On Saturday, the Chattanooga Red Wolves played their last home match of the 2020 season at CHI Memorial Stadium in a hard fought 1-1 draw with Forward Madison FC. It was a beautiful day for soccer, and the environment in the stadium was incredible with over 800 fans turning out to support.
The Red Wolves opened the scoring first in the 6th minute, after Greg Hurst was able to get in position to draw a penalty kick. It was never in doubt, as Hurst hammered the ball past the outstretched Forward Madison keeper to give the Red Wolves the early lead. The Red Wolves were able to limit the chances of Forward Madison in the first half, with the exception of a very clear goal scoring opportunity in the 15th minute which was denied by keeper Alex Mangels. The Red Wolves were able to create many opportunities in the run of play, but came just short of converting them as they entered the halftime break with a 1-0 lead.
The second half was a more intense battle, with both sides testing the keepers and creating dangerous scoring chances. The Red Wolves hammered the Forward Madison goal, but unfortunately could not find a way to break through and capitalize. In the 68th minute, Forward Madison drew the score even with an excellent team goal. The closing minutes of the game were very physical and frantic, with both sides desperate for a game winner, but to no avail. Big saves from both keepers in the dying moments held the game even until the final whistle blew, ending the contest 1-1.
It has been an exciting and successful first season in CHI Memorial Stadium, and Sean McDaniel, the President and General Manager of the Red Wolves, was very excited and optimistic about what’s in store for the organization in the future. Head Coach Jimmy Obleda shared this optimism, saying, “It is amazing to be a part of this organization and also to be able to see it from the beginning, building from the ground up. I couldn’t be happier to be a part of it, and now we have to keep building a product on the field and raising the standards for the city and the club to the highest level.”
The Red Wolves have two more matches remaining in the 2020 season, with both being on the road. Chattanooga will travel to Orlando and Richmond to close out the season, as they currently sit in 5th place with 19 points. The Red Wolves will head to Richmond on October 24th, to take on the Richmond Kickers for the second time this season.
