Three points in the bag, fireworks in the sky, and the Scenic City was the place to be on the Fourth of July.
A club regular-season record audience of 6,107 packed into Erlanger Park to watch Chattanooga FC top Eastern Conference foe Inter Miami II in a dramatic 1-0 win courtesy of a 71st-minute winner from Alex Krehl.
The brand-new stadium opened in April and is the primary home of Minor League Baseball's Chattanooga Lookouts, and quickly proved to be a fitting venue for a special summer of soccer event as well.
"It was a good experience for the guys to perform in front of a crowd like that," said Chattanooga FC interim head coach Richard Dixon. "It was a great and intimate atmosphere, and it was super loud, which is why I lost my voice. The guys enjoyed it, and to get the win and enjoy the fireworks afterwards was special and topped the night off."
Playoff push
Saturday's big win opens the door for some more magical moments in southern Tennessee, as it looks like CFC are hitting stride in the home stretch of the season.
Fighting to make the MLS NEXT Pro Cup Playoffs for a second year in a row, CFC are now on a five-game unbeaten streak, sitting tied for third place on points in the East.
For hitting the game-winner, Krehl improves his season tally to 10 goals, chasing Atlanta United 2 striker Arif Kovac (12) in what's shaping up to be a Golden Boot race for the ages.
