a stubborn, hard-to-beat character in this squad since its mid-season troubles. Can they perform the same trick tomorrow?

Much of Chris Nugent’s side picks itself at this point, and he’s been pretty consistent with using a 4-3-3 (or 4-3-2-1 depending on your viewpoint) since mid-season. The defense, marshalled by stand-in captain Farid Sar-Sar is fairly cemented. Sar-Sar has played every minute (2,430) of league action in 2025. He’s one of only four players to have done so, which includes CFC goalkeeper Eldin Jakupović, more on him later. Right-back Tate Robertson is having a stellar season. Returned to the club after a spell in Lexington in USL League One, he has broken the single-season assists record in club history this season (10, third in the league) and holds the club lead for league goals scored (9). He’s one of three candidates in the race for the league’s new Playmaker of the Year award and has made 59 key passes this season. He’ll make his 95th appearance for the club tomorrow.

Elsewhere there’s a little more rotation. The three-man midfield will be composed of some combination of Callum Watson, Gavin Turner, Nick Mondonca, and Luke Husakiwsky. Up front, Daniel Mangarov will almost certainly play. Alongside him will be two of Anthony García, Yuval Cohen, Keegan Ancelin, Xavier Rimpel, or Markus Naglestad. I believe Kwak Minjae, Colin Thomas, Peter Plougmand, and Jalen James to be unavailable.

The player-to-watch is Swiss international Jakupović. At 41 years of age, he’s showing no signs of wear and tear as he demonstrated again on Wednesday that he’s the best in the league. While his impressive resume, with its stops in the English Premier League and UEFA competitions, might be enough to lean on, in 2025 the veteran has posted monstrous numbers. As mentioned, he’s played every minute of action this year for CFC in the league and Open Cup. He also leads the league in clean sheets (10) and saves (122). Should Chattanooga claim victory tomorrow, and whatever they achieve this season, a lot of it will be down to the performances of the Bosnian-born shotstopper.

Atlanta

Like CFC, Atlanta also took a trip between the two segments of their recent tie. They travelled to Bridgeview and sealed an unlikely win against a Chicago Fire II side that was chasing a home playoff berth. A Patrick Weah brace (including a penalty) and goals from Gabriel Wesseh, Salvatore Mazzaferro, and Arif Kovac sealed the win in a game that they were always in control of. The result did Chattanooga a favor by essentially knocking Chicago out of the running for fourth place. Given the impressive context of that win and how they achieved it, Jose Silva Caparros’s team will have been bitterly disappointed not to have followed it up by snatching something from the resumed game with CFC on Wednesday.

According to yesterday’s Availability Report, Head Coach Silva has a full compliment of players available to him. So I expect something similar to the above to lineout. He has favored a 3-4-3 formation recently, spearheaded by Patrick Weah, and this was what he used in the game at Chicago.

Weah is the team’s top scorer this season with nine league goals, while Gabriel Wesseh leads the team with seven assists on the season. I’m making Weah my player-to-watch for Atlanta, and look forward to his battle with Sar-Sar, Koehler, and Jakupović as United looks to take revenge for Wednesday’s result. Weah has .89 goals per 90 minutes, has scored both of his open play penalties, and provided an additional two assists.

There’s a high degree of fluidity within the Atlanta United organization between its MLS and MLS Next Pro sides. Nyk Sessock, Salvatore Mazzaferro, Adyn Torres, Cooper Sanchez, Jayden Hibbert, Dominik Chong Qui, and Josh Cohen are all players who could appear tomorrow in Chattanooga, who have played for the senior team in MLS or US Open Cup games. Weah also has MLS experience from his time with Minnesota United.

At international level, while some players have received call-ups, none are capped at senior level apart from Hibbert, who has played for Jamaica but recently got a call up from Canada. At youth international level Sessock, Chong Qui, Sanchez, Torres, James Donaldson, and Ignacio Suarez have all played for the USA. Elsewhere, there have been youth international caps for New Zealand (Ronan Wynne), Venezuela (Santiago Pita, Rodrigo Neri, and Moises Tablante), Liberia (Weah), and Northern Ireland (Ryan Carmichael).

Permutations

Chattanooga clinches Southeast Division title:
1) CFC 2 or more points, or
2) CFC shoot-out-loss + Huntsville 2 or fewer points, or
3) Huntsville 1 or fewer points

Chattanooga clinches top four seed:
1) CFC 2 or more points, or
2) CFC shoot-out-loss + New England loss, or
3) CFC shoot-out-loss + Huntsville 2 or fewer points, or
4) New England loss + CFC wins tiebreaker over New England, or
5) Huntsville 1 or fewer points

Matches to watch out for (all 1pm ET):

Inter Miami CF II vs New England Revolution II
Huntsville City FC vs Carolina Core FC

Atlanta clinches a playoff spot (pay attention):
1) ATL win + Carolina Core 1 or fewer points + Toronto 2 or fewer points, or
2) ATL win + Carolina Core 1 or fewer points + Cincinnati shoot-out-win, or
3) ATL win + Carolina Core 1 or fewer points + Orlando shoot-out-win, or
4) ATL win + Carolina Core 1 or fewer points + Cincinnati loss + ATL wins tiebreaker over Orlando, or
5) ATL win + Toronto 2 or fewer points + Cincinnati shoot-out-win, or
6) ATL win + Toronto 2 or fewer points + Orlando shoot-out-win, or
7) ATL win + Toronto 2 or fewer points + Cincinnati loss + ATL wins tiebreaker over Orlando, or
8) ATL shoot-out-win + Carolina Core loss + Toronto loss, or
9) ATL shoot-out-win + Carolina Core loss + Orlando shoot-out-win, or
10) ATL shoot-out-win + Toronto loss + Orlando shoot-out-win

Matches to watch out for (all 1pm ET):

New York Red Bulls II vs Toronto FC II
Orlando City B v FC Cincinnati 2
Huntsville City FC vs Carolina Core FC

Analysis and Predictions

With the help of a Soktoerfest promotion, provided by sister club VfL Wolfsburg, Chattanooga Football Club is aiming to break a regular season record crowd this Sunday. I say this, not to echo their marketing team, but to make a point. Atlanta’s players will need to expect a large and vocal crowd at Finley Stadium come 1pm, something that you don’t get a lot of in MLS Next Pro. Chattanooga’s fans have had it hard in recent seasons, enduring some painful results at home. There was the frustrating 1-0 defeat by the Michigan Stars in the 2022 NISA Semi-Final and the painful penalty-shootout loss to Flower City Union in the same stage of the same competition at the same stadium a year later. Then there was the disappointing 1-1 tie with NYRB II on the final day of their first MLS Next Pro season last October, that condemned them to 9th in the table, missing out on playoff soccer by one place yet even on points with the three sides ahead of them. These were all at home.

