History has been made! Saturday marked the opening night for FC Naples, the newest USL League One expansion team right here in our own back yard.
IT was a night that everyone was waiting for in the Gulf Coast. FC Naples soccer season is finally here as the Paradise Sports Coast Complex was packed full of fans on Saturday night for the historic event.
"You never know what to expect with the first game with the new club. I think our guys handled the pressure well. Kind of let the nerves in those first five minutes kind of flow out, and then it was down to, just playing football," FC Naples Head Coach Matt Poland said.
The official FC Naples hype group, La Barra 239, made sure everyone was on their level.
More than 4,600 people packed in to see the inaugural kickoff as FC Naples hosted the Chattanooga Red Wolves.
The scoring wouldn't come until the second half when Chattanooga's Omar Hernandez buried a shot in the back of the net in the 47th minute of the contest.
FC Naples found themselves trailing for 30 minutes before they got their chance to put themselves on the board.
Andres Ferrin etched his name in the history books as he became the first player to score for FC Naples following an intense penalty kick late in Saturday's matchup.
"I think we all showed a lot of resilience to keep fighting and not sort of throw in the towel and let the game begin that, then it started the way we had multiple chances towards the end, even after our goal. We kept fighting. We kept looking for another one. I think it was really good desire from the guys," FC Naples midfielder Chris Heckenberg said.
It was a battle as there were some yellow cards, one red card and a fight between the squads, but in the end - FC Naples and Chattanooga finished in a 1-1 draw.
Each club received one point on the season following the draw.
So with one game down for FC Naples, there is a lot more action to go. If you want to go, make sure to get your tickets for the club's next contest on Saturday, March 15, at home against Forward Madison FC.
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