BOISE, I.D. – The Chattanooga Red Wolves have been knocked out of the USL League One playoffs with a final score of 1-0.
Before a sellout crowd in Boise, Idaho, the Red Wolves came out swinging. Omar had a free kick in the 8th that led to some absolute chaos in Boise’s box, with the ball tumbling tantalizingly in front of the line until Gómez could get to it. Lelin would find himself in possession when Gómez passed to him, and he wasted no time taking the game’s first shot on target.
Chattanooga was watchful, and Boise was persistent. Jerez again rose to the call, being the relentless wall holding the hosts at bay. Boise’s first shot on target, angled perfectly at the middle-left, was stopped only by a flying swat from the Guatemalan. Time and time again throughout both halves, he provided, making a total of eight saves to the great frustration of his opponents.
Pedro and Lelin would shine in the second half, the former with two shots on target (one a brilliant slide to meet a cross in, and the other a volley in a three-on-one duel) that Boise goalkeeper Kliewer was barely able to defend against. In the 72nd, Lelin took a shot from distance that pierced through a mass of bodies and outpaced Kliewer, but wound up speeding by just on the other side of the goalpost.
Chances remained few and far between for the Wolves, but their defense remained seemingly impenetrable. Boise would take many a shot, and each would be denied with expedience. Far into extra time, Chattanooga refused to die, hammered on all sides but unbending. Jerez again delivered when he dove to reject a ball that had been headed to the bottom-right bin.
It was just minutes out from what would have been a game-changing penalty shootout that the defensive wall showed a crack. Boise’s Jesús Barea took a curling shot to the bottom-left of goal, and though Jerez leapt with all his might, the sliver remaining between his glove and the post proved enough for the ball to roll through.
Down 1-0 at nearly the end of the game, Chattanooga made a final push. Several entries into Boise’s third resulted in a final throw-in and a ball that Matt Bentley headed goalward to nearly equalize with. Spirits striving, the boys maintained composure until the final whistle.
This semifinal match marks the farthest the Wolves had come since 2022. They’ll be heading back home with an incredible defensive performance and a massive Nebraska upset in tow. Tonight belonged to Boise, but all the ferocity goes to Chattanooga. They’ve left more than a mark on 2026. For now, it’s time to rest, review, and make ready. The hunt begins anew in no time, and eyes are already on the quarry.
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.
