New Orleans, CFC tie 1-1 at Finley Stadium
CFC ties; coach sees better things ahead
The good news for the Chattanooga Football Club is it isn’t losing NPSL Southeast Division matches.
The problem is, it isn’t winning them, either.
CFC battled New Orleans to a 1-all draw Thursday night at Finley Stadium, a match it needed a win to take a step forward in the standings. It’s the first of five consecutive matches at home for CFC, but wins are paramount to ties at the moment and CFC couldn’t figure out a way to pull ahead late.
It wasn’t due to lack of effort, as CFC (2-1-4, 1-0-4) spent the majority of the last 20 minutes on the attacking side of the field. Cross after cross after cross went untouched or cleared out by the New Orleans defense, while a dangerous shot attempt by Leo De Smedt from an awkward angle on the left side glanced off the side post.
CFC has a total of six goals this season, but the lack of production doesn’t have coach Bill Elliott concerned — yet.
“If guys were missing the goal, if they weren’t getting it good position, I would be concerned,” Elliott said. “I see them every day in practice. They can score goals. One’s got to go in. They’ve just got to see it hit the back of the net, and there could be an absolute barrage of goals.”
Jose Ferraz wasted little time putting CFC in front, scoring on a rocket in the sixth minute. CFC continued to attack the Jesters’ defense but was unable to push another shot through. In addition to the aforementioned shots, Danny Reynolds had a second-half header that was saved by the New Orleans keeper.
The Jesters, who are 3-0-3 in the Southeast Division, evened the match in the
65th minute when Jon Evans followed up a Mason Morise shot, with Evans’ follow glancing off the bottom of the crossbar and angling into the net.
“It’s disappointing,” Elliott said. “I felt like we were on top of the match for most of the match. We got the lead … we haven’t conceded a goal from the run of play in league play, but unfortunately they got a goal. Their goalkeeper came up with some really big saves, but what I’m encouraged about is that every single time we go out, we’re playing better football than we did the week before.
“The chances we’re creating versus the chances we created two weeks ago are much more dangerous, and sooner or later these guys are too talented not to find the net a few more times than what we have. I don’t like where we are in the table (standings), but I like where we’re at in the development of the team and what I think we’ll get out of them in the upcoming weeks.”