All this to say that the crowd that comes on Sunday will be expecting something. That puts pressure on Atlanta, but it also heaps pressure on Chattanooga. Although the Chattahooligans are a positive and supportive (i.e. non-toxic) fangroup to their own players, I imagine that a large crowd of groaning, disappointed home fans might get at some of Chattanooga’s players mentally if things aren’t going well. Experience and leadership from the likes of Sar-Sar, Robertson, and Jakupović will be of critical value.

I’ll go with a home win, 1-0.

After heavy rains had postponed their game on 24 September, Atlanta United 2 and Chattanooga FC resumed play to finalize the penultimate match of their regular seasons.

Thunderous, heavy showers last Wednesday had led referee Abdou Ndiaye to postpone proceedings. The game was stopped on the 71st minute with Chattanooga 1-0 up, despite Atlanta dominance. You can read my report of that segment of this fixture here.

Today, as it was last week, it was all Atlanta. From the 72nd minute start they laid siege to Chattanooga’s goal. After outfiring their visitors in this fixture’s first segment in shots (15-7), shots on target (6-1), and big chances (1-0) they repeated the trick with 13 shots today, six on goal, and three big chances. Chattanooga didn’t increase their tally across any of those stats. One new trick Atlanta couldn’t learn however was to score past CFC’s goalkeeper.

Jakupović, who turned 41 today, made saves from Gabriel Wesseh (twice), Javier Armas (twice), Patrick Weah, and Ryan Carmichael. This was just in this afternoon’s 21 minutes of play by the way, not the tie overall. He was helped by his defense who blocked as though their lives depended on it. Darwin Ortiz and Farid Sar-Sar got a pair of blocks in to frustrate Rodrigo Neri. Toto Majub hit the crossbar with his effort off a Wesseh corner on 92 minutes. Meanwhile Carmichael and Moises Tablante fired wide. Apart from a lull between the 79th and 87th minutes there was barely a minute when Atlanta didn’t attempt a shot.

Come the 95th minute, Keegan Ancelin cleverly intercept a Majub ball that allowed Gavin Turner and Ortiz to advance and waste some time on the ball in the Atlanta half. The final whistle came and Chattanooga were unbeaten in six games and had leapfrogged Huntsville City into fourth place. Job done!

One again, the day belonged to CFC’s veteran goalkeeper. Once again, Swiss international Eldin Jakupović proved he’s not only the most experienced goalkeeper in the league, but he’s also easily the best too. He continues to lead the league in clean sheets (10) and saves (122). His save from Carmichael toward the end today, was exceptional.

These two teams meet again on Decision Day this Sunday at 1pm in Chattanooga.

Atlanta’s season isn’t finished, but their task to achieve playoff soccer is a tough one. They need to win on Sunday at Finley Stadium and will need at least two of Carolina Core, Toronto, and Cincinnati to lose to have any chance. All three of those sides are also away on Sunday afternoon.

For CFC, the task is simple. Win on Sunday and they’ll seal home playoff spot. They would even finish in third if New England failed to win in Miami. With Huntsville breathing down their necks, there’s no room for complacency. I’ve said many times that few, if any sides, stand to benefit more from home advantage in this league than Chattanooga. And that is exactly what a top four finish gives them.

Box Score*

*continuation from 24 September 2025

2 October 2025

Atlanta United 2 v Chattanooga FC

MLS Next Pro

Venue: Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Training Ground | Marietta, GA

Final Score: Atlanta 0-1 Chattanooga (Game resumed on 71 minutes)

Referee: Abdou Ndiaye

Scoring summary:

11’: D. Mangarov (CFC)

Discipline:

29’: K. Ancelin (CFC) - dissent, yellow card
39’: T. Robertson (CFC) - foul, yellow card
45’: D. Mangarov (CFC) - foul, yellow card
45+2’: M. Garvanian (CFC) - dissent, yellow card
45+5’: C. Sanchez (ATL) - foul, yellow card
90+1’: R. Wynne (ATL) - foul, yellow card

Man of the Match: Eldin Jakupović (CFC) - for now. To be confirmed when the match is finalized.

Line-ups:

Atlanta United 2 (3-4-3): Jonathan Ransom; Salvatore Mazzaferro, Toto Majub, Ronan Wynne; Dominik Chong-Qui (Moises Tablante 64’), David Sibrian (Adyn Torres 64’), Cooper Sanchez (Javier Armas 45’), Ryan Carmichael; Santiago Pita (Rodrigo Neri 68’), Gabriel Wesseh, Patrick Weah

Substitutes not used: Ashton Gordon, James Donaldson, Arif Kovač, Ilan Ettinger, Ignacio Suarez

Head Coach: Jose Silva Caparros

Chattanooga FC (4-3-3): Eldin Jakupović; Milo Garvanian (Steeve Louis Jean 70’), Farid Sar-Sar (C), Logan Brown, Tate Robertson; Luke Husakiwsky (Nathan Koehler 70’), Gavin Turner, Callum Watson (Nick Mendonca 45’); Daniel Mangarov, Colin Thomas (Keegan Ancelin 19’), Yuval Cohen (Darwin Ortiz 57’)

Substitutes not used: Michael Barrueta, Ethan Dudley, Xavier Rimpel, Anthony García

Head Coach: Chris Nugent

Next Game

• October 5th, 13:00 (ET): Chattanooga FC v Atlanta United 2, Finley Stadium, Chattanooga, TN (MLS Next Pro)

Chattanooga FC announced today that its away tie with Atlanta United 2, originally played on September 24 but postponed, will be concluded on Thursday 2nd October.

The game at Fifth Third Stadium was postponed as heavy rains battered the region. After 71 minutes of play, a visibly waterlogged field was deemed unplayable by referee Abdou Ndiaye.

Chattanooga was leading 1-0 when the game was halted, thanks to an 11th minute Daniel Mangarov goal. With three points gained that night, they were staring at fourth spot in the table by night’s end. As it was they marched on the New York where they beat NYCFC II 1-0 on Sunday and currently sit in fifth place, one point off Huntsville City but with this game at Atlanta still in-hand.

Fourth place is important as the finishing top four in the MLS Next Pro Eastern Conference will host their first playoff game at home. Given CFC’s large crowds at Finley Stadium, a key feature of their operating model and club culture, few teams in the league have as much to gain as they do in playing at home.

Should Chattanooga see out this game with the win, they’ll leapfrog Huntsville prior to playing Atlanta United 2 (again) at home this Sunday in the final game of the regular season. A further win there at Finley Stadium will seal a home playoff spot that seemed so unlikely only two months ago.

The resumed game will kick off at 1:00 p.m. ET behind closed doors at the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta United Training Ground. It will be broadcast for free on MLSNEXTPro.com.

