Chattanooga FC interim head coach Richard Dixon summed it up well after his side's Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup first-round win last week.
"Cup games...it's fun," he said after CFC topped Kalonji Pro-Profile 2-1. "Because we win, we move on now, and who knows who we play in the next round. So, it's the beauty of the cup competition. And so for us and for these guys, it's a chance for them to continue to showcase, because if we keep winning against high-level teams, it's a chance for us to continue playing and adding more games to our season as well.
"These guys love football. They love to play, so the more we advance, the more they get to play. So now, we're excited."
Now they know the opponent, and it'll be another marquee day for the region as CFC welcome United Premier Soccer League side Tennessee Tempo FC for the second round.
Viewing info:
Wednesday, April 1
Chattanooga FC vs. Tennessee Tempo
6 p.m. ET | Paramount+ | Finley Stadium
League form
It's been hot and cold out of the gate for CFC, but they're gaining power with a three-game unbeaten streak across all competitions.
Through Matchweek 5 in MLS NEXT Pro, they sit in eighth place in the East with a 2W-2L-1T record. Their latest, a nervy 2-0 home win over Columbus Crew 2, marked their first clean sheet of the new year.
Why is that important to note? Chattanooga paced the league with 10 clean sheet performances last season, led in no small part by the services of worldly vet goalkeeper Eldin Jakupović.
In the scoring department, club mainstay midfielder Alex McGrath and newcomer striker Alex Krehl lead the team with 3g/1a each. 2025 production leader and MLS NEXT Pro Best XI selection Tate Robertson has added 2g/1a so far.
"We know there's a lot of resilience in the group," Dixon shared following the win over Crew 2. "We have good leadership in the group, a lot of experience, and guys that can, in key moments, not just make plays, but also organize and lead.
"...The last instruction I always give the guys before they go out is just to find a way to win the football game. We have the tactics, we have our principles, but if you have to go outside of that to win the football games, then that's what you do, because that's our main objective here, to win. And so whenever things don't go the way we want, we can rely on the leaders in the group to find a way to get a result."
Instant rivalry?
Chattahooligans and the returning contingent from the 2025 squad have seen this before. Getting dramatically eliminated by crosstown rival Chattanooga Red Wolves at this stage last year leaves the Boys in Blue with a point to prove as they size up another high-stakes game against an in-state opponent.
The Tempo, based out of Murfreesboro, ousted the Red Wolves in the first round, taking away the opportunity for CFC to run last year's heartbreaker back. Coming out of the gate strong, they sit second place in their UPSL region at 1W-0L-1T start to the spring campaign in which they've outscored opponents 7-3.
"We've watched them and studied them, and they're a good team," said Dixon. "They're very aggressive in the back and have wide players that like to get up and down the line. They have quality throughout the team that we need to make sure we're ready for, but for us, the objective is to go in and be on the front foot while also working on our defensive structure."
Wednesday will mark the first-ever competitive match between the two sides situated just 100 miles apart on I-24.
