Venue Location: Finley Stadium (Davenport Field), Chattanooga, Tennessee. This historic 20,000-capacity venue (primarily used for college football and soccer) serves as Chattanooga FC’s home ground and will host the match under lights.
Kickoff is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. ET. The game is part of the 2026 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup First Round (a single-elimination pro vs. open-division matchup) and will stream live on YouTube (U.S. Soccer official channel).
Weather Updates: Cool evening conditions are forecast for kickoff. Temperatures will hover around 50–52°F (10–11°C) with light winds (3–8 mph from variable directions), humidity near 40%, and no significant precipitation expected. Skies should be clear to partly cloudy, making for comfortable playing conditions but chilly for fans—dress in layers. No weather alerts or rain delays are anticipated based on current models.
Injury Report:
- Chattanooga FC (MLS Next Pro): No major injuries reported heading into the match. Captain Alex McGrath (midfielder) has fully recovered from his 2025 season-ending injury and is available. Other past concerns (e.g., Ameziane Sid Mohand and Ashton Gordon) are not flagged as doubtful. The squad is at full strength with depth across 25 professionals.
- Kalonji Pro-Profile (UPSL Premier Division): As an amateur/open-division side, no formal injury reports are publicly available. The team appears healthy following a strong recent league result, with their small roster intact.
Key
Player Matchups (Key Battles):
Chattanooga’s professional depth and experience give them a clear edge in most duels against Kalonji’s amateur talent.
- GK Eldin Jakupović (Chattanooga) vs. Kalonji forwards Owanja Medard and Zain (Zayn) Hylton: Jakupović (2025 MLS Next Pro Goalkeeper of the Year with league-leading clean sheets/saves) should neutralize Kalonji’s recent scorers.
- Defensive duo Tate Robertson + Nathan Koehler (Chattanooga) vs. Ethan W. Joyner (Kalonji defense/leader): Robertson (9 goals/assists last season, Best XI caliber) and Koehler (breakout star) form a solid backline that will likely overwhelm Kalonji’s attacking transitions.
- Midfield creators Alex McGrath (captain) + Damien Barker John (Chattanooga) vs. Braiden Kalonji + supporting mids (Kalonji): McGrath’s creativity and Barker John’s energy should control the center.
- Forwards Daniel Mangarov + Yuval Cohen (Chattanooga) vs. Kalonji’s backline: Mangarov (9 goals in 2025) and Cohen are set-piece and finishing threats against an untested amateur defense.
Expected Chattanooga lineup (4-3-3): Jakupović; Robertson, Koehler, Farid Sar-Sar, Anthony Sorenson; Barker John, Luke Husakiwsky, McGrath; Mangarov, Alexis Arrúa, Cohen. Kalonji relies on Medard, Hylton, and Joyner for any counter-threats.
Recent Team Forms:
- Chattanooga FC: Mixed—recent win over an independent side followed by a 2-1 loss to Chicago Fire II (March 15). They’ve shown attacking promise but defensive lapses; form is building toward Open Cup momentum.
- Kalonji Pro-Profile: Excellent—dominant 4-0 victory over Augusta Arsenal SC (March 14/15) in league play. Offensively sharp but completely untested against professional opposition.
Series History:
This is the first-ever meeting between Chattanooga FC and Kalonji Pro-Profile. No prior head-to-head data exists. In broader Open Cup context, MLS Next Pro sides hosting UPSL/open-division teams advance at a very high rate (~80% historically in similar mismatches).
Betting Trends:
- Pro vs. amateur/open-division Open Cup ties heavily favor the professional home side (80–85% win rate, often by 2+ goals).
- Chattanooga has advanced from First Round in recent years; home form is strong.
- Kalonji’s recent scoring streak contrasts with the massive quality gap—trends point to clean sheets or multi-goal wins for hosts in similar games. Goal totals trend over when mismatches occur, but unders also hit if pros control tempo early.
MATCH ODDS
Kalonji Pro-Profile + 800
Chattanooga FC – 165
Draw + 425
Over 2.5 – 180 Under 2.5 + 135
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Tuesday, March 17, 2026
