WPSL Match Preview: Chattanooga FC v Atlanta Fire United
- Philip Farrell
- Jul 2
- 5 min read
Credit CFC Communications
NATIONAL SOCCER NEWS: www.nationalsoccernetwork.com
Match: Chattanooga FC vs. Atlanta Fire United
Date: Thursday July 2nd, 2026. 18:00 (Eastern)
Venue: Finley Stadium, Chattanooga, TN.
Capacity: 20,412
How to watch: Chattanooga FC on YouTube Tickets: https://chattanoogafc.com/tickets/
CHATTANOOGA, Tn --- The WPSL Southeast Conference for 2026 concludes this Thursday as Chattanooga Football Club hosts Atlanta Fire United at Finley Stadium. Something of a dead-rubber, there’s nonetheless pride to play for as CFC looks to give its fans one final win for the year, while Atlanta Fire looks to avoid the wooden spoon. Shifting the game, previously scheduled to clash with the United States’ Last 32 World Cup bout with Bosnia-Herzegovina, to Thursday evening is smart business for the club, ensuring the Chattahooligans don’t need to choose between club and country.
Chattanooga (P:7 W:3 D:1 L:3 GF:6 GA:8 GD:-2 Pts:10) sit in fifth place but at four points behind Decatur, know they will finish there. All other sides have played so, unless there’s a swathe of pull-outs from the playoffs (there were a couple in the region in 2025), CFC knows its playing for pride and the local support. Annick Manga Zouma leads the club’s top goalscorer race with two in 2026, however there’s several players behind her with one goal each who could score against a shaky Atlanta Fire.
Bottom-of-the-table Atlanta (P:7 W:0 D:1 L:6 GF:5 GA:19 GD:-14 Pts:1) has struggled in 2026, winning no games and scoring one solitary point at home to Decatur. They have the second-worst defensive record largely thanks to a pair of heavy losses to UFA Gunners (4-0) and Nashville Rhythm (6-0). Local product Weslee Istone-Haupt is the Fire’s top scorer, also with two.
The match starts at 6pm Eastern and we can expect potential thunderstorms as well as a blisteringly hot 94 degrees and 50% humidity come kick-off. Streaming will be available on Chattanooga FC’s YouTube channel.
The History -
Chattanooga: P:4 W:4 D:0 L:0 GF:13 GA:3 GD:+10
Atlanta: P:4 W:0 D:0 L:4 GF:3 GA:13 GD:-10
Chattanooga and Atlanta Fire have been playing each other since 2023 when the latter first entered the WPSL. CFC has won all four games, of which only one was played at home. In June 2023 goals from Nadiia Ivanchenko, Samantha Maudsley, and Krystan St. Louis handed them a 3-0 away win. They also faced-off once in the 2024 season when strikes from Emma Pethel and Grace Clark for AFU weren’t enough as Chattanooga came away 3-2 winners through the contributions of Bailie Dull, Addie Chapman, and Brooke Bolton.
Last season, the sides met twice, home and away. On June 14 Kaylie Smith and the great Reese McDermott handed CFC a 2-0 home win. Ten days later, Chattanooga were 5-1 winners at Pinecrest Academy thanks to Kennedy Ball, Annick Manga Zouma, and a McDermott hattrick. Ella Parker grabbed the consolation goal for Atlanta.
McDermott is the fixture’s top scorer with four goals.
Report Cards and Lineups:
Chattanooga - Atlanta Fire’s defensive record would seem to leave opportunities for Chattanooga to add to their modest six goals on the season. Hitting the net has been one of CFC’s biggest issues in 2026, and they’ve only won one game by a margin of more than a goal. Having said that, I don’t think Head Coach Majo Harispuru’s side were as good all-round as the teams ahead of them in the table, so it might have made little difference. Chattanooga’s strongest point has been its defence marshalled excellently by Japanese stalwart Kei Yoneda. Up front, Annick Lolita Manga Zouma has played very well in most games, and has deserved more.
Most Common Starting XI: Ashton Blair; Kei Yoneda, Claire Palya, Kasie Vigil, Tori Soutuyo; Kallie West, Luiza Junior Dos Santos, Linka Ono; Kloe Reeves, Reika Yuba, Annick Lolita, Manga Zouma
Goalkeeper Ashton Blair has three appearances to Kyleigh Hall’s two, so there’s a good chance the latter will start. Alternatively, local youth product Saylor Schalk could be given her first start between the posts. Defenders Yoneda and Kasie Vigil and forwards Reika Yuba and Manga Zouma appear to be the first names on Harispuru’s team-sheet, having started all of CFC’s games so far this season. Of course, there’s every chance Harispuru might use the end-of-season and dead-rubber character of the tie to give fringe players a rare start. So while it wouldn’t be surprising to see lesser known names line up on Thursday, I think that the desire to go out on a high and grab three points at home will result in most of the ‘tried and true’ getting the nod.
One player I would like to see start is Charlotte Reynolds, a product of the Academy and a player who always gets a big cheer from the crowd when she comes on at Finley.
Atlanta Fire United -
It's been a tough year for Atlanta Fire United. Mirza Mustafic’s charges have just a solitary point to their name and sit in last place. A win, or even a tie would bump them up to seventh, but wouldn’t hide the blushes of a difficult campaign. There was an impressive 1-1 tie with Decatur at home, but it came in between a combined 10-0 drubbing on the road. AFU are playing for pride, and this can’t be underestimated.
Most Common Starting XI: Alexandria Lofton; Kendall Barley, Michelle Moskau, Emma Pethel, Ella Parker; Abigail Kilman, Weslee Istone-Haupt, Ashlyn Huie, Kasey Sitko; Kaitlin Cook, Ariel Bolton
Unlike Chattanooga, who boast a handful of global talents, all the above are locals from Georgia. Kendall Barley, Ashlyn Huie, Abigail Kilman, Kaitlin Cook, and Kasey Sitko are long-term products of AFU’s academy. That’s admirable and a great sign of connectivity in their community, but likely also explains why they’re in the position they are.
There’s sides in this WPSL conference with real quality and it can be hard for some sides to compete against. Emma Pethel and Ella Parker are previous goalscorers against CFC, netting back in 2024 in a 3-2 loss and a 5-1 defeat in 2025 respectively. Boston College’s Alexandria Lofton has been favored in goal in the Fire’s last three games, after having usurped Malia Loadwick.
Analysis and Predictions:
This should be a home win. Chattanooga don’t have much to play for in material terms, but they have a crowd to please, pride to maintain, and each athlete will have individual goals they’re aiming for. Against such a porous defense as AFU presents, I expect the likes of Manga Zouma to add to her goal tally, likely joined by others. For the Fire, there’s also pride to play for, and personal goals, but little else. On a hot and humid evening at the end of the season, motivation will be a must. Good luck to both sides, but I see a 2-0 win for Chattanooga.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PREMIER MEDIA GROUP / NATIONAL SOCCER NETWORK /
NATIONAL SOCCER NETWORK ON FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61561215500230
— All Rights Reserved, Premier Media Group / National Soccer Network
Comments