In Chattanooga FC's third season in the league, the club is nearly to the very summit of the MLS NEXT Pro mountain.
CFC emerged with a 3-2 win over Columbus Crew 2 in the Eastern Conference Final at Finley Stadium in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Farid Sar-Sar completed the comeback, heading in a stoppage-time winner before the match was to head to extra time.
An early one-two punch set the tone for Crew 2. Chase Adams and Kevin Gbamblé provided goals in the 12th and 17th minutes.
Alex McGrath got CFC on the board just before halftime. CFC regained control of the match as the second half started, building up to an equalizer from Damien Barker John.
In the fifth minute of stoppage time, Tate Robertson launched a cross from the wing, finding a free Sar-Sar near the back post, who headed the ball in to make CFC the first independent club to make an MLS NEXT Pro Cup appearance.
Goals
Man of the Match
Farid Sar-Sar earned Man of the Match honors, earning the win with his perfectly placed header in the fifth minute of stoppage time.
Sar-Sar scored just his third goal of the season. It's fitting that the 27-year-old should put his mark on CFC's magical playoff run, as he's one of the longest-tenured members of the current squad. He's been with CFC for each of the three seasons it has played in MLS NEXT Pro.
LAFC2 awaits
If Chattanooga FC's run to the final has been unexpected and unprecedented, so has Los Angeles Football Club 2.
It's both clubs' first time making it to the MLS NEXT Pro Cup Final. Sixth-seed LAFC 2 are the lowest seed to ever make the final.
CFC will figure to be the favorite, especially playing host. The Boys in Blue collected 13 wins at Finley Stadium this season.
