Chattanooga fires two past Atlanta to stay in title fight
Fans treared to fine goals and bizarre sendings off
This one came alive after an hour. A stodgy first-half, marked by some excellent link-up play in the middle third by Chattanooga and some wonderful saves by Atlanta Fire United’s Emily Dorfman, had bled into the second half. While CFC were dominating possession and chances, there was the air of a 0-0 draw hanging over Finley Stadium like a specter.
A draw, though, wasn’t what Chattanooga FC’s coaches, players, fans, and club officials were looking for. They’d come into this game six points off division leaders Decatur FC, albeit with a game in-hand, and knew that wins and goals were needed to stay in a title fight.
And the goals, when they came, along with some other events, were worth the wait. After 70 minutes, a long ball from CFC’s Jordan Crockett found its way into the box where Hannah Tillett was the first to meet it. Chesting it down carefully, she then caressed the ball toward the center of the goal beyond a scrambling Dorfman. Reese McDermott was there, unmarked, to finish into an empty net. Scrappy and a tap-in, but they all count. This takes nothing away from the build-up play through a wonderful Crockett long-ball and some very skillful control by Tillett. This was a team goal, and the first of two CFC would score. It was also McDermott’s fifth goal of the season, in five games.
Not that Atlanta weren’t trying themselves. The sibling duo of Taylor and Danielle Lewin caused Chattanooga problems through some clever and physical play but never had the support to make it count. Ultimately, CFC goalkeeper Kyleigh Hall would have very little to do.
Things got weird fifteen minutes after McDermott’s goal. I mentioned physical play already, and the Fire were quite physical. The referee didn’t have to issue too many cards, but did give plenty of cautions. One particularly physical player on the Atlanta side was Sophia Martelli who saw red on 84 minutes when she shoulder-charged Kasey Vigil. There was some debate on this in the press box, but having watched it back, I think it merited a red card. Martelli was chasing possession but was beaten to the ball by Vigil who booted it away. Martelli not only followed through to body-check Vigil, but from my viewing looked to deliberately turn her left shoulder inward when making contact, off the ball and with no itention of getting the ball. It was unnecessary and dirty.
A strange few minutes ensued. The referee took no time nor consultation to make his decision and immediately approached Martelli with a card. But it was a yellow, followed straight away by a red. This may look as though Martelli was receiving a second yellow, leading to a red. But she, to my knowledge, hadn’t been carded before. So, what was the yellow about? Was it a mistake? Was he giving a yellow to a teammate of hers? Barely had we time to figure it out when another red was shown, this time to Martelli’s coach, Dominic Martelli, who was sent-off for encroaching onto the field in protest.
Initially going to sit on the bench, the Martellis eventually walked off the playing area to cheers and jeers from the Chattahoooligans. They took it well however, smiling and waving as they made their way to the changing room. I am unsure whether Sophia and Dominic are related, but I suspect they might be. If so, then in 32 years of watching soccer, this would be my first time seeing family members get sent off together. That’d be one for the books!
Atlanta’s assistant coach was also yellow carded earlier in the game, to add to an interesting day for the club.
With only 10 women on the field, the Fire appeared to go into damage limitation mode and used up every sub on the bench. Matters were settled for good on the stroke of 90 minutes with some good build-up play and passing from Crockett and Brady Livingston. The latter fed a delicious back-heel to find Kayleigh Smith who shot from the corner of the box, first time with her weaker left foot and send it flying past Atlanta’s defenders and into the goal. A fine strike for any occasion and a goal she’ll be proud of.
A dominant win from CFC. Standout performances came from Crockett who was involved in both goal build-ups, Tillett and Livingstone for a pair of fine assists, and Smith and McDermot for their goals. Mae Hunt had a superb game in the middle of the park for Chattanooga, even if she was not involved in either goal. For Atlanta, Emily Dorfman can take a lot of pride in her performance in goal, especially in the first half, as can the Lewins sisters who deserved better for their tireless efforts.
Fans and club officials certainly had one eye on Sunday’s clash in Canton where the Georgia Impact will host top-of-the-table Decatur FC. CFC will be hoping the Impact can do them a favor by stripping points off lethal Decatur, handing them a lifeline. That game kicks off at 6pm.
Box Score
Chattanooga FC - Atlanta Fire United
WPSL
Venue: Finley Stadium | Chattanooga, TN
Final Score: Chattanooga 2-0 Atlanta Fire
Scoring summary:
70': R. McDermott (CFC)
90': K. Smith (CFC)
Discipline:
4': D. Lewin (AFU) - yellow card
62’: Assistant coach (AFU) - yellow card
84’: S. Martelli (AFU) - red card
84’: D. Martelli (AFU) - red card
Player of the Match: Kaylie Smith (CFC) - took her goal excellently and with confidence resulting in a wonderful strike. One of a number of candidates for this award, as this was a team win, not an individual one.
Line-ups:
Chattanooga FC: Kyleigh Hall, Abbey Marak, Kei Yoneda, Jordan Crockett, Kaylie Smith, Kasie Vigil, Rine Yonaha, Mae Hunt, Hannah Tillett, EG Dillard, Reese McDermott
Subs: Bille Jean Davies, Kloe Reeves, Brady Livingston, Annalisa Vincent, Ella Attaway, Bella Valentinw
Not used: Maddie Smith, Hannah Helms, Ryleigh Ramey
Head Coach: Juan Hernandez
UFA Gunners: Emily Dorfman, Chandler Browning, Danielle Lewin, Emma Pethel, Weslee Istone-Haupt, Kayleigh Hilton, Lydia Lewis, Gabriella Plaia, Sophia Martelli, Taylor Lewin, Taylor Youmans
Subs: Madelyn Allen, Yazmeen Vargas, Leila Alvarez, Kaitlin Cook, Eva Martin. Zoey Elliott
Not used: none
Head Coach: Dominic Martelli
Next Games
• June 18th, 19:00 (ET): Georgia Impact v Chattanooga FC, Cherokee High School, Canton, GA (WPSL)
• June 20th, 19:00 (ET): UFA Gunners v Atlanta United Fire, Great Dane Stadium, Alpharetta, GA (WPSL)
Great write up. Thanks for covering our team.
"there was the air of a 0-0 draw hanging over Finley Stadium like a specter." truer words never have been written. I was DYING and convinced the soccer gods hated us.