The Red Wolves blanked Av Alta, 1-0, Wednesday night at CHI Memorial Stadium in USL League One Action. The shutout was the team’s third in a row.
The Wolves will travel to Charlotte to take on the Independence on Saturday, in a match to be televised by ESPN+.
The Red Wolves and AV Alta are just about as opposite as two teams can get. Chattanooga prioritizes quick acting with brief possession, while Alta tends toward lengthy possession and a gradual buildup. The two powers clashed in their second meeting of the season, with Alta claiming possession as first. Throughout the first fifteen, they managed just two shots that were handily blocked by the pack.
In the 16th, Chattanooga slid into the lead: Wynand Wessels launched a corner right into the box, where the ball met the masterful touch of Ropapa Mensah, and then the back of the net. With this goal, Mensah became tied with former Red Wolves forward Juan Galindrez for highest-scorer in club history.
The Wolves maintained the momentum from that point on with several more shots. In the 47th, Pedro Hernandez seized hold of a breakaway to cross two-thirds of the field, outmaneuver an Alta man, and fire a rocket toward the goal. The shot angled too high, but kept Chattanooga alive and energetic.
The monstrous struggle poured into the second half. Alta with the heavy possession, Chattanooga with the calculation.
Keeping the Californians stonewalled, tempers flared in stoppage time after a failed corner, with an angry outburst from an Alta player that had to be quelled by referees. Down to the last second, Alta was crowding, trying desperately to equalize, but not even a direct shot in the final five seconds could make it past Jason Smith.
About Chattanooga Red Wolves SC
Founded in 2018 by Bob Martino, Chattanooga Red Wolves SC is a professional soccer club competing in USL League One. The club is committed to building a victorious culture rooted in enduring values, elite talent development, and giving back to the greater Chattanooga community. As a pillar in the region, the Red Wolves strive to inspire the next generation of players and fans by fostering excellence and integrity.
