The Chattanooga Red Wolves have fallen 2-1 in their first match against AC Boise.
Boise set the tone early in the 2nd minute with a powerful corner kick by midfielder Tumi Moshobane. A second attempt was had in the 8th with a long-distance strike, but Jason Smith delivered a stunning flying punch to banish the opportunity. Mercer took the first shot on target in the 15th, but was blocked by Boise goalkeeper Jonathan Kliewer.
Boise neared for a second goal in the 34th, cramming pressure onto Chattanooga for a crushing few moments. Acosta performed a beautiful slide to recover the ball and whip it out of the box.
The relief lasted only three minutes, however, as a shot from forward Thomas Amang whirled its way toward the goal and ricocheted off Gomez - right past Smith. It was 2-0 as the first half concluded.
Time to pick things up.
Tension rose freely throughout the second half, and Chattanooga wasted no time taking risks and embracing aggression. 56 minutes in, Omar Hernandez fired a laser of a kick from outside the box, leaving Boise’s goalie with nothing but a look of shock as the shot wailed by. Instantly, the Wolves revived. Energy, enthusiasm, hope—everything came flooding back. Boise went on the defensive, bravado wounded, effect compounded as their Moshobane flubbed an unobstructed shot from inside the box. On the Wolves’ side, in thundered new signing Jesse
Maldonado, very nearly equalizing the score in his first minutes of play with a low shot that angled just wide.
A plethora of vigorous plays dotted the final minutes, and though Boise remained ahead at the final whistle, there was no room for disappointment at the Wolves’ performance. The scoreless pattern emerging from their previous two games had been decisively shattered, setting high hopes in place for the match against Sarasota next Saturday.
Jump in on the anticipation and grab tickets while you can. The May 9th game is swiftly approaching, and it will be a night to be remembered.