Omaha Own Goal Makes the Difference against Chattanooga

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USL1 Union Omaha

Omaha Own Goal Makes the Difference against Chattanooga

July 29, 2024 - United Soccer League One (USL1)
Union Omaha News Release


Papillion, Nebr. - A typically direct Chattanooga side finally exorcised recent demons with a dogged 1-0 victory against Union Omaha.

Twice before, the Owls had rebounded from a loss by taking their frustrations out on the Red Wolves, to the tune of 5-2 and 4-2 victories. This time, their attack was silenced. The only man who found the net was Mechack Jérôme, but tragically, it was his own.

"It was tough," said midfielder Nortei Nortey after the match. "I feel like we created a lot of chances, and we had a lot of moments. Maybe we could have been a bit more clinical when we did get into certain areas. Towards the end, with us having the extra man, maybe we could have moved the ball a little better, and shifted it into the wide areas to pull them out a bit more."

Chattanooga actually came out with the early run of play, though it didn't translate into a real quantity of chances. Soon the tides would shift towards the home side, but at times it seemed the Owls were trying to ride them a little too long. Speculative shots from long-range never really threatened, but more of those opportunities were passed up to try in vain and craft something better. Headers across the box and drives by Lagos Kunga would only beget corner kicks at best.

As the half wore on, it felt as if the levee was due to break. In the 38th minute, Kunga would get to the byline and put the ball on a plate for Steevan Dos Santos, but the rangy striker didn't have the fast feet to get anything on it, instead watching it ricochet into goalkeeper T.J. Bush's grateful grasp.

Just a minute later came the big break for Union Omaha. Marco Milanese put a ball over the top to Missael Rodríguez, which Chattanooga's Gustavo Fernandes slowed up to track. That was a fatal mistake, as the hesitation spurred him to tug on Rodríguez just outside the box to deny him a one-on-one date with Bush. It would earn Fernandes his own tête-à-tête with the locker room for the rest of the match, as he was red carded for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity.

After the break, it was halftime sub Max Schneider, in his first match at Werner Park, who catalyzed the one moment T.J. Bush was beaten on the night. With Chattanooga scrambling to clear the ball from the box, the Indy Eleven loanee stepped up to unleash a wicked shot from deep. It took a deflection before ricocheting off the inside of the post and out, maybe millimeters from instead finding the opener. Instead it came to Kunga in an offside position, where his cleanup work was flagged by the linesman.

Said Head Coach Dominic Casciato after the match, "The lads threw the kitchen sink at it, and we just couldn't find a goal at the end. Disappointing to concede the goal that we did... we were on top the whole game, but it was just one of those games unfortunately."

Even as the field tilted ever more in Omaha's favor, there were moments to unsettle the home crowd. In the 72nd minute, Ropapa Mensah headed a cross onto an unmarked Pedro Hernandez rearing for a sidewinding volley. Rashid Nuhu got into position right away, though, and had the reflexes to repel the point-blank shot.

That was indeed the harbinger of a doomed effort on the night. With Omaha pushed so high up on attack, it spelled danger when Lagos Kunga saw a pass sail straight into a Chattanooga white shirt. Both he and Zeiko Lewis ended up dusted on defense, leaving a two-on-one marauding towards Nuhu. When Hernandez attempted to slide a pass to his running mate Mensah, Jérôme stuck his leg out... and stuck the ball past his own goalkeeper as well.

The Red Wolves immediately went into, we'll call it, clock management mode, which swiftly earned T.J. Bush the ref's attention for his newly deliberate nature of taking goal kicks. Omaha's increased urgency, though, didn't pair with an increase in chances right away, and even when they started getting it into the box, they just couldn't quite find the target.

Said Nortey, "These things happen sometimes. You've got to keep your head up. This has happened now, so if it ever happens again, we've got to know how to deal with it, and I'm sure we'll bounce back next week."

Omaha will be back at it at Werner Park next week for a revenge match against Forward Madison. Saturday, August 3rd at 7pm sees them host the 'Mingos in another battle of the birds, with both teams aiming to rebound from 1-0 losses. It'll also be Youth Soccer Night at the stadium, and includes the second of our two Special Olympics Unified Series matches afterwards, presented by Leonard Management.

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