LA Force 1 Chattanooga FC 1: Nooga by the Numbers

Chattanooga FC shared the spoils with the LA Force in a midweek road matchup.

There wasn’t too much to split the sides, with Chattanooga generating just a few more chances.

The boys in blue created their best chances in the first half, getting their deserved goal right off the bat. I don’t know that we’ve ever witnessed a more prolific scorer in Chattanooga colors before but Markus Naglestad is simply a monster right now.

The Force picked up the pace in the second half and got a goal they just about earned.

Simulating the game back, the game was pretty much destined for a draw, if not a narrow win on either side. There weren’t any massive chances; it was a very physical battle that lacked some of the great flowing play we’ve been seeing.

Again, neither side should have expected too much more than they got, except perhaps Chattanooga will rue not putting the game to bed in the first half.

Michigan should be taking notes as this is the first opponent to truly keep the Chattanooga attack in check since our road trip to Maryland. Expect a physical game tomorrow night!

For less number and more words, check out the club website.

Chattanooga FC 1 Alabama FC 2: WPSL Nooga by the Numbers

The women of Chattanooga FC fell just short against a stacked Alabama FC side in the first game of Saturday’s double header at Finley Stadium. The scoreline was a marked improvement over the 3-0 loss in the reverse fixture and reflective of a CFC side that is growing in cohesion and confidence.

The two sides sent in the same number of shots, but Alabama FC created just a few more dangerous chances and were able to convert. Alabama FC’s raw xG was 2.031 but combining the triple chance that led to goal number two (0.091, 0.34, and 0.896 all combined to a 0.938 chance of at least one going in) brings them to 1.642 xG.

The CFC women seemed to emphasize possession, holding onto the ball well even into the opposition half, but without finding much possession or opportunity in the final stretch of the pitch. Alabama FC was happy to absorb pressure, win the ball back, and push it forward quickly, relying on pacey strikers that were camped on the shoulders of the back line. CFC’s offside trap worked a majority of the time, but Alabama’s first goal came from a perfectly timed run exploiting the space behind the back line.

The damage was done in the first half for Alabama FC. I’m not sure if tactics changed or legs got tired, but Chattanooga opened things up in the second half, but still was unable to pull back two goals.

For me, Jacqueline Montes was the deserved woman of the match after a goal and a great shift up top. Listening to the commentary, that Alabama FC team was truly stacked and we should be proud to be in the game all the way to the final whistle. I’m looking forward to seeing more from this squad!

For less stats and more narrative of how the game played out, visit the CFC website.

Chattanooga FC 4 Bay Cities FC 2: Nooga by the Numbers

What a thrilling game that was! Chattanooga FC held off a late comeback from Bay Cities to secure three wins on the spin and top spot in the east with the least games played.

Though the chances were few, they were high quality as Chattanooga deservedly netted more than their western visitors. With 11 goals in 3 games, the attacking swagger that was hiding at the beginning of the season is in full force.

Chattanooga looked comfy going into the half, but a change in tactics from Anders Perez busted the game open- but to his team’s detriment. All the space in behind the Bay Cities defense left space for CFC’s pacey attack to deliver what I would argue some of the most entertaining soccer seen this season. The goals that Bay Cities did score were well taken but not high percentage shots. The flow of the game was always in Chattanooga’s favor.

Given the chances created, if this game was played out a thousand times, we’d expect Chattanooga to pick up the win most of the time, expecting on average 2.909 of the 3 available points from the match.

How much fun was it to watch Taylor Gray- he’s not afraid to pull off skills on the field, and now that he’s found his shooting boots, he’ll be one of the top threats in the league. This attack as a whole is really enjoyable to watch.

If you’re not excited for what’s happening in Chattanooga, you haven’t been watching. The coaching staff and the players are taking things to the next level. I can put out all the numbers I want, but the results on the field speak for themselves. It’s a good time to be a CFC fan!