Chattanooga FC hosts Orlando City B at Finley Stadium on Saturday, July 18 at 7:00 p.m. as the Summer of Soccer continues!
Chattanooga FC will look to continue its hot summer form this Saturday evening when the Young Lions of Orlando City B visit Finley Stadium.
CFC extended its unbeaten streak to six matches last time out following a 1-1 draw and 4-2 shootout win over fellow independent side Carolina Core.Â
Alex Krehl scored his 11th league goal of the season in the match, currently bringing him to the runners-up position in the MLS NEXT Pro Golden Boot race.
The team has collected 14 points of the last 18 available and has a 8W-5L-5D (4 SOW) record with 33 points. CFC sits in fourth place in the Eastern Conference and third in the Southeast division.
This will be the clubs' third and final meeting of the 2026 MLS NEXT Pro regular season, with the teams splitting the results thus far (3-1 CFC win on April 11, 5-2 ORL win on May 31).
Coach's corner
Interim Head Coach Richard Dixon previewed the upcoming match with the Young Lions.
"They're a good team with the ball and very organized with their attacking structure," said Dixon. "They value tight, short, intricate possession with a lot of rotation between the midfield and frontline. We will just be making sure we are on the same page both with and without the ball. This game will be a battle of details."
The team has won four consecutive shootouts for the extra point, and Dixon was asked about the keys to that success.
"The guys are confident in themselves all around from the takers to the goalkeeper. We spent a considerable amount of time in the first half of the season practicing penalties once or twice a week after training, so we have a good idea of who are top takers are when we do get to the shootout, and that's paid off here in the last few games."
News and notes
- Chattanooga FC made the biggest jump in the league in the latest edition of its Power Rankings, moving from 10th to fifth
- CFC forward Keegan Ancelin completed a loan move to League of Ireland side Drogheda United this week, a first international loan of its kind in club history
Off the pitch
- Dance Party on the Pitch: Approximately 10-minutes after the match, the club's second dance party will take place on the field, featuring a Fiesta and Salsa theme.
- Creative Discovery Museum: The Creative Discovery Museum will host hands-on activities focused on STEAM and exploration at the Kids' Zone.
Learn more about our Summer of Soccer here.
Know the opponent
Orlando City B is currently on a three-match unbeaten streak and sits one place above CFC in the Eastern Conference (both teams on 33 points) on goal difference.
The Youngs Lions are coming off a 2-1 win at FC Cincinnati 2 this past Sunday with goals from Issah Haruna and Matthew Belgodere.
Forward Pedro Leão leads the team with seven goals, while Harvey Sarajian has provided the most assits for the Young Lions (5).
Orlando City B is coached by Eddie Wilding, who took charge of the side just two days before Chattanooga FC and OCB's first matchup of 2026.
Match info
Venue: Finley Stadium | Chattanooga, Tenn.
Kickoff: 7:00 p.m. ET, Saturday, July 18
Broadcast: MLSNEXTPro.com / OneFootball TV | Talent: Philip Galati
Team uniforms for Saturday's match
Referees
Shaye Lane
Head Referee
Ben Rigel
Assistant Referee 1
Andrew Stefanick
Assistant Referee 2
Dan Benson
4th Official
