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U.S. Open Cup Preview: Silverbacks Visit Chattanooga FC

May 26, 2014 - North American Soccer League (NASL)
Atlanta Silverbacks News Release


Atlanta, Ga. (May 26, 2014) - The scheduling gods didn't make it easy on the Atlanta Silverbacks and Chattanooga FC ahead of their 2014 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup match on Wednesday. The Silverbacks made the long trip to Edmonton, Alberta, Canada over the weekend, while Chattanooga FC played back-to-back road games in New Orleans and Pensacola on Saturday and Sunday. Needless to say, the teams might not be the most well rested going into Wednesday's Cup tie, which will be played at 7:30 p.m. at Finley Stadium in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Despite each side's extensive road travels, it's safe to say neither team will need any help getting up for Wednesday's fixture. The winner of the game will go on to host Major League Soccer (MLS) side Real Salt Lake in the next round of the Cup, which is an exciting prospect for any lower-division side. In fact, the Silverbacks have never hosted a MLS team at Atlanta Silverbacks Park, making Wednesday's game in Chattanooga a bigger game than it perhaps appears on paper.

The Silverbacks will play a National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) team in the Cup for a third straight season, having played against the Georgia Revolution each of the last two years. Playing against Chattanooga FC, however, is uncharted territory, as Wednesday will mark the first ever matchup between the Silverbacks first team and Chattanooga.

As far as momentum is concerned, both teams will enter the upcoming third-round Cup tie on the heels of a win. The Silverbacks grinded out a 2-1 win over FC Edmonton at Clarke Stadium on Saturday, thanks to goals from forward Jaime Chavez and midfielder Kwadwo Poku. Chattanooga FC topped Pensacola City FC, 1-0, on Sunday to generate their own momentum going into Wednesday's matchup. They did, however, fall to the New Orleans Jesters, 3-2, in the Big Easy on Saturday.

For the Silverbacks, the trip to Chattanooga ends a brutal stretch of road games that began back on May 10. Technical Director Eric Wynalda's side lost two of their three NASL road games during that stretch, and hopes to end the road trip on a high note by topping Chattanooga. The team returns home for a pair of NASL home games on May 31 and June 7, and with a win on Wednesday, a home game against Real Salt Lake on June 14 would be added to that homestand.

Chattanooga FC, made up of primarily college players from Southeastern schools, has gotten off to a solid start in 2014 NPSL play. The team's 2-1-1 league record doesn't even include their historic Cup win over USL Pro side Wilmington Hammerheads earlier this month. Chattanooga is led by forward Luke Winter, who notched two goals in the win over the Hammerheads. Midfielders Leo De Smedt, Thibault Charmey, and John Carrier and forwards Chris Ochieng and Michael Brooks have all found the net this season, in addition to Winter.

With their win over FC Edmonton, the Silverbacks climbed one spot in the North American Soccer League (NASL) standings. The seventh-place Silverbacks sit even on points with the sixth-place Tampa Bay Rowdies through seven league games. The team's nine points puts them within one result of the fourth-place Fort Lauderdale Strikers, with two home games at Silverbacks Park coming up to close out the 2014 Spring Season schedule.

It will be interesting to see what Wynalda decides to do with the lineup in Chattanooga, taking into consideration the long Edmonton road trip and Saturday's home game against first-place Minnesota United FC. The Silverbacks have a deep roster, with 21 of its 24 players having already seen NASL action this year. One Silverbacks player will be unavailable for Wednesday's Cup game - goalkeeper Derby Carrillo has left the team to join the El Salvador National Team ahead of its friendlies against Spain and Ivory Coast in early June. Carrillo's absence means former Chattanooga FC goalkeeper Thomas Hunter will likely be on the bench for the Silverbacks in their game against his old club.

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