MLS NEXT PRO:Youthful Crown Legacy runs rampant
- Phillip Farrell
- 48 minutes ago
- 7 min read
NATIONAL SOCCER NEWS: www.nationalsoccernetwork.com
CHATTANOOGA, Tn. — Crown Legacy emerged from Finley Stadium with an impressive three points on Sunday afternoon in a come-from-behind win against Chattanooga FC. They scored four goals as their energy and technique saw them past their, at times, lacklustre hosts.
After going down to a very early goal from debutant Damien Barker John, a combination of rampant attacking play from Nimfasha Berchimas, Rodolfo Aloko, and Emmanuel Uchegbu, anchored by an excellent midfield, saw them comeback to take the win.
The day had started ominously for the visitors. Coming to the league’s best supported club and facing an expectant large and partisan opening day crowd, they saw starting goalkeeper Jahiem Wickham get injured before kick-off, having to be replaced by substitute Quinn Syrett before a ball had been kicked. A blow for the club and 22-year-old Wickham who had been set to make his debut. Further salt was added to the wound when, after just 30 seconds, Damien Barker John netted for the hosts.
It came from a Crown Legacy kick out, with Daniel Mangarov winning possession for CFC. The ball came to Anthony García who found Alex Krehl, Chattanooga’s latest signing. The striker’s rebounded shot found Barker John, himself newly signed from Huntsville City, and his volley sailed into an empty net, Syrett in no-man’s land. It was the club’s fastest goal since joining MLS NEXT Pro in 2024 and the eighth fastest ever in league history. 1-0.
Chattanooga had come onto the field with six new signings in their starting XI. Yves Tcheuyap, Anthony Sorenson, and Mattias Hanchard in defense, Isaiah Jones in midfield, and Krehl up top with Barker John behind him. Right-wing-back Tate Roertson was being deployed in midfield, something the club experimented with toward the end of last season and in pre-season. Early on, Barker John and Krehl were doing good work, causing problems for Legacy’s young defenders. Soon after the goal, they nearly combined for a second.
Eventually, however, their visitors began to get into the game. Their midfield trio of Aron John, Andrej Subotić, and Simon Tonidaniel began to dominate in the middle of the field, winning possession often and crafting numerous opportunities for the attacking trio of Berchimas, Aloko, and Uchegbu to run onto. After 15 minutes, this axis struck. Subotić was given far too much unimpeded space in the attacking third (a hallmark of the afternoon) and sallied a pass to Uchegbu on the right wing. The young Nigerian was unmarked and untracked flying into the box. His initial shot was saved but in the fallout he reacted quickest to poke it home. 1-1.
Chattanooga goalkeeper Eldin Jakupović was forced into a diving, one-handed save from Berchimas on 18 minutes, as again Crown Legacy found space to run into. The 18-year-old Berchimas has been linked with a move to Bayern Munich lately and his skill and pace were impressively on show for the crowd here. He did miss a sitter however, from five yards out on 28 minutes.
It was certainly not all one-way traffic. Krehl made a nuisance of himself in the first half. He appears to be a battling and tough striker, forged in the Spanish lower divisions. He showed a lot of promise and on another day could have scored.
The killer blow really came right on the cusp of halftime. At 1-1 and going into the break, the game looked very even. Crown Legacy were awarded a free kick out on the left, which was taken wickedly by John. Aloko made a well-timed run, passing through Robertson and captain Farid Sar-Sar to meet the ball right in front of goal. His header left Jakupović dumb-struck. Soon, Barker John forced an excellent save from Syrett and Legacy went in at the break, 2-1 up.
The second half began with Aloko making a great run on the right to find Subotić running into the box. The young midfielder forced a world class footed save from Jakupović. A fun fact, both Subotić and Jakupović were born in Bosnia-Herzegovina in towns a mere 35 miles from one another. Global journeys, overlapping in the Scenic City.
The contest was settled four minutes later when Berchimas scored a fantastic individual effort coming in from the left and rifling a shot past Jakupović. While the Swiss international had no chance of saving it, it was alarming to again see Legacy’s attackers find so much unimpeded space out wide and just outside the box. And while the young attacker could have been challenged more convincingly in the box, take nothing away from the individual brilliance of his goal. 1-3.
Up front for CFC, Krehl had huffed and puffed but his last action was failing to find his man in a promising 3-on-3 counter-attack on the hour. He and García were then replaced by Keegan Ancelin and Ashton Gordon, the latter making his competitive debut for the club.
Gordon showed flashes of what he can offer CFC. He was fast and used width to his advantage, reminiscent of what Legacy’s attackers had been doing well all day. Once joined by Ameziane Sid Mohand on 75 minutes, CFC finally began to look convincing again in attack, something that had been lacking for most of the second half. Elsewhere, Dixon replaced debutant Hanchard with tried-and-true Nathan Koehler at center-half as he looked to add more solidity in the back-line.
The crowd thought Gordon had scored on 75 minutes, after a great solo effort that saw a shot jiggle the side of the net and trick the mind. Sid Mohand was trying long range efforts to test Syrett but the young keeper proved equal to everything thrown at him after CFC’s opener. He had to make a number of late saves from the Algerian, as well as Mangarov and Sar-Sar.
