CFC

Photo courtesy of Jim Myers

Madison, AL.- Chattanooga Football Club had a season to remember, but it ended with a 3-1 loss the club will surely want to forget. Over 600 Chattanoogans made the two hour trip to Madison in hopes of watching their team take home the title of national champions.

Sacramento Gold, the NPSL Western Region champions, came out of the gates full-steam and created a number of scoring chances early, only to be denied by Chattanooga FC keeper, RIchard Masters.

Chattanooga FC returned fire with fire in the first ten minutes, and finally broke through when Thomas Clark found Fynn Glover in front of net in the 12th minute. Glover blasted a shot past the keeper from 18 yards out for his first goal of the season.

"Fynn's goal was huge," said Chris Cushenbery, one of Chattanooga FC’s assistant coaches. "At that point, I thought we were going to win the game because we were playing so well."

The game would continue to go back and forth as the two clubs vied for possession and momentum. In the 41st minute, a failed clearance by a Chattanooga defender fell at the feet of a Gold midfielder and he buried the ball in the side net. Only one minute later, Sacramento would score again off of a poorly defended corner kick.

"It just felt like someone let the air out of the stadium," said Krue Brock, a Chattanooga FC board member. "It was a frustrating time for the team and for the fans, but we also knew there was plenty of time left to get that goal back."

Just before the whistle for half-time, a Sacramento midfielder got tangled up with Chattanooga FC midfielder Drew Courtney. By the end of the play, Courtney found himself with a yellow card, and the Gold player was ejected with a red card.

Sacramento did not seem to be phased at all playing a man down the entire second half. The Gold still put a lot of pressure on the goal, and if it weren't for Masters, Chattanooga FC may have been a number of goals down. In the 75th minute, Chattanooga FC forward, Irvin Espinal, found some space in the Sacramento box and was brought down by a Gold defender. Espinal was denied by the keeper on the ensuing penalty kick as was his follow-up attempt.

Chattanooga FC's hopes for a national championship slipped away as Sacramento put their 3rd goal away in the 84th minute.

"You know, it was a heartbreaking loss for our guys and for our supporters," said Chattanooga FC board member Sheldon Grizzle. "The players worked so hard to get where we are tonight in just our second season. I can say with certainty that Chattanoogans are proud of the way these guys played, not just tonight but all season."