RANDALL’S ISLAND, NY - Icahn Stadium, and its predecessor Downing Stadium, nestled on the confluence of the East and Harlem rivers in New York, is no stranger to history. This was the site of Jesse Owen’s Olympic qualification in 1936 and of Usain Bolt’s then world record in the 100m run with a time of 9.72 seconds in 2010. Champion teams in rugby union, cricket, and Gaelic football have passed through. In soccer it has seen Real Madrid, Benfica, Napoli, England, and the United States knock a ball about for 90 minutes. It hosted Pelé for one of his seasons with New York Cosmos and has had Carlos Alberto, Eusébio, Ferenc Puskás, Bobby Moore, and Bobby Charlton as visitors. You’ll rarely get to see an MLS game, let alone an MLS Next Pro game, played in the presence of such sporting antiquity.

This was the scene of Chattanooga FC’s triumphant route of New York City FC II on Sunday. Despite trailing New York in every statistical department, they persevered thanks to some heroic goalkeeping, sensible tactical flexibility, and another Tate Robertson special. For anyone else, these exploits will hardly join those above as hallowed moments on Randall’s Island, but for the small but loud band of CFC fans, they’ll live long in the memory.

New York had 70% possession and outgunned Chattanooga in shots (22 to 6), shots on goal (9-2), big chances (1-0), xG (1.46-1.34), pass accuracy (547/88%-197/74%), corners (16-3), and successful dribbles (7/54%-1/50%), yet came away with nothing. Showing their eagerness to bounce back from their recent defeat to New England Revolution II, New York knew that a victory could lift them as high as seventh in the Eastern Conference.

And so it was Matt Pilkington’s side that pushed for an early opener. Just three minutes in, Máximo Carrizo forced Eldin Jakupović into action with a superb curling effort. This would be the first of eight saves by the Swiss international. Piero Elias and Sebastiano Musu also went close, with the former’s shot blocked and Musu’s attempt saved. Early pressure mounted and Jakupović was called upon again when Drew Baiera placed a strike from the right side of the area. Juan Ponce and Prince Amponsah had chances while Carrizo and Peter Molinari drew more saves from CFC’s veteran goalkeeper as half-time approached.

It total, the Young Pigeons had fired off 16 (8) shots compared to CFC’s zero in the opening half. The visitors were in the game thanks to their goalkeeper. Not only is Eldin Jakupović the most experienced goalkeeper in the league, but he’s also easily the best too. He leads the league in clean sheets (10) and saves (116). He was imperious again on Sunday, frustrating New York’s talented young offense.

Chattanooga Head Coach Chris Nugent formulated some tactical changes at half-time and brought on DC United-loanee Gavin Turner. This set the tone for a second half in which CFC limited NYC’s chances, the home side produced just six shots and zero on target in the second half and began to produce chances of their own.

Despite New York controlling so much of the game, it was Chattanooga who broke the deadlock in the 75th minute. Substitute Turner won a free kick after being fouled by Peter Molinari. It was the 13th foul suffered by Turner in only 13 games for CFC, demonstrating again his value as an attacking threat, winning a number of free kicks. Up stepped right-back Tate Robertson, arguably Chattanooga’s player of the season in 2025. He smashed a free kick from the edge of the box past Mac Learned to give his side the lead. It was his ninth goal of the season, CFC’s top goalscorer in league play.

The small band of Chattanooga fans were in raptures. In spite of the late Sunday evening kick-off and at a stadium that provided no concessions at all for fans, they were a constant source of encouragement for CFC and good natured discouragement for the home side.

While New York continued to create chances, with Elias heading over from close range in the 82nd minute, they remained unable to find the equalizer and fell to a narrow 1-0 defeat. They finished the evening in 11th place and a playoff spot looks all but impossible now.

For Chattanooga, the result was their third away win in-a-row, a first for the club since joining MLS NEXT Pro. They also extended their unbeaten streak to six, equaling their best run since joining the league. They remain in a strong spot in the Eastern Conference and will aim to secure a home playoff match this weekend at home to Atlanta United 2.

Box Score

New York City FC II v Chattanooga FC

MLS Next Pro

Venue: Icahn Stadium | New York, NY

Final Score: New York 0-1 Chattanooga

Referee: Cristian Campo Hernandez

Scoring summary:

75’: T. Robertson (CFC)

Discipline:

86’: P. Elias (NYC) - foul, yellow card
88’: G. Turner (CFC) - foul, yellow card

Man of the Match: Eldin Jakupović (CFC) -

Line-ups:

New York City FC II (4-3-3): Mac Learned (C); Christopher Tiao (Jack Loura 69’), Prince Amponsah (Collin McCamy 88’), Max Murray, Drew Baiera; Piero Elias (Lucas De Pinho 88’), Peter Molinari, Máximo Carrizo; Camilo Ponce, Julien Lacher (Leo Guarino 78’), Sebastiano Musu

Subs not used: Dylan McDermott, Brennan Klein, Adonis Campos, Pierce Infuso

Head Coach: Matt Pilkington

Chattanooga FC (4-3-3): Eldin Jakupović; Milo Garvanian, Farid Sar-Sar (C), Nathan Koehler (Logan Brown 69’), Tate Robertson; Luke Husakiwsky, Nick Mendonca (Gavin Turner 45’), Callum Watson (Steeve Louis Jean 77’); Daniel Mangarov (Keegan Ancelin 60’), Anthony García, Yuval Cohen (Xavier Rimpel 77’)

Substitutes not used: Michael Barrueta, Darwin Ortiz

Head Coach: Chris Nugent

Next Games

• October 5th, 13:00 (ET): Philadelphia Union II v New York City FC II, Subaru Park, Chester, PA (MLS Next Pro)

• October 5th, 13:00 (ET): Chattanooga FC v Atlanta United 2, Finley Stadium, Chattanooga, TN (MLS Next Pro)

Game details

Match: New York City FC II v Chattanooga FC

Date: Sunday, September 28th, 2025. 19:30 (Eastern)

Venue: Icahn Stadium, New York, NY. Capacity: 5,000

How to watch: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV+

Tickets: ticketmaster

We’re into the penultimate round of matches for the 2025 MLS Next Pro season this weekend. Chattanooga FC, unbeaten in five (and a bit) games and chasing a top four spot, visits an NYCFC II side in a desperate quest for a playoff spot. By the time this game takes place and this preview goes out, other matches will have been played that will determine where these sides are and what they need to do to reach their aims. Simply put, both need to win!

New York City FC II (P:26 W:9 D:6 L:11 SOW:2 GF:50 GA:56 GD:-6) comes into this round of games in ninth place, one place and three points off eighth and playoff soccer. Other results this weekend will have a strong bearing on their chances. They’re two wins and three losses from their previous five games. At home, they’ve won seven and lost six.

