After back-to-back non-wins for the first time in franchise history, including its first-ever shutout — courtesy of rival Georgia Impact — Decatur FC looked to return to the win column on Tuesday night at Decatur High School.
They did just that, defeating Chattanooga FC 4-1 in a victory that had them looking much more like themselves.
“Really good bounce back win,” Decatur coach Campbell Chapman said. “We needed a good performance at home tonight. Obviously, some disappointment [in the] results on the road. So I thought it was a great performance all around.”
Though goalkeeper Nikki Bidun made the first save of the game, Decatur undeniably had the better chances, and it didn’t take them long to capitalize. Defender Jazmin Ferguson headed the ball into the net, capitalizing on a well-placed corner kick from forward Maggie Wadsworth. Shortly after, forward Dylan Driver was dragged down in the box, receiving a penalty kick. She easily knocked it inside the near post for the 2-0 lead for Decatur.
Throughout the half, forward Allie Planeaux proved how instrumental she is to this team and how much Decatur missed her in the past two games. Planeaux was everywhere, dominating the left side of the field and constantly feeding balls into the box. Her efforts consistently kept the pressure on Chattanooga and made it very difficult for them to gain momentum downfield. It’s particularly impressive given that it’s not her natural position and she’s playing on her off foot.
“Honestly, it’s kind of weird for me, ’cause I play midfield at college and also I’m not left-footed,” Planeaux said. “So playing on the left side is definitely a challenge, but I just try to get the defender off-balance, and I always try to pick my head up to see what’s in front of me, and I kind of hesitate, and then I go, and then I look for someone in the box. I don’t have that much experience playing out there, but I guess it’s working in my favor so far.”
With three minutes left in the first half, Decatur extended its lead. Forward Ava Maldonado floated the ball over the head of the Chattanooga goaltender, and Midfielder Hayden Barnett was waiting on the other side, head ready to knock it into the goal. It was the first goal or assist from either of them with the club.
Chattanooga wasn’t going down without a fight. A few good passes from the club, and the ball was in the back of the net before Decatur FC could even get fully settled into the rhythm of the second half. The game was on at 3-1, but was off shortly after as defender Aniyah Collier restored the three-goal lead with a volley into the back of the net. She marked the fourth different goalscorer of the game as Decatur sealed the 4-1 victory.
Next match
Decatur FC plays again when it hosts GA Impact on Sat., June 27, at 7 p.m.
