It's been a season to remember in the Scenic City.
Chattanooga FC aim to make yet another day their fans will never forget in Sunday's MLS NEXT Pro Cup showdown against Los Angeles FC 2 (6 PM ET | MLSNEXTPro.com, OneFootball).
Finishing second place in the Eastern Conference (15W-6L-7T), the Boys in Blue have lived up to their heavyweight status so far in the playoffs under head coach Richard Dixon, building real belief that they can claim the city's first-ever professional soccer title.
Playoff path
As a benefit of earning the second seed, CFC selected New York City FC II in the quarterfinals and made good on that call with a thrilling 3-1 win that came together after the 80th minute.
Similar scenes played out in the semifinals as they topped fellow independent side CT United FC with another 3-1 win with a dramatic finish, making history as the winner of the first-ever playoff battle of independents in MLS NEXT Pro history.
Last week's Eastern Conference Final got sweaty, but Chattanooga rallied to overcome a 2-0 deficit for a 3-2 win over Columbus Crew 2.
Player spotlight
Winning by committee has been a theme of the playoffs, but Plan A will likely include getting the ball to striker Alex Krehl. Finishing second in the regular season Golden Boot race and earning a Best XI selection, Krehl continues to lead CFC in production with 2g/1a in the playoffs.
Playing midfielder, defender, and forward at times, Tate Robertson has been a Swiss-army knife for CFC and has added 1g/1a in the postseason. His goal, a bar-down direct shot from a set piece, kickstarted the scoring in the semifinal win over CT United.
Let's also not forget about 42-year-old goalkeeper Eldin Jakupović. In his 22nd professional season, he's still among the best 'keepers in MLS NEXT Pro and finished tied for second in clean sheets in the regular season. Fun fact: Jakupović signed an MLS contract with Los Angeles FC and made two appearances in 2023.
What they're saying
In celebrations of last week's Eastern Conference Final, Dixon explained how his side being one with their fans helped spur on the 3-2 comeback.
"That's something the team has always had," he explained. "Chattanooga is about blue-collar people that get to work and get the job done, and they come here to watch their team play and win football games. So, that's something that's a part of us. It's a part of our DNA...they know what they're representing."
Centerback Farid Sar-Sar went down as the hero for heading in the game-winner and quickly found himself the subject of a celebratory dogpile.
"I turned around and saw all of the people, all of the players and coaches coming to me, and I just went to the floor," he said of the moment. "I felt present. It was amazing, to be honest."
At the center of the comeback, winger Damien Barker John's 1g/1a were vital.
"It's the relationships we built," he said of his team's chemistry. "Everybody's been working together and fighting together, and it's been paying off."
Tune-in
Be sure to join in on the fun!
The 2026 MLS NEXT Pro Cup will air live on MLSNEXTPro.com and OneFootball app at 6 PM ET. James Hadnot will provide play-by-play, alongside former Chicago Fire and Houston Dynamo winger, now MLS on Apple TV analyst Calen Carr, as well as former Dynamo forward Isaiah Reid reporting from the sideline. The match will also be broadcast in Spanish with play-by-play by Ramon Chavez and analysis from Carlos Suarez.
