WPSL: Match Preview - Chattanooga FC vs 865 Alliance
- Philip Farrell
- 9 hours ago
- 4 min read
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Match: Chattanooga FC vs. 865 Alliance
Date: Friday June 12th, 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 --- Two fancied power-houses come face-to-face for the second time in 2026 as 865 Alliance makes the short journey from Knoxville down I-75 to visit Chattanooga FC. The visitors are still looking for their first win of the year while their hosts will be aiming to kick-start a mixed 2026 so far. These are teams that had an eye on post-season soccer in their plans, so expect a big game.
Chattanooga (P:3 W:1 D:1 L:1 GF:2 GA:2 GD:0 Pts:4) have enjoyed a middling on-field record so far. After a sterling 1-0 win away at Friday’s opponents, they came from behind to rescue a point in a 1-1 draw at Tennessee Tempo. Last Saturday they fell to a 1-0 loss in the rain at home to Georgia Impact. Cameroonian striker Annick Manga Zouma and Tennesseean Claire Palya are the joint top-scorers with one goal apiece.
865 Alliance (P:3 W:1 D:0 L:2 GF:2 GA:3 GD:-1 Pts:3) have seen an even more indifferent start to the season than CFC, with just one win and three points from the first three games and a possible nine. Also off-the-pace since their riveting 2025 form, their local squad have yet to really hit the ground running this season. Mary Mac Emery and Morgan Holloway each have one of Alliance’s two goals.
The match starts at 6pm Eastern and we can expect difficult, humid conditions with the threat of storms and lightning all day and rainfall in the early evening. The temperature at kick-off should be about 88 degrees. Streaming will be available on Chattanooga FC’s YouTube channel.
The History:
Chattanooga: P:4 W:1 D:1 L:2 GF:5 GA:7 GD:-2
865 Alliance: P:4 W:2 D:1 L:1 GF:7 GA:5 GD:+2
To my knowledge, this will be the fifth time these teams have faced one another in competitive play. 865 have the upper-hand with two wins from the four meetings so far, and a goal difference of +2.
Friday’s meeting will be the second time Chattanooga and Alliance have met this season. On 28 May, CFC opened its 2026 campaign with a 1-0 victory at Johnson University. A strike from forward Annick Manga Zouma early in the second half separated the two sides. It was a fine, solo effort from the Cameroonian who cut inside from the right and off a shot that left goalkeeper Kayden Morris helpless. Incredibly, this was the first ever defeat in WPSL regular season play for 865 Alliance since its inaugural season in the league in 2023.
Naturally, the Friday match-up will be the last time these sides meet in the regular season in 2026.
Report cards and Lineups:
Chattanooga - After their march to the National Final Tournament in 2025, much was expected of Chattanooga FC this year. After some strong recruitment, with a particularly international look, and the appointment of a new and experienced Head Coach [Majo Harispuru] another post-season campaign was expected. The away results at 865 Alliance and Tennessee Tempo FC were impressive, but the more recent loss at home to, an undeniably strong, Georgia Impact in front of their own fans will have hurt.
Possible Starting X (4-3-3): Kyleigh Hall, Claire Palya, EG Dillard, Kasie Vigil, Kei Yoneda, Linka Ono, Luiza Junior dos Santos, Reika Yuba, Annick Manga Zouma, Kayden Mounce, Kloe Reeves
Head Coach Harispuru favored Ashton Blair in goal in the side’s first two games before opting for the experienced Kyleigh Hall against Georgia Impact. I assume she’s looking to rotate and will stick with Hall this Friday. The same may apply to EG Dillard who started for the first time against Georgia, replacing Karen Sodeyama. Claire Palya, Kei Yoneda, Reika Yuba, Linka Ono,Annick Manga Zouma, and captain Kasie Vigil have played every game so far and I would assume will do so again unless Harispuru rotates her usual starters further.
I’m intrigued to watch Claire Palya on Friday. She scored the equalizer against Tempo FC and has played all three games so far. The 22-year-old is also, interestingly, a Knoxville native and a product of the FC Alliance Academy, the academy of 865, so she’s up against a former and childhood club.
865 Alliance - After their opening weekend loss to CFC, 865 Alliance went on to beat Atlanta Fire United the following round. Local defender Mary Mac Emery scored the winner at Pinecrest Academy. Alliance weren’t able to capitalize on this though, going on to lose 2-1 at Georgia Impact. Substitute Morgan Holloway scored their only goal.
Possible Starting XI (4-1-4-1): Cayden Norris, Virginia Wilson, Mary Mac Emery, Lauren Leslie, Anna Ogle, Hayven Laurendine, McKalie Ball, Brinley Murphy, Taryn Childers, Aliza Mannon, Mackenzie Howard
While Chattanooga boasts an array of international talent from as far and wide as Brazil and Japan, 865 Alliance has a squad of mostly local, Tennessee talent. There’s also a strong link to the local FC Alliance Academy system with at least six players (Cayden Norris, Brinley Murphy, Mackenzie Howard, McKalie Ball, Anna Ogle, and Virginia Wilson) all graduates.
Goalkeeper Norris is a veteran of the side’s strong 2025 regular season and was named to the South Region Southeast All-Conference Team. A real talent, in 2025 alone the University of Tennessee Junior was also named to the United Soccer Coaches All-Region (Third Team) and the Second Team All-SEC. Should she line out on Friday, the University of Tennessee Junior is my 865 Alliance player to watch.
Analysis and Predictions:
This should be a CFC win for me. At home with the Chattahooligans behind them and a bumper crowd for Girls and Women in Sports Night (the club are aiming to break their regular season WPSL record), they should have enough to spur them on to win. It isn’t a certainty though, as neither side has been stellar so far. Here’s just hoping that the weather doesn’t impact play too much.
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