Match Preview: Chattanooga FC vs. Atlanta Fire United
CFC looking to bounce back to winning ways at home
Match: Chattanooga FC v Atlanta Fire United
Date: Saturday, June 15th, 2025. 19:00 (Eastern)
Venue: Finley Stadium, Chattanooga, TN. Capacity: 20,412
How to watch: National Soccer Network
Tickets: Chattanooga FC Website
Fourth-place Atlanta Fire United (1-0-4) head north on Saturday night for a tough match-up with second-place Chattanooga FC (3-0-1) in the WPSL Southeast Conference - Peachtree Division. In what is forecasted as a rainy evening in the Scenic City, the hosts will be looking to keep pace with first-placed Decatur FC and go out with a bang in what will be its final regular season home match of the season. CFC is coming off a 1-0 away victory over bottom-side UFA Gunners
For Atlanta Fire, they come into the tie off a four-match losing streak going back to Matchweek 2 of the season. Unimpressive both home and away, they most recently fell 4-1 at home to Georgia Impact and have conceded 17 goals, more than any other side in the division.
While the temperamental weather conditions may impact attendance in the stands, what effect they’ll have on the game remains to be seen. Will we see a free-flowing goal fest in front of a raucous home crowd, or will it be a slogging battle amidst the deluge?
Report cards and lineups
Chattanooga
CFC comes into this game with a 2-0-1 home record, their only loss at Finley Stadium being to top-of-the-table Decatur FC. They’ve scored eight goals in those three home matches, and conceded three. Far from invincible on home soil, they’re nonetheless strong enough to be confident whenever they play in front of their fans.
Head Coach Juan Hernandez has been fairly consistent with many of the players he selects to start games. Reese McDemott, Mae Hunt, Kei Yoneda, and EG Dillard started all four games thus far, so we can expect them to do so tonight. While I had expected to see more rotation in the CFC goal, Maddie Smith has nailed down the starting berth, having lined out in three of the side’s four games.
While goals have come from across the team, including one each from Annalisa Vincent, Mae Hunt, and Hannah Tillett, and two from Kennedy Ball; CFC’s primary threat is Reese McDermott. The 22-year-old is my player to watch. Having arrived at the club from Colorado Storm, with whom she reached the final of the USL W League last season, scoring ten goals in 15 matches; she has netted four in four so far in 2025 and will surely be instrumental if CFC is to win this evening.
Atlanta Fire
A tough season so far for the Fire. Second-from-bottom and with only one win in five, they’ve conceded a division worst 17 goals, thanks mainly to heavy losses at Georgia Impact (3-0 and 4-1) and Decatur (twice losing 5-2). Having only scored six, their goal difference is -11. Away from home, they’ve played two and lost two, scoring two and conceding eight.
The Fire are another side with a consistent back-bone having started Abigail Kilman, Emma Pethel, and Kayleigh Hilton in all of the team’s games so far. Savannah Sabo has retained her place in goal in all but one game, in spite of how many goals she and Kayleigh Hilton’s defense have shipped. Local player Weslee Istone-Haupt came into the side late, but has established herself in the team, even scoring a goal.
The side’s goals though have mainly come from Danielle Lewin and Ivey Crain who have two each for the season. Lewin is my player-to-watch. Another Georgia-native, she represented the Bulldogs from 2021 to 2024 and was named to the SEC All-Freshmen Team in 2021, playing in 19 matches. She was third on the team in goals and shots on goal and was fourth in points and shots as a freshman. In her time at Georgia, she scored eight goals and notched an assist. Earlier this year, she moved to Western Kentucky University. She was also invited to play with the Jamaican National Team in preparation for the 2020 U17 Women's World Cup.
Analysis and Predictions
Although CFC stumbled in their recent outing against Decatur, that was against the division’s strongest side, something the Fire are a long way away from being. Chattanooga’s home form (P:3 W:2 D:0 L:1) is a daunting prospect for any visiting side and gives them a distinct edge when it plays in front of its noisy fans at Finley Stadium.
Atlanta Fire’s road form (P:2 W:0 D:0 L:2) is abysmal to be honest and they have a knack for heavy beatings away (3-0 and 5-2). Given these diametrically different home and away records, the record between these two sides, and Chattanooga’s superior place in the table, I can see no other outcome than a home win. 3-0.