Chattanooga FC is off to the Round of 32, marking the club's furthest U.S. Open Cup run.
CFC's Open Cup run continues to take shape, with the team taking down in-state rival Tennessee Tempo 1-0 on Wednesday night in front of a crowd of over 3,000 fans at Finley Stadium.
Nathan Koehler's goal just before halftime gave CFC the advantage, one it held onto for the rest of the match.
The win means CFC will soon face an MLS team, an opportunity relished by interim CFC coach Richard Dixon and his players.
"We move on, we advance," said Dixon. "That, for us, was the end goal. I'm super excited for the club, for the guys, to move to the next round and play an opponent at the higher division. That's always the goal for the guys, to get those opportunities to showcase."
Koehler, a 6-foot-3 defender, rose high to knock what turned out to be the winning header in the net in the 44th minute.
Scoring his first goal in Open Cup play was a special moment, Koehler said. It also reminded him of another of the best memories of his career: scoring in the English FA Cup during his time with Prescot Cables FC in the English lower leagues.
"To help us get over the line with that kind of goal is a really special feeling," Koehler said.
CFC kept control of the match, with 53% possession and 22 shots with five on target. The underdogs Tennessee Tempo fought valiantly, generating 11 shots with one on target.
"The goal is for us to create as many chances as we can, to start fast and put the game away early," Dixon said. "... I think we just need to be more clinical in those areas of the field. It's been a trend for us [to struggle in finishing chances] so it's something I want to see some immediate improvement early on."
CFC moves on to the Round of 32, which will be played April 14-15. Major League Soccer teams will enter the competition in the Round of 32.
It represents the furthest CFC has ever progressed in the Open Cup and sets up an opportunity for the club to possibly face an MLS side.
"It is so exciting to play against the top level in the U.S.," Koehler said after the game. "... To get a team like that, whoever it turns out to be, is huge deal for us as player, as a club, it's a massive deal. Really proud to get to represent our club against an MLS team."
In MLS NEXT Pro, CFC will stay at Finley Stadium to take on Orlando City B on Saturday, April 11. The club is off to a 2-2-1 start to the league season.