Chattanooga (P:25 W:11 D:8 L:6 SOW:4 GF:39 GA:35 GD:+4) clinched a playoff spot last week and is now looking to finish in the top four in the Eastern Conference to earn the right to host a playoff match at Finley Stadium. Huntsville City (4th) and Chicago Fire II (5th) both sit just one point above CFC, but Chattanooga has a game-in hand. On Wednesday night, their match at Atlanta United 2 was postponed after 71 minutes. They were leading 1-0 at the time and if that result holds when the tie is eventually finished, they’ll be ahead of Huntsville and Chicago. A win on Sunday in New York would put them in the driving seat to seal fourth. Chattanooga has taken points from eight of their fourteen road games.

The match will be held at Icahn Stadium on Randall’s Island and kicks off at 7.30pm Eastern. Officiated by Spaniard Cristian Campo, it will be streamed on Apple TV+ for those with the MLS Season Pass.

The history

New York: P:1 W:0 D:1 L:0 SOW:1 GF:1 GA:1 GD:0
Chattanooga: P:1 W:0 D:1 L:0 SOW:0 GF:1 GA:1 GD:0

Sunday night’s game will be only the second meeting between these two sides. On March 27, 2024 they met at Belson Stadium in Queens and played out a 1-1 draw. Goals that night were scored by Taylor Gray (now with Tormenta FC) for Chattanooga and an equalizer from Jonathan Shore for NYCFC. New York went on to win the PK shootout 4-2.

Both sides are much changed since. Of Chattanooga’s starting XI then, only two players (Milo Garvanian and Alex McGrath) are still with the club while only four of New York’s players are still with the NYCFC organization.

Sunday’s match will be the only regular season game between New York and Chattanooga in 2025.

Report cards and lineups

New York

NYCFC II’s English Head Coach Matt Pilkington is into his fourth year with the Young Pigeons. Across 108 games with the side, they’ve averaged 1.5 points under him. Their last game was a home fixture against New England Revolution II at Icahn in which they lost 3-1. 16-year-old James Bilden scored their only goal when they were already down by three.

Pilkington has been alternating between a 4-3-3 and a 4-2-3-1 lately and has been consistent in his starting XI picks as most sides are at this point in the season. Peter Molinari has played more league minutes (1,978) than anyone else in the team in 2025. Should he play, forward Seymour Reid is my player to watch for New York. The Jamaican has 11 goals in 14 games as well as 1 assist. He also has 12 appearances for NYCFC’s senior team in 2025, including eight MLS games. Will he be available for this game or be with NYCFC for their Hudson River Derby game on Saturday?

Reid, Drew Baiera, Sebastiano Musu, Jonathan Shore, Piero Elias, Máximo Carrizo, and Max Murray are all players who could appear on Sunday night at Icahn, who have played for the NYCFC senior team in MLS or US Open Cup games.

Captain Christopher Tiao has six senior international caps for Chinese Taipei. At youth level Shore, Baiera, Carizzo, Alex Rando, Prince Amponsah, Evan Lim, and Peter Molinari have all played for the USA. Elsewhere, there have been youth international caps for Jamaica (Reid) and Chile (Zidane Yáñez).

Chattanooga

Before their game at Atlanta United 2 was rained out on Wednesday, Chattanooga were 1-0 up. Daniel Managarov had scored the game’s only goal on 11 minutes, after an assist by Colin Thomas. Thomas later went off injured, so I am unsure about his fitness this weekend.

As we enter the ‘squeaky bum time’ phase of the regular season, Chattanooga Head Coach Chris Nugent needs to get the most out of his most essential performers. I believe these to be goalkeeper Eldin Jakupović, center-back pair Nathan Koehler and Farid Sar-Sar, right-back Tate Robertson, and winger Daniel Mangarov. I strongly expect these five to start.

Sar-Sar and Jakupović have played every minute of the season so far and hold the club lead in minutes played this season (2,322). Jakupović also has the league lead in saves (109) and clean sheets (9). He was excellent in their last home game against Carolina Core and in their postponed game at Atlanta on Wednesday. The Swiss international is in immense form and my player to watch for CFC.

Robertson has broken the single-season assists record in club history this season (10) holds both club leads for league goals scored (8) and assists (10). I expect left-back Milo Garvanian to play also. Beyond the six players mentioned above, it’s up in the air. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Nugent rotate his three-man midfield and expect some variance up front too.

And as usual, as I gave an overview of the international experience at Carolina Core, it’s worth mentioning that Jakupović is a senior international with Switzerland, and that Mangarov and Turner have experience in the United States youth setup.

Analysis and Predictions

I’m going for a Chattanooga win in Randall’s Island this Sunday. They’re on a five-game winning run, have a strong away record, and are a better side than NYCFC on paper. Additionally, there’s every chance New York may have little to play for after Saturday’s results elsewhere. Remember also that few clubs in this league, if any, have more to gain from home advantage in the playoffs, as Chattanooga. I predict a 1-0 win for the visitors.

A midweek deluge caused MLS Next Pro officials to postpone a game between Atlanta United 2 and Chattanooga FC, Wednesday, after 71 minutes of play. A visibly waterlogged field was deemed unplayable by referee Abdou Ndiaye after heavy rain had battered the region for the full afternoon and into the evening.

Chattanooga will have been the more disappointed of the two sides with the postponement. They were leading 1-0 thanks to an 11th minute Daniel Mangarov goal and were staring the hallowed fourth spot in the table by night’s end. Mind you, Atlanta was the more dominant side, holding 62% possession on the night and outfiring their visitors in shots (15-7), shots on target (6-1), and big chances (1-0). Could (placeholder) man-of-the-match Eldin Jakupović keep them at bay for another 20 or so minutes? Perhaps the postponement will serve CFC well.

The game’s only goal came when Atlanta’s Dominik Chong Qui lost the ball to CFC’s Gavin Turner who quickly fed it to Yuval Cohen in the middle of the park. The ball made its way to Colin Thomas, via Callum Watson, on the left wing. Thomas drove a pass into the box that was found by Daniel Mangarov who controlled it before delivering a very well-placed shot that left Atlanta goalkeeper Jonathan Ransom looking dumbfounded. It was the 23-year-old’s ninth goal of the season.

The game then settled into a general pattern of Atlanta dominance, but CFC were holding on. Liberian duo Patrick Weah and Gabriel Wesse, as well as Coooper Sanchez all had efforts blocked and saved in the first half. Chattanooga lost Thomas early to an injury after he collided with Salvatore Mazzaferro. He was replaced by Keegan Ancelin after about 20 minutes.

The second half proceeded much the same before the game was halted at 70 minutes and 40 seconds. That was just after 9pm. It wasn’t until 11:30pm that it was announced the game had officially been postponed. MLS Next Pro have announced that the game will be resumed at a later date but have yet to release more information.

