Written by: Edwin Pintor

October 29, 2021 (Boyds, MD) – The Bobcats continue their journey in NISA’s Fall season as they take on Chattanooga FC in NISA’s Match of the Week, televised nationally by BEIN Sports Xtra. The Bobcats want to increase their win streak to three, while Chattanooga seeks to defeat the Bobcats for the second time this season. A crucial match between 7th and 8th place as both teams look to finish as high as possible. 

Chattanooga is coming from a 1-0 win at home against New Amsterdam FC after four winless games.  An unusual season for Chattanooga, but they know that the poor results can change at any moment. Chattanooga knows what it is like to defeat the Bobcats, a 3-0 win at home earlier this season and a 0-0 draw last season have Chattanooga undefeated against the Bobcats in NISA play.
 

The Bobcats know they have a crucial game in their hands, a crucial clash between a direct competitor in the season’s final stages; the game could not have come at a better time for the Maryland Bobcats. Two back-to-back wins against Chicago House AC in which the Bobcats scored seven goals and only conceded three. Before these matches, the Bobcats were having issues putting the ball in the back of the net, but as captain Kay Banjo stated, “every soccer team has good and bad times. I will not lie and say it was an easy month of September and the first half of October, but I can say that it is now a thing of the past. To us, the game against Chattanooga is much more than three points; the last time we faced each other, we played terrible, probably the worst game we’ve played the entire year. We know this game is winnable, but we will have to work hard for the win.”

The last time the Bobcats shared the spotlight on NISA’s Match of the Week did not end well. A 4-0 loss against New Amsterdam FC left a sour taste within the club. Coach Paul Ngend states, “A debacle of a night that will never happen again. The team left embarrassed that night, and I think that is where we hit rock bottom, A shameful night for the players, the front office, the president, fans, and the coaching staff. On Saturday against Chattanooga, we have an opportunity to reintroduce ourselves to the world; this time, we are prepared to show the best version of ourselves.” Coach Paul believes this game is also a game for the club’s honor. A 3-0 loss in the previous encounter did not sit nicely for the team. 

Coach Paul also commented on Chattanooga’s play style. On what to expect from them, “We know they have not had the best of seasons, but I do know they are an extremely talented team, Chattanooga won last Saturday after almost a month of being winless, and I know they seek to continue their winning ways. The coaching staff has learned a lot on this team. We know they play swift football and play it very well. We have worked on combating their strengths to confuse them on Saturday.”

Saturday will mark Chattanooga’s first visit to Maryland since the Bobcats joined NISA, a 0-0 draw last season and a 3-0 Chattanooga win at Chattanooga are the only two fixtures between the clubs as pros. The Bobcats did travel to Chattanooga and come out with a 1-0 win at the end of 2019 in an exibition. As a result, Maryland will hope to beat Chattanooga on national TV for the first time as a professional club. 

Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 pm ET. The match can be streamed on BEIN Sports Xtra for free or follow the minute-by-minute action live on Twitter via @MDBobcatsFC. 

Additionally, fans can buy tickets via SoccerStub and by visiting our website at marylandbobcatsfc.com/tickets.

About Maryland Bobcats FC
The Maryland Bobcats Football Club was founded in 2009. Based in Montgomery County in Maryland, it is a fully minority-owned club and Maryland’s only outdoor professional soccer team. MBFC has a “one family” mentality. From the youngest player to the most experienced youth teams to First Team, players support, push and encourage each other to play the right way. Beyond soccer, Bobcats FC helps, inspires, gives back, and supports the local community, comes to games, and cheers them on. For more information about Maryland Bobcats FC, visit marylandbobcatsfc.com or contact at evan@marylandbobcatsfc.com. Follow MBFC on Twitter @MDBobcatsFC and Instagram @mdbobcatsfc.
 
About NISA
The National Independent Soccer Association was founded in 2017 to bring professional soccer to every city in the United States. A pro league member of U.S. Soccer, NISA focuses on a model based on meritocracy, independent clubs controlling their league, clubs owning their intellectual property, all without the barrier of territorial rights. Sanctioned by the U.S. Soccer Federation, NISA also runs the mid-summer Independent Cup, open to independent professional and amateur clubs. For more information about NISA, visit NISAOfficial.com or contact info@nisasoccer.com. Follow NISA on Twitter @NISALeague and Instagram @nisasoccer.