Koehler brace boosts CFC
Defender scores twice as CFC grabs two vital points
Orlando City B and Chattanooga FC fought to a 2-2 stalemate in Kissimmee on Saturday evening. Chattanooga won the resulting shootout for the extra point (4-2) to secure two crucial points in the race for playoff spots. Both sides moved up a place in the MLS Next Pro Eastern Conference with Orlando’s point bumping them to 9th and Chattanooga’s two points carrying them back to 5th. However, Carolina Core and New England Revolution II who are behind each respectively and have a game in-hand, play on Sunday evening.
It was a man-of-the-match performance from CFC center back Nathan Koehler, who socred a brace to bring his league goal tally this season to three. Signed late, Koehler joined CFC from Prescot Cables, in the English Northern Premier League. In my mid-season review of CFC, I had assigned him the Surprise Package award as I’d felt it was hard to gage exactly what his level would be coming from such obscure origins. Since making his first start away to Atlanta United 2 on 30 March, he hasn’t looked back and has started all 19 games in that time. He’s forged a strong defensive partnership with Farid Sar-Sar, remaining in Head Coach Chris Nugent’s favor when a back four is used, as well as a back three.
After a weather delayed start, Orlando were the better looking of the sides in the first half, dominating possession and leading the game in shots, chances, and passes. Despite this, both sides went into the changing rooms at half-time matched at 0-0.
However, after just 17 seconds of second-half play, Koehler and Callum Watson applied some well-timed pressure on Orlando’s forward Thalles, and Koehler gladly collected the ball when the Brazilian went to the ground. Advancing forward, the defender backed himself and took on a shot that had just enough power and pace to beat Carlos Mercado in the home goal. A lucky bounce right in front of Mercado may have helped, but take nothing away from Koehler who not only had the technique to take the shot, but the confidence, often rare in a center-back, to attempt something like that. A goal he created by pressuring Thalles in the first place, he’ll get some satisfaction from finishing it himself too.
Things got worse for Orlando twelve minutes later when midfielder Bernardo Rhein received a second yellow card for attempting to pull back a counter-attacking Milo Garvanian. The offense took place right in front of referee Benjamin Meyer who had no choice but to send Rhein off.
Chattanooga should have punished a 10-man opposition, but Orlando managed keep them at ay for the next 20 minutes and then draw level. A tricky run from substitute Gustavo Caraballo ended with the ball crossed into the box and some chaos followed. In the end, Thalles bundled the ball into the goal and Orlando were celebrating. The CFC players felt that he had obstructed goalkeeper Eldin Jakupović and I think they were right. I’ve seen much softer obstruction of or challenges to a goalkeeper lead to disallowed goals.
As both sides went in search of equalizers, substitute Xavier Rimpel went close for Chattanooga, forcing a good, strong save from Mercado on 88 minutes. Seven minutes later, into extra time Orlando found themselves tearing down the field in a counter-attack, three versus one, as more CFC players desperately tried to track back. It was in vain though, as Caraballo found Shak Mohammed in the box to volley in his ninth league goal of the season. Orlando were jubilant, understandably thinking that, despite going a goal and a man down, they had won this game.
You have to wonder what was going through the heads of Chattanooga’s players and coach at that moment. Another lead thrown away (same as last weekend at home against Toronto) and staring a third loss in a row in the face, one would understand morale and belief simply collapsing.
But they didn’t wilt, they didn’t shrink. Despite the late hour and recent history, they went at Orlando again. With the clock showing 97 minutes of a +5 minute overtime period; Watson, Tate Robertson, Darwin Ortiz, and Farid Sar-Sar all combined some lovely passing for the latter to float a cross into the box. Garvanian, Colin Thomas, Rimpel, Jalen James, Ortiz, and yes, Koehler flooded the area. The ball initially found the head of Thomas as he was being fouled by an Orlando defender. It then hit James’ chest and rebounded off the crossbar. Mayhem! But it was Nathan Koehler who was there to send it into the net with a sliding left-footed volley. An insane goal. An insane comeback, right at the death. You have to love this game!
The resulting penalty shootout saw captain Farid Sar-Sar settle matters with Chattanooga’s fifth kick, winning 4-2.
Likely a fair result, even if I felt Orlando’s first goal should have been disallowed. Both teams will take some pride from the game. Orlando for coming back, in spite of being a man down. And Chattanooga, for showing a level of resilience that we haven’t seen from them in a while. Nearly losing to 10 men, despite having taken the lead, is disappointing, but they’ll take enormous heart from their comeback, so late in the game, when other sides might have thrown in the towel. They fought for their coach Chris Nugent, and that’s important.
Box Score
Orlando City B v Chattanooga FC
MLS Next Pro
Venue: Osceola Heritage Park | Kissimmee, FL
Final Score: Orlando 2-2 Chattanooga (Chattanooga wins 4-2 on penalties)
Referee: Benjamin Meyer
Scoring summary:
46’: N. Koehler (CFC)
77’: Thalles (OCB)
90+2’: S. Mohammed (OCB)
90+7’: N. Koehler (CFC)
Shootout summary:
✓ T. Robertson (CFC)
X J. Ellis (OCB)
✓ X. Rimpel (CFC)
✓ G. Caraballo (OCB)
✓ M. Garvanian (CFC)
X S. Platts (OCB)
X C. Watson (CFC)
✓ S. Mohammed (OCB)
✓ F. Sar-Sar (CFC)
Discipline:
15’: K. Acelin (CFC) - yellow card
55’: J. James (CFC) - yellow card
56’: B. Rhein (OCB) - yellow card
58’: B. Rhein (OCB) - second yellow card, red card
60’: R. Tori (OCB) - yellow card
80’: S. Louis Jean (CFC) - yellow card
89': G. Caraballo (OCB) - yellow card
Man of the Match: Nathan Koehler (CFC) - created his own wonderful forst goal and was the man in the right place to notch the equalizer. He’s become such a reliable operator for this team and likely one of the first names on Nugent’s team sheet. Honorable mention to Gustavo Caraballo who came on as a sub and created both of Orlando’s goals/
Line-ups:
Orlando City B (4-2-3-1): Carlos Mercado (C); Tahir Reid-Brown (Hayden Sargis 89'), Shawn Platts, Thomas Williams, Riyon Tori; Colin Guske (Dylan Judelson 68'), Bernardo Rhein; Justin Ellis, Shak Mohammed, Favian Loyola (Gustavo Caraballo 68'); Thalles
Subs not used: Tristan Himes, Noah Levis, Pedro Cruz, Noham Abdellaoui, Justin Hylton, Dyson Clapier
Head Coach: Manuel Goldberg
Chattanooga FC (4-3-3): Eldin Jakupović, Milo Garvanian, Nathan Koehler, Farid Sar-Sar (C), Tate Robertson; Nick Mendonca (Steeve Louis Jean 67'), Callum Watson, Gavin Turner (Xavier Rimpel 79'); Daniel Mangarov (Darwin Ortiz 89'), Markus Naglestad (Colin Thomas 67', Logan Brown 90'+9'), Keegan Ancelin (Jalen James 46')
Substitutes not used: Michael Barrueta
Head Coach: Chris Nugent
Next Games
• August 17th, 15:00 (ET): Columbus Crew 2 v Orlando City B, Historic Crew Stadium, Columbus, OH (MLS Next Pro)
• August 16th, 19:30 (ET): Carolina Core FC v Chattanooga FC, Truist Point, High Point, NC (MLS Next Pro)