Box Score*

*to be completed at a later date

Atlanta United 2 v Chattanooga FC

MLS Next Pro

Venue: Fifth Third Stadium | Kennesaw, GA

Final Score: Atlanta 0-1 Chattanooga (Game postponed after 71 minutes)

Referee: Abdou Ndiaye

Scoring summary:

11’: D. Mangarov (CFC)

Discipline:

29’: K. Ancelin (CFC) - dissent, yellow card
39’: T. Robertson (CFC) - foul, yellow card
45’: D. Mangarov (CFC) - foul, yellow card
45+2’: M. Garvanian (CFC) - dissent, yellow card
45+5’: C. Sanchez (ATL) - foul, yellow card

Man of the Match: Eldin Jakupović (CFC) - for now. To be confirmed when the match is finalized.

Line-ups:

Atlanta United 2 (3-4-3): Jonathan Ransom; Salvatore Mazzaferro, Toto Majub, Ronan Wynne; Dominik Chong-Qui (Moises Tablante 64’), David Sibrian (Adyn Torres 64’), Cooper Sanchez (Javier Armas 45’), Ryan Carmichael; Santiago Pita (Rodrigo Neri 68’), Gabriel Wesseh, Patrick Weah

Substitutes not used: Ashton Gordon, James Donaldson, Arif Kovač, Ilan Ettinger, Ignacio Suarez

Head Coach: Jose Silva Caparros

Chattanooga FC (4-3-3): Eldin Jakupović; Milo Garvanian (Steeve Louis Jean 70’), Farid Sar-Sar (C), (Logan Brown, Tate Robertson; Luke Husakiwsky (Nathan Koehler 70’), Gavin Turner, Callum Watson (Nick Mendonca 45’); Daniel Mangarov, Colin Thomas (Keegan Ancelin 19’), Yuval Cohen (Darwin Ortiz 57’)

Substitutes not used: Michael Barrueta, Ethan Dudley, Xavier Rimpel, Anthony García

Head Coach: Chris Nugent

Next Games

• September 28th, 14:00 (ET): Chicago Fire FC II v Atlanta United 2, SeatGeek Stadium, Bridgeview, IL (MLS Next Pro)

• September 28th, 19:30 (ET): New York City FC II v Chattanooga FC, Icahn Stadium, New York, NY (MLS Next Pro)

Game details

Match: Atlanta United 2 v Chattanooga FC

Date: Wednesday, September 24th, 2025. 19:30 (Eastern)

Venue: Fifth Third Stadium, Kennesaw, GA. Capacity: 10,200

How to watch: MLSNextPro.com

Tickets: Kennesaw State Website

It’s a local derby in MLS Next Pro this evening as Chattanooga FC travels the 95 miles down I-75 to face Atlanta United 2 in Kennesaw, Ga.

Atlanta United 2 (P:25 W:8 D:8 L:9 SOW:2 GF:38 GA:39 GD:-1) currently sits in 11th place in the East, four points outside of the playoff spots. A win for them tonight at home will see them leapfrog NYCFC II and Orlando City B into 9th place and one point away from 8th place Carolina Core. While a loss tonight won’t be the end of their playoff hopes, it would severely dent them as they’d likely need full points in their remaining two games to even have a chance of getting in. At home, they’ve won seven and lost six of their games.

Chattanooga (P:25 W:11 D:8 L:6 SOW:4 GF:39 GA:35 GD:+4) clinched a playoff spot last week and is now looking to finish in the top four in the Eastern Conference to earn the right to host a playoff match at Finley Stadium. Huntsville City (4th) and Chicago Fire II (5th) both sit just one point above CFC who have this game in-hand. A win tonight in Kennesaw would send them into the top four with two games remaining. Chattanooga hasn’t lost away yet this season, wining four and drawing eight of their road games.

The match kicks off at 7.30pm Eastern and will be officiated by Abdou Ndiaye of Louisiana. Streaming will be done through MLSNextPro.com and YouTube.

The history

Atlanta: P:4 W:2 D:2 L:0 SOW:0 GF:9 GA:7 GD:+2
Chattanooga: P:4 W:0 D:2 L:2 SOW:2 GF:7 GA:9 GD:-2

Atlanta United 2 have the upper-hand when it comes to past meetings between these two sides. They have, however, allowed CFC to come away twice with bonus points, losing both penalty shootouts in league play.

This was the case back in March when the two teams played out an exciting 2-2 draw. A tight and scoreless first half gave way to a scintillating second 45 in the rain, kicked off by an own goal from Atlanta’s Efrain Morales (now with CF Montréal) just after the hour. That came after great work by CFC’s Tate Robertson. Rodrigo Neri then got the equalizer for Atlanta on 78 minutes, capitalizing from some stuttered defending from Chattanooga. CFC’s Keegan Ancelin then thought he’d won the game on 84 minutes when he placed a rebounded shot past goalkeeper Josh Cohen. However, Neri stepped up again, four minutes into stoppage time, controlling the ball brilliantly in the CFC box before slamming home a volley that would seal the draw. Chattanooga would go on to win the shootout 4-3.

The game was perhaps most notable for the injury suffered by CFC captain Alex McGrath, sidelining him for the entire season.

Tonight’s fixture will be the second of three regular season meetings between the two sides. They’ll meet again when Chattanooga hosts Atlanta on Decision Day, October 5th.

Report cards and lineups

Atlanta

Seville-native Jose Silva Caparros took charge of the team on July 23, replacing Steve Cooke who left to become Academy and Youth Technical Director at USL Championship club Lexington SC. Coming out of the academy setups at Orlando City and Atlanta United, Silva Caparros has overseen four wins and three defeats in his seven games so far as caretaker Head Coach.

On Saturday, Atlanta claimed a 1-0 win at Crown Legacy thanks to a 13th minute goal from Patrick Weah. He was assisted by Santiago Pita, who dribbled around two players on the left side before slotting it to Weah. The Liberian striker became the team’s top goal-scorer of the season with seven, while Javier Armas made his 50th appearance for the club.

According to yesterday’s Availavility Report, Silva has a full compliment of players available to him. So I expect somthing similar to te above to lineout. He has favored a 3-5-3 formation recently, spearheaded by Weah.

Weah is in-form having scored in Atlanta’s last two matches, including a stunning scorpion kick at Carolina Core. He is the team’s top scorer this season with seven goals, while Gabriel Wesseh leads the team with five assists on the season. The latter was recently named MLS NEXT Pro Rising Star of the Month for August. Aged only 17, the Liberian started all six of Atlanta’s matches in August, providing three assists in his 443 minutes played. He played a team-high 18 key passes last month and currently has the most assists on the team with five on the season. Earlier this year, Wesseh earned the MLS NEXT Pro Rising Star of Matchweek 7 for his performance against Carolina Core, where he scored and added an assist in his first professional start. On the season, Wesseh has started 16 of his 20 games played and has scored three goals. He’s my player to watch for Atlanta.

