KNOXVILLE, TENN. – In a penalty shootout resulting from a 1-1 tie, One Knoxville has beaten the Chattanooga Red Wolves with a penalty kick score of 5-4.
The Smoky Mountain Smackdown swung into motion once again as the Tennessean powerhouses faced off. A match of the USL Cup, a tournament wherein neither team could at this point win their group, no points were at stake—this night, it was all about pride and glory.
Chattanooga’s focus this match was on thwarting their destructive trend of early defense lapses. As of the final whistle, it was abundantly clear that the issue existed no longer. The Wolves were radiant in possession and attacks, hammering pressure on Knoxville like a slowly tightening vice. One eye-catching play came early on in the 10th, when a failed shot on target from Knoxville ended at the feet of Jerez: the veteran goalkeeper wasted no time initiating a chain from Pedro Hernandez to Aaron Lombardi, who responded with a violent whip toward the enemy goal that was narrowly deflected by new Knox keeper Nic Lemen. Chattanooga emulated plays just like this throughout the match, keeping their opponents scoreless until well past halftime. Any clear shot Knoxville made was deflty defended by Jerez—catch or dive, he appeared like a phantom wherever he was needed.
It was 71 minutes in when Knoxville took advantage of a brief opening and their Dennis Krioutchenkov found the bottom left corner of the goal. Refusing to be demoralized, the Wolves became even further energized and hit back hard, pressing in deep and putting Knoxville on the defensive for the rest of the game. Several set pieces and a quarter of corner kicks later, Chattanooga was in prime position to equalize. And equalize they did, with a brilliant slam from Matt Bentley in the 90th that decreed a penalty shootout would be had. Indeed, though Knoxville strove to win just one more goal in stoppage time, no effort could pry its way through the wolf pack.
The penalty shootout was nothing short of perfected ecstasy and suspense. Starting for Chattanooga, Matt Bentley bagged an easy point past Lemen. Following him with stunning precision were Matt Acosta, Greyson Mercer, and Wynand Wessels. Knoxville kept up with equal successes, filling the pitch with immense pressure as Pedro Hernandez stepped up for the fifth shot. He fired left, and Lemen dove clear away. It was a matter of inches by which his shot pinged off the left goalpost, keeping the Wolves from a perfect set of penalty kicks. And though Knoxville made their fifth and final shot, winning the night for themselves, Chattanooga maintained their status as a threat on their radar and a shadow on the horizon.
Red Wolves and One Knox fans alike will be looking forward to their regular season meetup later in the summer, but all eyes turn first to the upcoming match against Portland Hearts of Pine this Saturday, June 13th. Be sure to tune in on ESPN+, as well as to lock in your seats for the Wolves’ next home match! Just one week later, June 20th, the Wolves take on FC Naples, a showdown that will be a staple in the season.
About Chattanooga Red Wolves SC
Founded in 2018 by Bob Martino, Chattanooga Red Wolves SC is a professional soccer
club competing in USL League One. The club is committed to building a victorious culture
rooted in enduring values, elite talent development, and giving back to the greater Chattanooga
community. As a pillar in the region, the Red Wolves strive to inspire the next generation of
players and fans by fostering excellence and integrity.
