NAPLES, Fla. — FC Naples kicked off its inaugural season with a hard-fought 1-1 draw against the Chattanooga Red Wolves on Saturday night at the Paradise Coast Sports Complex.
The historic season opener drew thousands of fans to the stadium as FC Naples took to the field for its first-ever match. Head coach Matt Poland acknowledged that the team had some early nerves but settled in as the game went on.
WATCH TO SEE THE MOMENT FC NAPLES SCORED THEIR FIRST GOAL OF THE SEASON:
"You never know what to expect with the first game with a new club," Poland said. "I think our guys handled the pressure well. Kind of let the nerves in those first five minutes flow out, and then it was down to just playing football," he added.
The game began at 7 p.m., and Chattanooga struck first in the 47th minute, taking a 1-0 lead. FC Naples responded in the 77th minute with a crucial penalty kick to level the score.
Poland was proud of his team’s performance but believes they had opportunities to secure the win.
"I think we should’ve won that game. We created enough chances to take three points, but the way we fought back and didn’t allow another goal shows our resilience. Overall, for a first game, a draw is respectable," Poland said.
Despite not securing a victory, FC Naples players viewed the match as a positive start to their debut season and expressed gratitude for the strong fan support.
"Today, I think we had about six or seven shots, a lot on target. The penalty was obviously huge, so I think this shows promise for us moving forward," said FC Naples midfielder Chris Heckenberg.
FC Naples' striker Karsen Henderlong added, "For me and the team, fighting back when we’re down and sticking together was a big step in the right direction to start the year."
Saturday’s match was the first of 34 games on FC Naples' schedule, which runs from March through October.
The team’s next game is set for March 15 against Forward Madison FC at Paradise Coast Sports Complex.