There’s a high degree of fluidity within the Atlanta United organization between its MLS and MLS Next Pro sides. Nyk Sessock, Salvatore Mazzaferro, Adyn Torres, Cooper Sanchez, Jayden Hibbert, Dominik Chong Qui, and Josh Cohen are all players who could appear tonight in Kennesaw, who have played for the senior team in MLS or US Open Cup games. Weah also has MLS experience from his time with Minnesota United.

At international level, while some players have recieved call-ups, none are capped at senior level apart from Hibbert, who has played for Jamaica but recently got a call up from Canada. At youth international level Sessock, Chong Qui, Sanchez, Torres, James Donaldson, and Ignacio Suarez have all played for the USA. Elsewhere, there have been youth international caps for New Zealand (Ronan Wynne), Venezuela (Santiago Pita, Rodrigo Neri, and Moises Tablante), Liberia (Weah), and Northern Ireland (Ryan Carmichael).

Chattanooga

CFC fought a bruising 0-0 stalemate with Carolina Core on Sunday at home. Carolina went on to nab the bonus point by wining the penalty shootout. While that result may disappoint Chattanooga fans somewhat, missing the chance to take fourth place on the night, they still have tonight’s game-in-hand at Atlanta to make up for it.

On Sunday, with their game against Carolina still in the balance; Head Coach Chris Nugent took some key performers off including center-back Nathan Koehler, midfielder Luke Husakiwsky, and winger Daniel Mangarov. He explained after the game that with three matches in eight days, he’s looking to manage his players’ fitness appropriately. So I imagine all three will start.

Koehler really picks himself. He’s been an instrumental cog in CFC’s defense alongside captain Farid Sar-Sar this season. Sar-Sar and goalkeeper Eldin Jakupović have played every minute of the season so far and hold the club lead in minutes played this season (2,250). Jakupović also has the league lead in saves (104) and joins Toronto’s Adisa De Rosario at the top of the league in clean sheets (8).

Elsewhere at the back, there should be no surprises with Milo Garvanian starting at left back and Tate Robertson at right back. The former hit 60 appearances in in a CFC shirt last Sunday. Robertson, meanwhile, has broken the single-season assists record in club history this season (10) holds both club leads for league goals scored (8) and assists (10). He’s my player to watch for CFC tonight.

The midfield is pretty set, with Husakiwsky, Callum Watson, and DC United-loanee Gavin Turner in favor recently. Although I wouldn’t be too surprised to see either Nick Mendonca or Steeve Louis Jean get a nod, as Nugent looks to mind his resources.

Up front, I have no idea who he will pick. Mangarov will probably play. But beyond that, it will be some combination of Anthony García, Yuval Cohen, Jalen James, Keegan Ancelin, Colin Thomas, Xavier Rimpel, or Markus Naglestad.

And as usual, as I gave an overview of the international experience at Carolina Core, it’s worth mentioning that Jakupović is a senior international with Switzerland, and that Mangarov and Turner have experience in the United States youth setup.

Analysis and Predictions

I believe this one might be a draw. CFC are on a five game winning run, but Atlanta have looked strong at home lately and are off a morale boosting away win at Crown Legacy. There’s a sense in which Atlanta might have more to play for as they’re fighting just to be in the post-season, wheras CFC already have that sewn up. However, don’t forget that few clubs in this league, if any, have more to gain from home advantage in the playoffs, as Chattanooga will be keen to have a lively Finley Stadium behind them when they get there. A draw keeps both teams in the hunt for their goal, and I think that could be the outcome. 1-1

CHATTANOOGA, TN - Lookout Mountain is no stranger to fierce battles. This afternoon it overlooked this season’s third and last Battle of the Independents in this regular season. And a battle it was! And like all battles, it had heroes, and it had villains.

Chattanooga FC, chasing a home playoff berth this offseason, did more than enough to win today’s game. Through 11 shots, three on target, and two big chances, they besieged the visiting Carolina Core FC for large swaths of this match. Tate Robertson, Gavin Turner, Yuval Cohen, and Anthony García were each presented with multiple chances to win. They were kept at bay by some excellent defending from Core center-back pairing Daniel Chica and Juan Pablo Rodríguez. Alex Sutton, Carolina’s goalkeeper, also had a good game. Frustratingly, however, CFC seemed their own worst enemy in the final third, often either spraying crosses or passes awry or having too many players bundled into the middle of the box when receiving the ball. Attempt after attacking attempt was missed, and Robertson probably deserved at least one assist tonight.

Not that the Core was slacking themselves. They’re chasing a playoff berth outright and the two points they took home today will be crucial in their quest for post-season soccer. While CFC were the better attacking side, Carolina had slightly more of the ball and created their own opportunities, mainly through captain Facundo Canete. Jesus Ibarra, former a hero at Finley Stadium and returning to Chattanooga as an opposing team player for the first time, was closely handled by CFC’s defenders, particularly Robertson, Farid Sar-Sar, and Nathan Koehler. The latter would see yellow for this in the first half. Canete and Ibarra not scoring tonight was largely due to the performance of Sar-Sar who was imperious, as was evergreen Eldin Jakupović behind him in the CFC goal, who had to make three crucial saves, including one very late on.

This was a hard-fought match as both sides were chasing something season-defining, not leaving anything out on the field. Luke Husakiwsky, Gavin Turner, and substitute Nick Mendonca gave Carolina nothing in midfield, an area I think CFC dominated. Carolina’s defenders Chica, Rodríguez, and Kai Thomas were making life very tough for Yuval Cohen and Anthony García. Both at 6-2, Chica and Thomas towered over Cohen. Nonetheless, while he didn’t score tonight, the 19-year-old held up play well and never stopped trying. He was on the field for the entire game.

Some other good performances came from Turner in CFC’s midfield. As well as stopping Core attacks, the DC United loanee showed his guile with some excellent footwork and passing on the creative end. Substitute Keegan Ancelin also looked dangerous when deployed on the right wing. But for all the hard work, neither team could hit the net.

As we entered the dying moments of the game, substitute Markus Naglestad briefly thought he’d won it. He was offside and his strike; while initially fooling the crowd into thinking it was a goal, had actually hit the side netting. Then Sutton, the villain of this battle, appeared to make a crying gesture at the Chattanooga fans, among whom he is somewhat maligned.

Suddenly we were into penalties. And, for only the Core’s second of the night, up stepped Sutton himself. His effort beat Jakupović but struck the post. The crowd were delighted. You can’t write these scripts.

