One Knoxville SC Comes up Short to AV Alta FC

USL LEAGUE ONE MATCHDAY 16	1ST HALF	2ND HALF	FINAL
AV ALTA FC (7-4-7 | 28 PTS)	1	2	3
ONE KNOXVILLE SC (10-3-3 | 33 PTS)	1	1	2

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – A match that began well enough for One Knoxville SC ended up not going the way that the squad had hoped. A 3-2 loss to AV Alta FC at Covenant Health Park sees Knoxville’s five-match winning streak come to an end with the club suffering its first defeat in over two months.

“They were better in the finer moments than we were,” said One Knox Head Coach Ian Fuller. “I think it was a fairly even match that could’ve gone either way. Against a team that’s very good in possession, you have to be really sharp with the ball and we weren’t.”

Despite the setback, One Knox remains in first place in the USL League One standings due to other results throughout the league on Saturday.

Midfielder Teddy Baker put the hosts in good early position with 22nd minute strike. But that lead held for only four minutes as AV Alta answered back with a goal against the run of play. The visitors then took hold of the match in the second half with a pair of goals before Nico Rosamilia provided some hope of a last-ditch comeback with an 89th minute effort.

Both teams finished the match with an identical five shots on target via 15 total shots. Knoxville had the slight advantage in expected goals, 1.84 to 0.95, with nine shots inside the box.

But the club was unable to capitalize on its scoring opportunities with leading-scorer Denis Krioutchenkov unavailable due to a red card suspension.

“There were moments where we weren’t good enough with the ball and it crept in with the rest,” Fuller explained. “We lacked an ability to get pressure on the ball in the right areas, but when we did, we were successful.”

The new-look attacking front started things off well enough midway through the first half with Mikkel Gøling, Kyle Linhares and John Murphy Jr. combining with some quick one-touch passing that was capped off by a free Baker at the top of the box perfectly placing a shot into the low right corner, freezing AV goalkeeper Denzel Smith in the process.

It was the English midfielder’s fourth goal across all competitions and his fourth straight USL1 match with a goal contribution.

AV Alta answered back in the 26nd minute with forward Cesar Behena running behind the Knoxville backline and getting on the end. He took a touch to settle before chipping a shot into the net with Knoxville goalkeeper Johan Garibay forced to come off his line.

“This is happened to us a few times,” Fuller said of allowing a goal right after scoring one. “We tend to not continue to do what got us the goal and drop off. That’s usually when you need to ramp it up again, it’s a good lesson for us.”

Tied at the break, the visitors grabbed the lead in the 67th minute on a Jerry Desdunes free kick from the left corner of the box that deflected off the One Knox wall before slotting just inside the far post.

AV doubled the advantage eight minutes later with Adam Aoumaich finishing off a pass from his brother, Ilias Aoumaich.

“We made some good adjustments going into the second half and had our chances to take the lead,” said Fuller. “But then we give up a goal off a set piece deflection which is disappointing. And then once the third goes in, it’s an uphill battle.”

Throwing numbers forward as time was winding down, One Knoxville finally converted another chance right before second half stoppage time as Real Gill crossed in a ball across the face of goal and Rosamilia slashing inside to head it home from close range.

The goal marked Rosamilia’s first in USL1 this season, but his second in the span of the week, along with his July 11 header against Corpus Christi FC in the Prinx Tires USL Cup. Unfortunately, that would be the last gasp for One Knox in the end.

“I’m pleased with the fight, but we have to get better,” Fuller noted. “When you lose, those things stick out like a sore thumb and we’ll fix it.”

NEXT UP
Coming off the rare feeling of a loss, One Knoxville SC now must flush the result and regroup as it returns to action next weekend on the road against in-state rival Chattanooga Red Wolves SC. The club then completes the two-match roadtrip against a Charlotte Independence squad that is neck-and-neck with it at the top of the USL1 table. Knoxville returns to Covenant Health Park on August 8 against the Sarasota Paradise (tickets).