WHAT TO WATCH FOR AND WHAT TO EXPECT
For the first time since the 2022 USL League One Final, the Red Wolves will face South Georgia Tormenta FC at Tormenta Stadium in Statesboro, GA on Saturday, July 15th. The two clubs have met in the 2023 season first on May 5th at CHI Memorial Stadium–the visitors picked up the 2-0 win with goals in the 43rd and 58th minute, only the second loss for the Red Wolves at home this season. Chattanooga will host the final match between the teams on Saturday, August 26th.
Chattanooga’s most recent match ended in another late match comeback to draw against a heavy hitting Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC. The first half of the match saw much frustration as the Red Wolves battered Northern Colorado with seven shots, five of which were on target, but were blanked through the opening forty-five minutes. Hailstorm FC snuck on the board just before halftime with a goal from Trevor Amann for the 1-0 lead. While the momentum swung slightly in Northern Colorado’s favor in the second half, goalkeeper Carlos Avilez came up big for the home side to limit the opposition’s lead to one goal. The Cardiac Red Wolves showed up again in extra time with the match-tying goal from Ropapa Mensah in the 93rd minute for the fourth draw at home of the season and the second against Northern Colorado.
South Georgia Tormenta FC returns to action after a bye week having most recently faced Lexington SC on the road back on Sunday, July 2nd in a 5-1 victory after a six game winless streak. Tormenta opened the scoring early, nabbing their first goal of the match in the 4th minute from Tobias Otieno and picked up their second of the half in the 27th minute. The second half began similarly for South Georgia with a goal from Kazaiah Sterling in the 48th minute. They tacked on an additional tally with an own goal from Lexington, extending their lead to 4-0. Lexington avoided the shutout with a 74th minute goal, but Matheus Cassini grabbed his second goal of the season in the 78th minute for the final 5-1 result.
The Red Wolves continue the two-match road swing on Saturday, July 22nd against intrastate adversary One Knoxville SC before returning home to CHI Memorial Stadium the following week to face North Carolina FC.
[INJURIES]
While the Red Wolves have gotten back several key players in Andrew Paoli, Walter Varela, and Richard Rentería, they will be without offensive power in Moe Espinoza, out with a groin injury, and Aarón Lombardi with an abductor injury. Christian Enriquez also returns to the injured list with a knee injury, having played in only three matches since battling a foot injury between April and June. Yahir Paez will also see potential minutes since returning to full health following a foot injury that kept him out from early April through July.
JÉREZ REJOINS SQUAD FROM CONCACAF GOLD CUP
After Guatemala’s quarterfinal 1-0 loss to Jamaica on Sunday, July 9th, goalkeeper Ricardo Jérez rejoins the Red Wolves squad for the first time since the beginning of the tournament on Friday, June 16th. Jamaica picked up the win in the 51st minute with a goal from Amari’i Bell and are set to face Mexico in the semifinals.
Guatemala won in their first Group Stage match on June 27th over Cuba by a score of 1-0, drew against Canada 0-0 on July 1st, and beat Guadeloupe 3-2 on July 4th.