But the battle was over when Zion Scarlett’s penalty conversion ended the affair 6-5 to the visitors. The Core march home with a playoff lifeline. CFC got a point; it will have to do. There’s more soccer to be played, more battles to be fought.

Talking points

Shoot-outs following draws in MLS Next Pro games are weird things. I’ve spoken to fans, players, coaches, and club officials about them. There seems to be a general sense that they change what is normally a neutral reaction to a draw, into the kind of pain or joy that accompany outright losses and wins. I’m all for keeping them as I think they give good exposure to young players to an intense activity that may make it easier for them to undertake later in their career in more high-pressure moments, such as knockout games. It also provides additional entertainment for fans, giving them something more to leave the stadium with than a mere draw. But they certainly have a strange effect on one’s emotions.

Despite not winning, Chattanooga FC are still in a good spot. Chicago’s 5-2 thrashing today at the hands of Philadelphia, means CFC are just one point off the Fire in fourth, with a game-in-hand. Much will depend on the outcome of Orlando City B v Huntsville City which is being played as this report is written. Regardless, as Head Coach Chris Nugent said, it doesn’t matter, as CFC will look to win every game.

Fans might have been worried to see Nathan Koehler taken off at half-time, given his importance to this side and his only recent return from injury. Nugent dispelled such worries when I asked him about it in the post-game press conference, explaining that he’s simply looking to manage his resources as best he can, given the tight three-game run in the space of eight days.

Today was a battle, and fans of both sides love to see their players fight for their team and their jersey. And both sets of players did so. Nonetheless, it was nice to see the warmth and respect shared by them following the final whistle. Ibarra, so recently a CFC player, was embraced by his former teammates after being gamely hounded by them on the field. He enjoyed a lengthy catch-up with Callum Watson, Ameziane Sid Mohand, Michael Barrueta. Even villainous Alex Sutton shared some warm words and embraces with Markus Naglestad. These two are veterans of many battles against one another, going back to NISA days. In the shadow of Lookout Mountain, it was nice to see such camaraderie across lines and a strong reminder that soccer is more than just what we see on the field. The game we love is played by real people with real relationships, friendships, and life experiences. When battle is done, laws of chivalry are observed, and mutual respect conveyed. Isn’t sport beautiful!

Box Score

Chattanooga FC v Carolina Core FC

MLS Next Pro

Venue: Finley Stadium | Chattanooga, TN

Attendance: 4,055

Final Score: Chattanooga 0-0 Carolina Core (Carolina won 6-5 on penalties)

Referee: Mark Verso

Shootout summary:

T. Robertson (CHA) ✓ 1-0
J. Evans (CAR) ✓ 1-1
M. Naglestad (CHA) ✓ 2-1
A. Sutton (CAR) X 2-1
M. Garvanian (CHA) X 2-1
JP. Rodríguez (CAR) ✓ 2-2
Y. Cohen (CHA) ✓ 3-2
K. Thomas (CAR) ✓ 3-3
F. Sar-Sar (CHA) ✓ 4-3
G. Nzingo (CAR) ✓ 4-4
N. Mendonca (CHA) ✓ 5-4
A. Sumo Jr. (CAR) ✓ 5-5
L. Brown (CHA) X 5-5
Z. Scarlett (CAR) ✓ 5-6

Discipline:

23’: D. Chica (CAR) - foul, yellow card
35’: N. Koehler (CHA) - foul, yellow card
44’: M. Garvanian (CHA) - foul, yellow card
62’: K. Thomas (CAR) - foul, yellow card

Man of the Match: Daniel Chica (CAR) - Expertly handled CFC’s young attackers using his physicality as well as his experience and cleverness to often get the better of them. Positions himself so well and always seemed to be there to snuff out attacks and through balls.

Line-ups:

Chattanooga FC (4-3-3): Eldin Jakupović; Milo Garvanian, Farid Sar-Sar (C), Nathan Koehler (Logan Brown 45’), Tate Robertson; Luke Husakiwsky (Nick Mendonca 60’), Gavin Turner (Markus Naglestad 88’), Callum Watson; Daniel Mangarov (Keegan Ancelin 61’), Anthony García (Colin Thomas 75’), Yuval Cohen

Substitutes not used: J. P. Philpot, Ethan Dudley, Steeve Louis Jean, Xavier Rimpel

Head Coach: Chris Nugent

Carolina Core FC (5-4-1): Alex Sutton; Paul Leonardi (Derek Cuevas 86’), Juan Pablo Rodríguez, Daniel Chica, Kai Thomas, Jathan Juarez (Zion Scarlett 86’); Facundo Canete, Aryeh Miller (Jacob Evans 59’), Alenga Charles, Tony Pineda (Glory Nzingo 73’); Jesus Ibarra (Anthony Sumo Jr. 59’)

Substitutes not used: Andrew Pannenberg, Ibrahim Covi, Corey Lundeen, Drake Hadeed

Head Coach: Donovan Ricketts

Next Games

• September 24th, 19:30 (ET): Atlanta United 2 v Chattanooga FC, Fifth Third Stadium, Kennesaw, GA (MLS Next Pro)

• September 27th, 19:30 (ET): Carolina Core FC v Orlando City B, Truist Point, High Point, NC (MLS Next Pro)

Match: Chattanooga FC vs. Carolina Core FC

Date: Sunday, September 21st, 2025. 15:00 (Eastern)

Venue: Finley Stadium, Chattanooga, TN. Capacity: 20,412

How to watch: MLSNextPro.com

Tickets: Chattanooga FC Website

After sealing their first ever MLS Next Pro playoff berth on Thursday, Chattanooga FC is now targeting a home game this post-season by finishing fourth (or higher). This afternoon they play a Carolina Core side that are also on the hunt. For the Core, though, the aim is simply a playoff spot and joining Chattanooga and Rochester NY as only the third independent team to gain a playoff berth in this league. With both teams having something clear and important to play for, this promises to be an entertaining game.

New England Revolution II did CFC a huge favor on Thursday. Their 3-1 win at NYCFC II guaranteed Chattanooga (P:24 W:11 D:7 L:6 SOW:4 GF:39 GA:35 GD:+4) their first post-season place since joining this league. On a three-game winning bounce, they’ve banished their summer demons and appear to be gathering momentum at the right time. Last weekend’s epic 4-2 comeback win at Crown Legacy perfectly epitomized this. They’ve won seven of their 12 home games at Finley, losing five. They also like playing teams from Carolina, having won three of their four games this season against the Core and Crown Legacy.

Carolina Core (P:25 W:8 D:8 L:9 SOW:4 GF:39 GA:38 GD:+1) are also on a three-match winning streak. This includes away wins, albeit at weaker sides Crown Legacy and Cincinnati. Goals follow the Core when they play of late, with 18 being scored across those three wins. They’ve picked up points in a third of their road trips this season but have lost eight of their 12 away games.

