Read on for a full recap, including comprehensive stats, photos, post-match reaction and much more.
Chattanooga Football Club faced New York Red Bulls II for the first time on Sunday afternoon, and won the shootout for the extra point 7-6 after the match finished 1-1 at the end of regulation.
The result, due to other results in the Eastern Conference on Decision Day, meant that CFC narrowly missed out on a playoff spot in the club's inaugural year competing in MLS NEXT Pro. CFC finished the season level on 45 points with sixth-placed NYCFC II, seventh-placed Columbus Crew 2 and Crown Legacy, which occupied the eighth and final playoff spot, however, due to the first tiebreaker being wins, CFC fell just outside of the playoff places.
Callum Watson opened the scoring in the sixth minute, after he stormed into the penalty area and latched onto the end of a low cross sent in by Taylor Gray.
Jean Antoine, Joseph Perez and Logan Brown made a succession of goal-line clearances right before half-time to keep CFC in front at the break.
However, New York found an equalizer through Malick Zanke Dembele in the 68th minute.
Substitute Markus Naglestad had a chance in the 89th minute when he ran through on goal and attempted a shot on target but substitute goalkeeper Alan Rutkowski made the save.
CFC won a marathon penalty shootout 7-6 to grab the extra point and finish with the most shootout wins in the Eastern Conference in 2024 (8).
"I thanked the players—I came in nine days ago—it could've been easy for guys to check out or not put the effort in, but they worked hard, they listened and tried to implement some of the stuff we talked about," said interim Head Coach Chris Nugent in his post-match press conference.
"I wanted them to look at the bigger picture. We didn't make the playoffs based on the entire season. Dropping points in other games, not winning games or tying, that is just as important as the one or two mistakes today. I also mentioned that all the things we enjoy as a club right now were done by people a year ago, two, four, five, 16 years ago. In five, ten and 15 years from now, the club will still be here, so we are contributing to that success and the history of it, even if it's not always with wins and titles. What we do on the field and in the community, it helps the club to grow. There was a bigger picture to this, and it wasn't just the feeling of defeat today."
In 28 matches played, CFC finished the 2024 season with 1.61 points-per-game (level with NYCFC II, Columbus Crew 2 and Crown Legacy FC), 45 points total, nine wins, nine defeats, 10 draws, eight shootout wins and a goal differential of +3. Full standings here.
Noteworthy
- Nugent made two changes to the starting XI from the last match at Toronto FC II on September 29th. Jean Antoine and Joseph Perez came in for Jonathan Burke and Jesse Williams.
- Callum Watson scored his first goal for CFC.
- Taylor Gray recorded his team-leading eighth assist of the season.
Box Score
Chattanooga FC (9W-9L-10D, 8SOW, 45 pts.) - New York Red Bulls II (10W-12L-6D, 4SOW, 40 pts.)
Finley Stadium | Chattanooga, Tenn.
Attendance: 4,178
Final score:
CFC: 1
RBNY: 1
CFC wins shootout for extra point 7-6
Scoring summary:
6': Watson - CFC
68': Dembele - RBNY
Stats (CFC/RBNY):
Possession: 53% / 47%
xG: 1.98 / 0.99
Shots: 19 / 13
Shots on goal: 10 / 6
Blocked shots: 5 / 6
Total passes: 430 / 383
Passing accuracy percentage: 84.4 / 80.4
Corners: 9 / 3
Total crosses: 5 / 6
Offsides: 3 / 2
Goalkeeper saves: 3 / 9
Clearances: 6 / 7
Fouls: 11 / 12
Discipline:
70' - RBNY: Omar Valencia (Caution)
73' - CFC: Milo Garvanian (Caution)
90'+5 - CFC: Taylor Gray (Caution)
Line-ups:
CFC starters: Jean Antoine; Joseph Perez (Anatolie Prepelita 79'), Logan Brown, Farid Sar-Sar, Milo Garvanian; Andres Jimenez Aranzazu, Alex McGrath (C), Callum Watson (Robert Screen 69'); Jesus Ibarra (Markus Naglestad 79'), Taylor Gray, Mehdi Ouamri (Jalen James 70')
Substitutes not used: Jonathan Burke, Duvan Viafara, Jude Arthur, Ethan Koren, Luis Garcia Sosa
Interim Head Coach: Chris Nugent
RBNY starters: Dallas Odle (Alan Rutkowski 46'); Berkley Copeland, Juan Esteban Gutierrez Ruiz, Aidan O'Connor (C) (Jair Collahuazo 60', Rafael Antonio Mosquera Diaz 83'), Omar Valencia; Mohammed Sofo, Dylan Sullivan (Aiden Jarvis 60'), Adri Mehmeti, Ibrahim Kasule; Frank Ssebufu (Malick Zanke Dembele 60'), Tanner Rosborough
Substitutes not used: Aidan Stokes, Curtis Ofori
Head Coach: Ibrahim Sekagya
