CHATTANOOGA CHALLENGE-Scenic City’s 4-Goal Second Half Leads to Victory Over Tango FC
- Calum Ewing
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
NATIONAL SOCCER NEWS: www.nationalsoccernetwork.com
Scenic City SC booked their place in the Chattanooga Challenge Final with a second half surge and a 5-1 victory over hosts Tango FC.
Five minutes into a match, a through ball towards Scenic City’s Obinna Okoronkwo (“Obi”) yielded results as he turned his back to the defender to break the line, racing forward and striking it past the keeper to the bottom left corner.
Tango would attempt to respond after periods of back and forth momentum. Good play down right flank sent a cross that caused two Scenic defenders to push down a Tango forward. The ball went over their heads to an open player back post, who finished to the top right corner, but the ref blew for the foul as he touched the ball. Luckily, Max Dihen calmly slotted the penalty to the right corner for the equalizer.
For the remainder of the first half, Scenic pushed to retake the lead. Clay Gallant created a chance after he drove into the attacking third, beat a defender, and rounded another. However, Tango goalkeeper Azrael Phillips came flying out of goal to make the save. He was called into action later after an incredible passing sequence at the top of the box forced a 1v1 save low with his legs that pushed the ball back and off the post out of play.
However, Scenic would not be denied a few minutes into the second half. A great cross from the right flank caused chaos in the 6 yard box as Tango defenders failed to clear the ball. By mistake, it was underhit directly to Josiah Crowder, who hit a missile to the top left corner.
Just a few minutes later, a great 1-2 put Scenic clean through on goal from the left channel. Their forward rounded the keeper, but the shot was cleared just before the goal line by a sliding Tango defender.
Fifteen minutes of back and forth followed, and Tango had a golden opportunity to equalize. One of their forwards drifted just onside as the ball was played through from the right channel. Scenic defenders froze, thinking he was offside, and were stuck playing catchup. The ball drifted to the left before it was settled, and after a slow first touch just inside the 18, one of City’s center-backs slid in for a strong and goal-saving clearance.
Tango would regret missing that chance. As they built out of the back, goalkeeper Azrael Phillips made his first mistake of the match, trying to switch the ball to the left first time and sending it instead to Sam Conrad. Conrad took a touch to his right and finished on the open net.
Conrad grabbed his brace just two minutes later after being played into space on the left side of the attacking third. He went around the keeper and managed to finish in the right side netting to make it 4-1.
The game may have been iced, but the onslaught didn’t end. Clay Gallant would grab a brace of his own after turning near midfield, driving forward, cutting right past a defender and chipping the keeper from about 20 yards out, placing it into the top left corner.
Scenic could have made it 6-1 soon after a 1-2 in the box between 3 Tango defenders led to a shot pulled just wide left of the back post. Another chance a few minutes later saw Gallant played through on the right, looking for his hat trick. He made another big cut to create space, this time to his left, and pulled a low shot just wide right of the post.
About 10 minutes later, a long through ball on the ground played through Obi for Scenic as he fought off the defender. His 1v1 shot was saved by Phillips and sent wide. It would be the last chance of the match, ending Tango’s second half collapse and sending Scenic City to the Chattanooga Challenge Final.
Tango will play their final match of the tournament away against Cleveland United on February 21 at 4:00pm EST. Meanwhile, Scenic will wait until the final on March 1, facing either Potros FC, Georgia United, or Red Top SC.
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