Knoxville Takes First Place from Chattanooga
Published on October 2, 2025 under United Soccer League One (USL1)
One Knoxville SC News Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - One Knoxville SC beat Chattanooga Red Wolves SC 2-0 on Wednesday to move into first place in USL League One. The victory also extended One Knox's home unbeaten streak, a key factor with the playoffs looming.
Knoxville and Chattanooga are tied with 48 points, but Knoxville sits atop the table on goal differential. The highest seed in each game in the postseason earns home-field advantage, meaning if One Knox holds on over the final four matches, playoff games will run through Covenant Health Park.
In the biggest match in club history, Knoxville struck early. Just two minutes in, Stuart Ritchie raced down the sideline and sent a cross toward Mark Doyle. Chattanooga's goalkeeper mistimed his jump, leaving Doyle with an easy headed finish at the back post for a 1-0 lead.
The lead nearly doubled in the 23rd minute when goalkeeper Sean Lewis found Gio Calixtro behind the defense. Calixtro dropped the ball off for Kempes Tekiela, whose shot was deflected wide.
Angelo Kelly made a potential goal-saving play in the 31st minute with a slide tackle on the Chattanooga attacker who thought he had a one-on-one with Lewis. Kelly's challenge was successful and ended the Red Wolves' chance to equalize.
In stoppage time at the end of the first half, Babacar Diene found himself in the middle of the pitch with Chattanooga's defense collapsing. Diene chipped it behind the pressuring defense for Tekiela, who beat the keeper to the ball and powered it in for a 2-0 lead going into halftime.
The second half was all defense for Knoxville. Chattanooga fired 23 shots, forcing five saves from Lewis. The play of the night came in the 73rd minute when Lewis stopped a close-range attempt, but the rebound fell to a Red Wolves attacker with a wide open goal. With Lewis out of position, left-back Ritchie threw himself in front of the follow-up, deflecting the shot over the bar with his back.
One Knox claims first place in the league with four games left, off a two-goal first half and a clean sheet. The first chance they have to extend their lead is this Saturday, Oct. 4, in Richmond against the Kickers.
"If we just be ourselves," Ritchie said after the match, when asked what Knoxville needs to do to stay atop the table. "The past couple of games, we've shown what we can do on the ball, we've shown how much fight we have, so we just need to continue that for the rest of the season."
Final Score: One Knoxville SC 2, Chattanooga Red Wolves SC 0
For full match highlights and statistics, visit the USL League One match center.
Author: Logan Stacy
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