The match kicks off at 3pm Eastern and will be officiated by Mark Verso of California. Streaming will be done through MLSNextPro.com and YouTube.

The history

Chattanooga: P:5 W:3 D:0 L:2 SOW:0 GF:9 GA:5 GD:+4
Carolina Core: P:5 W:2 D:0 L:3 SOW:0 GF:5 GA:9 GD:-4

The Core have not been able to defeat Chattanooga this season but will need to stay in the playoff race. Both previous games in 2025 have gone CFC’s way and in High Point, which is a bad omen for the Foxes.

In April, Chattanooga were emphatic 4-1 winners over the Core. This was back during CFC’s stellar Spring form. David Polanco’s sole strike for Carolina was answered by goals from CFC’s Farid Sar-Sar, Tate Robertson, and Peter Plougmand. The key contribution though was from Core defender Ibrahim Covi scored an own goal and was sent off on the night.

Last month at Truist Point CFC won again, coming away with a 1-0 win. Courtesy of a late Robertson penalty, the win was also characterized by some suicidal play in defense again by Covi, who was sent off on 87 minutes. That victory on August 17 snapped a winless run for Chattanooga that had lasted since May 24 and re-launched their season.

Report cards and lineups

Chattanooga

Chattanooga’s comeback win away at Crown Legacy last weekend was the stuff of epics. 2-0 down after 50 minutes played, they looked utterly rudderless in the first half, although not outplayed. They came out in the second 45 looking like a team willing to fight. It was a similar level of commitment you saw in their previous game when they beat Huntsville 1-0 at home through sheer determination. This was similar. A Tate Robertson penalty, a Daniel Mangarov late cherry on the cake, and a Legacy own goal sealed the comeback. The highlight, though, was the wonderstrike by Luke Husakiwsky, his second goal in only three CFC games.

Last weekend, Head Coach Chris Nugent surprised many with his lineup. Absent were Nathan Koehler (coming back from an injury), DC United loanee Gavin Turner, and Daniel Mangarov (7 goals, 4 assists). All three would come on and help turn the result around. I imagine all three will start today.

Some of this team picks itself. Jakupović, Sar-Sar, and Koehler (likely to return) are consistent picks. As is Milo Garvanian at left-back. He’s on track to make his 60th CFC appearance this afternoon. At right full-back, there’s Tate Robertson. Arguably Chattanooga’s best player this season, he holds the club lead in both league goals scored (8) and assists (10). He’s also made 56 key passes, the fourth most in the league.

I don’t know how Nugent’s men will lineup further afield. Some combination of Mangarov, Colin Thomas, Xavier Rimpel, and Jalen James are bound to play on the wings. Nugent has favored Yuval Cohen at the top recently, but he has yet to score a goal. Will the Head Coach hand a start at home to Markus Naglestad or Keegan Ancelin? I don’t expect Peter Plougmand to be back, sadly.

In the middle, I want to see Gavin Turner start. He’s such a great midfielder who demonstrates why he’s on the books of a major league team. As well as skill, he has a battling playing style, which suits this team’s midfield so well. Alongside him, my player to watch is Luke Husakiwsky. Signed barely over a month ago, he’s been excellent in all three games he’s played for the club. He put in a shift in defense away at the Core last time these sides met. He then scored the only goal against Huntsville at home. And then last week he struck that absolute worldy against Crown Legacy. What a player!

And as usual, as I’ll give an overview of the international experience at Carolina Core, it’s worth mentioning that Jakupović is a senior international with Switzerland, and that Mangarov and Turner have experience in the United States youth setup.

Carolina Core

Donovan Ricketts is in his first season as head coach of Carolina Core after previously being the club’s assistant and goalkeeper coach. He brings enormous experience from his playing days with Bradford City, LA Galaxy, Portland Timbers, and the Jamaica national team, with whom he won 100 caps. He previously coached with FC Tulsa in the USL Championship.

Their last game against Atlanta was a topsy-turvy affair, with the lead shifting multiple times. Facundo Canete hit a double that twice put Carolina ahead before Kau Thomas sealed the win. Former Chattanooga FC winger Jesus Ibarra got the side going by hitting their initial equalizer. Statistics-wise, it was an evenly matched affair simply won by the more clinical team.

CFC fans will remember goalkeeper Alex Sutton, as well as midfielders Jonathan Bazaes and Corey Lundeen from their time at the Maryland Bobcats and Albion San Diego, respectively, back in the NISA days. Sutton is not a popular man in Finley Stadium, so expect to see him get some degree of taunting from the Chattahooligans.

Facundo Canete should be my player to watch. He’s one of the most crucial players for Carolina Core this season, having played every minute of their league season so far. In the last match, the 25-year-old midfielder led the Foxes to victory with a brace and an assist. That performance brings Canete to nine goals in MLS NEXT Pro, making him the outright top scorer for the Core. Additionally, the Argentine leads the team in assists with five and is third in key passes with 31. However, the player to watch can only be Jesus Ibarra. The 27-year-old played for CFC from June 2023 to late July 2025, participating in the club’s transition from NISA to MLS Next Pro. In his two seasons competing in MLS NEXT Pro, Ibarra made 28 appearances, scored eight goals and contributed four assists in total. The highlight of his time in Chattanooga was when he scored the 2024 MLS NEXT Pro Goal of the Year in 2024. Today marks his first return to Chattanooga since leaving. Expect him to be given a warm welcome by CFC’s faithful.

Another reunion of sorts with be that of Carolina forward Yekeson Subah and Chattanooga goalkeeper Eldin Jakupović who are former teammates from their time together at Los Angeles FC in the 2023 MLS Season.

A number of the Core’s squad came though academies of foreign sides. These include center-backs Juan Pablo Rodríguez (Lanús in Argentina) and Ibrahim Covi (Metz and Ajaccio in France and Ponferradina in Spain), right-back Paul Leonardi (Ajaccio), midfielders Derek Cuevas (Barcelona in Spain) and Glory Nzingo (St. Patrick’s Athletic in Ireland, Stade Reims in France, and Swansea City in Wales), and striker David Polanco (Essingen in Germany).

There’s some international youth experience in the team also, with Argentina (Rodríguez), Dominican Republic (Cuevas), Antigua & Barbuda (Drake Hadeed), Jamaica (Zion Scarlett), the United States (Polanco), and the Republic of Ireland (Nzingo).

Analysis and Predictions

I anticipate a win for Chattanooga FC this afternoon but I think they’ll need to work for it and I see both sides scoring. Carolina have everything to pay for, they’re fighting for their season and come to Finley Stadium high on confidence. However, CFC will also be confident and can expect a raucous home support to drive them on.

CFC 2-1 CCFC