When FC Tucson heads to Tennessee Friday, the club will do so with some additional offensive firepower and a little newfound confidence.
Buoyoed by the signing of forward Toby Uzo and coming off a win in the first game under interim head coach Jon Pearlman, Tucson will also see the return of midfielder João Delgado for Saturday night's matchup against Chattanooga Red Wolves SC at CHI Memorial Stadium. The USL League One matchup will kickoff at 5 pm PT and stream live on ESPN+.
RELATED: CHAvTUC Match Center
Uzo and Delgado join an offense that also features midfielders Charlie Dennis and Manu Ferriol, who both earned league Team of the Week honors for their efforts in a 2-1 win over Fort Lauderdale CF this past weekend. Deri Corfe and Shak Adams up top and Jared Odenbeck and Danny Bedoya in the midfield give Pearlman plenty of options.
"It's a really deep group, with different types of players," said Pearlman. "From wide positions, you can get three or four very unique looks.
"When we're right, we can beat you in a number of different ways. If we get all our pieces clicking," said Pearlman, "there's no where to hide."
When FC Tucson heads to Tennessee Friday, the club will do so with some additional offensive firepower and a little newfound confidence.
Buoyoed by the signing of forward Toby Uzo and coming off a win in the first game under interim head coach Jon Pearlman, Tucson will also see the return of midfielder João Delgado for Saturday night’s matchup against Chattanooga Red Wolves SC at CHI Memorial Stadium. The USL League One matchup will kickoff at 5 pm PT and stream live on ESPN+.
RELATED: CHAvTUC Match Center
Uzo and Delgado join an offense that also features midfielders Charlie Dennis and Manu Ferriol, who both earned league Team of the Week honors for their efforts in a 2-1 win over Fort Lauderdale CF this past weekend. Deri Corfe and Shak Adams up top and Jared Odenbeck and Danny Bedoya in the midfield give Pearlman plenty of options.
“It’s a really deep group, with different types of players,” said Pearlman. “From wide positions, you can get three or four very unique looks.
“When we’re right, we can beat you in a number of different ways. If we get all our pieces clicking,” said Pearlman, “there’s no where to hide.”
In the first meeting with Chattanooga on June 12, Tucson went down in a 2-0 first-half hole. Dennis, off the bench, rallied the team with a pair of long-range goals. But Juan Galindrez answered Dennis' second with the game winner just four minutes later — in the 89th minute — to lift the Red Wolves.
Chattanooga is 5-3-3 and sits third in the league at 18 points. The Red Wolves have two games in hand over league leaders Union Omaha and Greenville Triumph SC.
"They're a really skillfull group of players," said Pearlman. "They can beat you in a number of different ways. They can beat you in the run of play. They can get a spell of possession; they combine very well in small spaces in twos and threes. And they have guys that can come off the bench and absolutely end you, when you think you've gotten their key guys."
RELATED: Chattanooga Red Wolves SC Website
Not counting the game-winner against Tucson, which came in the 89th minute, Chattanooga has three goals in 90-plus, including Marky Hernandez depositing a rebound in stoppage time to earn a draw with Omaha last weekend.
In the first meeting with Chattanooga on June 12, Tucson went down in a 2-0 first-half hole. Dennis, off the bench, rallied the team with a pair of long-range goals. But Juan Galindrez answered Dennis’ second with the game winner just four minutes later — in the 89th minute — to lift the Red Wolves.
Chattanooga is 5-3-3 and sits third in the league at 18 points. The Red Wolves have two games in hand over league leaders Union Omaha and Greenville Triumph SC.
“They’re a really skillfull group of players,” said Pearlman. “They can beat you in a number of different ways. They can beat you in the run of play. They can get a spell of possession; they combine very well in small spaces in twos and threes. And they have guys that can come off the bench and absolutely end you, when you think you’ve gotten their key guys.”
RELATED: Chattanooga Red Wolves SC Website
Not counting the game-winner against Tucson, which came in the 89th minute, Chattanooga has three goals in 90-plus, including Marky Hernandez depositing a rebound in stoppage time to earn a draw with Omaha last weekend.
Galindrez leads the team with four goals and was a nominee for USL League One CleerAudio June Player of the Month. Angel Espana has three goals.
Wallis Lapsley extended his league-leading save total to 38 against Fort Lauderdale, including a last-minute dive to clear the ball off the line preserve the three points.
After the Tennessee trip, Tucson returns home for matchups with New England II (July 17 / tickets) and Omaha (July 24 / tickets) at Kino North. Four points separate Tucson from the cutline just over a third of the way through the 2021 campaign.
"Everybody is focused," said Pearlman. "Everybody knows we're not in the playoffs. So if we're going to make a run, we know that points here and then we have four out of five at home, are massive. This six-game run, after we're done, we're going to see where we're at."
"Ultimately, one game at a time. For us, we have to get points on the road. We have to get points consistently."
Galindrez leads the team with four goals and was a nominee for USL League One CleerAudio June Player of the Month. Angel Espana has three goals.
Wallis Lapsley extended his league-leading save total to 38 against Fort Lauderdale, including a last-minute dive to clear the ball off the line preserve the three points.
After the Tennessee trip, Tucson returns home for matchups with New England II (July 17 / tickets) and Omaha (July 24 / tickets) at Kino North. Four points separate Tucson from the cutline just over a third of the way through the 2021 campaign.
“Everybody is focused,” said Pearlman. “Everybody knows we’re not in the playoffs. So if we’re going to make a run, we know that points here and then we have four out of five at home, are massive. This six-game run, after we’re done, we’re going to see where we’re at.”
“Ultimately, one game at a time. For us, we have to get points on the road. We have to get points consistently.”
