Charlotte Drops Home Finale to Chattanooga, 2-1
Published on October 17, 2025 under United Soccer League One (USL1)
Charlotte Independence News Release
CHARLOTTE, NC - Two early goals from Chattanooga Red Wolves put the Charlotte Independence in a hole they could not climb out of Friday night, dropping their home finale 2-1.
#6 Omar Ciss found the back of the net for the first time this season for the Jacks in the 39th minute to cut the lead in half.
It certainly was not the start the Jacks were hoping for. An in-swinging ball was chested down by #14 Pablo Hernandez and he put it in from inside the six-yard box to give Chattanooga an early lead in the second minute.
The nervy beginning continued as the Red Wolves were the more dangerous team in the first 10 minutes. #31 Amal Knight did well to paw away a Hernandez free kick headed for the top corner in the 11th minute.
After Knight made another big save in the 16th minute, Chattanooga doubled their lead from the ensuing corner kick. #17 Omar Hernandez's ball found #30 Aaron Lombardi and he volleyed it past for a quick two-goal lead.
#20 Tobi Adewole nearly got Charlotte on the board in the 22nd minute. A whipped ball from assist leader #9 Jon Bakero found the center back, but goalkeeper #12 Ricardo Jerez parried it away.
Jerez stood tall again in the 35th minute. #8 Juan David Moreno sprinted onto an errant pass from Chattanooga. Pushed wider by an oncoming defender, Moreno put a right-footed effort on that Perez pushed away with his right hand.
Finally, after minutes of pressure, the Jacks ignited the crowd in the 38th minute. The Jacks turned Chattanooga over and immediately countered. #80 Christopher Jaime fed #99 Christian Chaney at the top of the box. Chaney slipped it through to Ciss in stride and he made no mistake, burying it past Perez.
That goal gave the Independence a huge lift heading into a decisive second half.
After neither side created anything stellar in the first 15 minutes of the second half, Chattanooga hit the woodwork. #6 Wynand Wessels stepped into one from the top of the box, striking the post and careening back off Knight for the corner kick.
Minutes later, #4 Nick Spielman met a #21 Tumi Moshobane free kick with his head, missing by inches past Perez's post.
The final 30 minutes of the half was a terrific display of defense from Chattanooga. Despite having lots of possession within the Red Wolves' half, Chattanooga did well not allowing the final pass on multiple plays and showing why they've conceded the third-fewest goals in the league this season.
The Jacks continued to push, sending Knight up for a late corner kick. Chattanooga again defended it well and killed the game off, taking it by a score of 2-1.
The Jacks will now be scoreboard watching, keeping a close eye in particular on Forward Madison's match against Union Omaha on Saturday night. The Independence close their regular season schedule on the road against FC Naples next Saturday.
QUOTES:
Head Coach Mike Jeffries on the performance:
"We shot ourselves in the foot. We can't start like we started. For the first three minutes, I don't think we even got close to the ball. Give the guys credit for the fight and it was nice to pull a goal back, and then I thought we pushed the game really hard in the second half. This is how [Chattanooga] has survived all year. They get ahead of you and pack it in and they're good at it."
Jeffries on the quality of chances in the second half:
"I thought we tried in different ways. I thought we had some good moments of getting balls in behind them a number of times. ©I thought our last pass choice was poor. We had talked at halftime about hitting hard ropes across the face a goal, and we didn't do it. And then the one time we did, the guys didn't make the run and so that part's a little bit frustrating."
Amal Knight on the team's start:
"It's very difficult being behind in the first or second minute of the game. ©It's really tough. We know that Chattanooga is a tough team. They've been pretty good all year. ©So we know it was a very hard game, so to be 2-1 down at halftime and try to come out and then go to 2-2 and then 3-2, it was not going to be easy, but we tried our best. Now, we focus on what we need to do against Naples next week."
Christopher Jaime on the comeback attempt:
"I think we were in their half and in their box a lot. In terms of grade-A opportunities, I think we lacked a bit in terms of the final pass or the final run in the box and getting on the end of plays. I think it's one of those games where unfortunately, we concede too early and then from there, they drop off and it's it's hard to create in the box."
United Soccer League One Stories from October 17, 2025
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