And while CFC searched for more scores, the game ended when a mistaken back-pass effort was intercepted by Aloko to rifle home his second and Crown Legacy’s fourth of the game. A 4-1 win for the visitors who were worthy winners and the better side on the day.
Match takeaways
What a showing by Crown Legacy. This team endured a difficult 2025, coming third-last in the Eastern Conference. Clearly this side has learned a lot from that campaign as a lot of the same players have returned more experienced and hungrier than ever. While Sunday is just one game and there’s a long season to go, they’ve raised a war flag that other teams need to take notice of. A perfect start for new Head Coach Kevin Sawchak.
It is just one game and there’s a long season to go, and CFC fans must keep this in-mind. Being beaten by three goals is exceptionally unusual for this club at home if not at all. This is a blip. Over half the starting XI were new and the side is being led by an interim Head Coach who, while very talented, was nonetheless put into this position late in pre-season. It's clear some new players need to gel more and some of the play, particularly in those channels between midfield and defense and between midfield and attack, need to be improved. They go again, and this side has enough talent, leadership, and experience to learn from Sunday’s mistakes. Richard Dixon knows this and they will look to fix it.
Just over 3,100 fans came to Finley Stadium for opening day. In the post-game press conference Dixon, who has played for and coached CFC, said that the crowd is one of the things that most attracts players to sign for Chattanooga. I’ve said it before, CFC’s fans are its most important asset as players, coaches, and front office staff will come and go. Soccer around the world can be unforgiving and cruel, fans can be the worst of it. But they can also be the best of it. Yesterday, in spite of the scoreline the crowd were supportive of their team. The players responded, as always, by approaching their supporters, offering fist-bumps, smiles, and autographs. It is this bond that is special and much more likely to spur this team on next weekend, than any snarling or jeering from a crowd would achieve. Everytime I’ve seen CFC lose, the coaches and players always talk about putting things right next week, and they always talk about doing it for the fans, not just themselves.
People sometimes ask me if it's fun watching or writing about a ‘B League’, ‘Minor League’, or ‘Reserve League’. Parking my lecture about independent clubs and football being football; I like to point to some of the exceptional young talent one gets to see in MLS Next Pro. Sunday was no exception. Crown Legacy in particular put out some really talented youngsters whose careers will be fun to watch. It is always a privilege to see these young men show what they can do as they set out on their professional journeys. One day, Nimfasha Berchimas could be scoring for Bayern, or Quinn Syret keeping goal for the USMNT, and I can say I saw them play. Yes, it's a lot of fun.
Box Score
Chattanooga FC v Crown Legacy FC
MLS Next Pro
Venue: Finley Stadium | Chattanooga, TN
Attendance: 3,162
Final Score: Chattanooga 1-4 Crown Legacy
Referee: Alejo Calume
Scoring summary:
1’: D. Barker John (CFC)
16’: E. Uchegbu (CLFC)
45+1’: R. Aloko (CLFC)
52’: N. Berchimas (CLFC)
89’: R. Aloko (CLFC)
Discipline:
37’: W. Sangoquiza (CLFC) - foul, yellow card
40’: F. Sar-Sar (CFC) - foul, yellow card
63’: T. Robertson (CFC) - foul, yellow card
90+2’: A. Kamdem (CLFC) - foul, yellow card
Man of the Match: Rodolfo Aloko (CLFC) - a number of Crown Legacy players could have take this award including Syrett, John, Subotić, and Berchimas. I’m giving it to the seven-time Benin international who scored two goals and could have had more had it not been for Jakupović. His killer instinct for the fourth goal was impressive in a man so young. One to watch.
Line-ups:
Chattanooga FC (4-3-3): Eldin Jakupović; Yves Tcheuyap, Farid Sar-Sar (C), Anthony Sorenson, Mattias Hanchard (52’ Nathan Koehler); Tate Robertson, Isaiah Jones, Damien Barker John (75’ Ameziane Sid Mohand); Daniel Mangarov, Anthony García (62’ Ashton Gordon), Alex Krehl (62’ Keegan Ancelin)
Substitutes not used: Griffin Huff, Darwin Ortiz, Steeve Louis Jean, Alex McGrath, Luke Husakiwsky
Head Coach: Richard Dixon
Crown Legacy FC (4-3-3): Quinn Syrett; Mikah Thomas (87’ Ashton Kamdem) , Will Clearly, Andrew Johnson, William Sangoquiza (C); Aron John, Simon Tonindanel, Andrej Subotić (68’ Magic Smalls); Nimfasha Berchimas (90+1’ Assane Ouedraogo), Rodolfo Aloko, Emmanuel Uchegbu (68’ Nathan Richmond)
Substitutes not used: Jaheim Wickham (INJ), Wyatt Holt, Sebastian Ventura, Brian Romero, Daniel Brown
Head Coach: Kevin Sawchak
Next Games
• Sunday March 8th, 15:00 (ET): Chattanooga FC v CT United FC, Finley Stadium, Chattanooga, TN (MLS Next Pro)
• Friday March 6th, 19:00 (ET): Crown Legacy FC v Huntsville City FC, Sportsplex at Matthews, Matthews, NC (MLS Next Pro)
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