September 4, 2022 – United Soccer League One (USL1) – Union Omaha News Release
PAPILLION, Neb. – Union Omaha found yet another late answer at home after being challenged early to get the win over Chattanooga Red Wolves Saturday night.
To open up the penultimate month of the regular season, the Owls welcomed in a surging Chattanooga side who sit in 4th place after winning three of its last five. Los Búhos notched their first-ever win over Los Lobos earlier in the year before drawing last month at Werner Park and now had a chance to even the all-time series with the visiting side in front of their home crowd. On the line for the Owls was their 7-match unbeaten home streak and their first opportunity on the top of the USL League One table.
It was a slower start to the night for the Owls offense than in recent matches, who found themselves playing in their defensive half more often in the opening minutes of the match. The powerful Red Wolves offense, who came into the night boasting the second most goals in the league, challenged the league’s best defense early in the first half with plenty of threatening looks.
Rashid Nuhu, the Owls’ anchor in goal, stepped up in the 25th minute, batting up a strong shot from Red Wolves’ team-leading scorer Juan Galindrez and eventually came down with the save just in front of the goal line.
The Red Wolves broke the deadlock in 28th minute, Moe Espinoza struck a perfectly placed shot into the back post beyond Nuhu’s outstretched hands, giving the visiting side the lead. It was almost as early as Chattanooga scored in the team’s previous meeting, which left the Owls with a lot of time to make a breakthrough.
The first booking on the night went to Joe Brito in the 35th minute. Minutes later, Noe Meza slung a dangerous low roller that slid right past the face of goal an out, keeping the Red Wolves’ keeper alert.
More adversity came Omaha’s way in the 61st minute, as Corey Hertzog was issued a straight red card and sent back to the locker rooms. For the second straight match, the Owls went down a man in the second half. Although this time, the Owls still had a goal to score if they wanted a chance to preserve their unbeaten streak at home.
The next card came to Jimmie Villalobos in the 64th minute with a foul on Ryen Jiba, the Red Wolves’ first of the night.
The name of the game in the second half was close chances, almost as if playing a man down energized the Owls. The feel in the stadium was electric as the thousands of fans…