Chattanooga FC came from two goals down to defeat Crown Legacy FC 4-2 on Friday evening to move one step closer to securing an MLS NEXT Pro Playoff spot for the first time in club history.
Chattanooga FC were down 2-0 having conceded goals early in each half, however four second-half goals from four different goalscorers secured the historic result for the Boys in Blue.
Luke Husakiwsky scored for the second consecutive match with the standout strike of the night, curling in an unstoppable shot from over 20 yards out.
After a scramble in the penalty area in the 80th minute, Crown Legacy failed to clear its lines which resulted in an own goal from Morrison Agyemang.
Four minutes later, Keegan Ancelin was brought down in the penalty area and Tate Robertson converted the resulting spot-kick for his club-leading eighth league goal of the season and to give CFC the lead.
Daniel Mangarov put the cherry on top with a deft chipped goal in stoppage time to complete a memorable evening for Chattanooga Football Club in the suburbs of Charlotte.
"This win just reinforces what we know," said Head Coach Chris Nugent. "The guys will always find a way to fight all the way to the end. We know we can score at any minute of the game. We have that positive belief that we can compete and create chances. It could've been easy for us to give up at two goals down, but the guys continued to fight and put good plays together. All four goals showcased some of the combinations and structure of how we press and deliver on set pieces, which shows the variety of ways we can impact the game. The character was huge. The guys were willing to push into what they're good at and embrace our identity."
The result sees CFC leapfrog Huntsville City FC into fifth place in the Eastern Conference standings.
Up next
Chattanooga FC returns to Finley Stadium on Sunday, September 21 at 3:00 p.m. ET for the third and final installment of the Battle of the Independents against Carolina Core FC. Tickets are as low as $10 and on sale now at CFCTIX.com.