Chattanooga FC to 'sink or swim' in today's friendly with FC Dallas [photos]

Staff file photo / Chattanooga FC fans will have to wait to cheer on their soccer team at Finley Stadium after Saturday's game against Michigan Stars FC was postponed as a result of a suspension in play for the National Independent Soccer Association.
Staff file photo / Chattanooga FC fans will have to wait to cheer on their soccer team at Finley Stadium after Saturday's game against Michigan Stars FC was postponed as a result of a suspension in play for the National Independent Soccer Association.

Chattanooga Football Club will venture out into the great unknown this afternoon, and nobody is complaining.

For a second consecutive February, CFC will play a Major League Soccer team in Finley Stadium. Atlanta United FC made its debut here nearly a year ago before an energetic crowd of 12,484. Today's noon friendly will pit coach Bill Elliott's team against FC Dallas.

Elliott, who has coached the University of West Florida men's team - an NCAA Division II program - for more than 20 seasons, drove up from Pensacola on Thursday to lead CFC through just two practices before today's showdown.

"It's kind of crazy, but it gets MLS soccer to Chattanooga again," Elliott said, "and for that, we're glad. We are getting together at a time of the year we otherwise wouldn't, and our fans can come out and hopefully watch a good match.

"So for all that, we're happy, but having two days to prepare for a professional team is a pretty big ask."

CFC general manager Sean McDaniel said Friday that a crowd between 4,000 and 6,000 is expected for today's match.

Atlanta United scored twice in each half last February to win 4-0, which became the launching point for an MLS expansion team that surpassed all expectations both on the field and in the stands. Atlanta United went 15-9-10 during the regular season and earned a bid to the Eastern Conference playoffs, and its fans managed to pack the temporary home of Georgia Tech's Bobby Dodd Stadium before having an MLS-record 70,425 fill the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Elliott was as amazed as everyone else with Atlanta United's inaugural success, and he did his share of scoreboard watching. Atlanta United wound up defeating Minnesota and New England by larger margins than its triumph over CFC - 6-1 and 7-0, respectively - and added two 4-0 MLS wins.

"Atlanta put out their best side here, because it was their first game and they were going to do everything they absolutely could to ensure they were going to win that match," Elliott said. "We also put out a more experienced group than we have available for the match this year.

"I do think it's going to be a great match, but I think you'll see a CFC team with less experience, and my guess is a less experienced FC Dallas team, though I don't know that for sure."

Dallas went 11-10-3 last season, just missing out on a spot in the Western Conference playoffs.

Elliott said Dallas not only has the talent advantage but an edge in having been together for two weeks and already having played a preseason match. When he arrived in Chattanooga on Thursday, he learned the names of roughly half of his 20 players at the first training session.

Friday's second practice was about setting a team strategy.

"If it becomes a battle of individuals, we're probably not going to win that battle," Elliott said. "They're pros and we're amateurs, and that's the simple fact, but if we can do some things collectively to slow them down, that will be our goal. It's very much a trial game for some of these new players and a chance for us to evaluate them.

"It's kind of sink or swim, because if they can do something in this kind of match, we'll feel pretty good about what they can do in our league."

Although he, his staff and his players are the decided underdogs today, Elliott believes it's hard to come up with a better way to kick off the excitement for CFC's 10th anniversary season.

"There are no expectations in terms of what people can realistically expect out of CFC and a bunch of amateur players in this situation," he said. "For us it's just a great opportunity. We get to measure ourselves against pros to kind of see where we're at, and all of these college players aspire to be pros.

"It will be a great day for them to see what that level is like, and it's a first step for us in terms of forming our team for the summer. With any coach in any sport who's passionate about what he or she does, the first steps in forming that team for the next year is always an exciting time."

Detroit matches set

CFC announced Friday a two-game preseason friendly series with Detroit City FC. The first match will be held at Finley Stadium on April 21 at 7:30 p.m., with Detroit hosting the match a week later at Keyworth Stadium.

Tickets for the match in Chattanooga will be included in all season-pass packages, with individual tickets $10 in advance and $12 the day of the match.

"This is a matchup that we've all been waiting for," McDaniel said in a news release. "By showcasing the two premier amateur clubs in America, we are demonstrating to soccer fans across the country that grass-roots soccer teams and passionate, loyal fans are here to stay."

CFC will host new United Soccer League member Nashville SC on March 10 at 7:30 p.m.

Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524

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