FC Cincinnati 2 travel to Chattanooga, Tennessee and Finley Stadium on Saturday night to take on Chattanooga FC in Matchweek 15 of the MLS NEXT Pro season. Saturday’s match will be just the second-ever meeting, and only match of the regular season, between the two sides.
The match will stream live on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV with kick off set for 7 p.m. ET.
FC CINCINNATI 2 at CHATTANOOGA FC – SATURDAY, JUNE 21, 2025 – 7 P.M. ET – FINLEY STADIUM
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FC CINCINNATI 2/MATCHUP NOTES
A scoring combination – For the second consecutive match Brian Schaefer and Peter Mangione combined for a set piece goal for FCC 2. Schaefer scored Sunday against New England in the 40th minute following his goal against Toronto FC II on June 8. The goal is Schaefer’s third of the year, surpassing his total from a season ago in just 12 games with the mark tied with Kenji Mboma Dem for a team lead.
Mangione’s third assist of the year leaves the midfield playmaker just two shy of his last year’s total with more than half of the season to be played. Mangione finished 2024 tied for a team lead in assists and paces FCC 2 in 2025 again.
A test against the best – The Orange and Blue will face the top two teams in the Eastern Conference in back-to-back weeks starting with Saturday’s trip to Tennessee. Chattanooga’s 29 points are tied for the second most in MLS NEXT Pro entering the weekend with this week’s home side unbeaten at Finley Stadium. The Orange and Blue’s next match see a meeting with Red Bulls II, who sit on 30 points, and have lost just two matches all season.
Consistency on the backline – The Orange and Blue picked up their second clean sheet of the MLSNP season on Sunday against Revs II. Noah Adnan, Andrei Chirila and Brian Schaefer have appeared in every match for FCC 2 this year and lead all Cincinnati players in minutes played.
In the five matches of which FCC 2 have earned points this season, the backline have allowed just four goals and have allowed 18 through 12 matches this season, the 10th fewest in the league.
Scouting Chattanooga FC
Record: 8-3-3 (29 points)
Standings: 2nd, Eastern Conference
Last Three: 5-2 loss at New York Red Bulls II | 3-3 draw – SOW – vs Inter Miami CF II | 2-1 loss at Orlando City B
Head Coach: Chris Nugent
Leading Scorer: 4 – Daniel Mangarov, Peter Plougmand, Tate Robertson
Chattanooga FC have enjoyed a strong first half of their sophomore campaign in MLS NEXT Pro after missing out on postseason play in 2024 by way of a win’s tiebreak with three other clubs. Entering the matchweek, Chattanooga trails only New York Red Bulls II for the top spot in the Eastern Conference but relinquished that place to the now leaders after dropping a 5-2 result on June 15.
Three Chattanooga players share a team lead for goals with Daniel Mangarov, Peter Plougmand and Tate Robertson all scoring four times through 14 games. Robertson powers the Chattanooga offense from the backline as the defender leads the league in assists with seven. Robertson has assisted in five of the team’s last six matches and has scored in two straight.
Alongside Robertson is Farid Sar-Sar, who has been the anchor in defense for Chattanooga this year. Sar-Sar leads MLSNP in minutes and ranks second in clearances with 29. Across 14 league matches, Sar-Sar and Chattanooga have held opponents scoreless four times while allowing 20 goals. Former Premier League goalkeeper Eldin Jakupović guards the net for Chattanooga and has been in goal for all four of those clean sheets.
