The Southeast Region sees three of four clubs return from last year’s Independent Cup. Chattanooga FC easily won in 2020 with a 3-0-0 record, scoring nine goals while only giving up one. Soda City FC, who finished second, and third-place Savannah Clovers FC also return. This year, newcomer Atlético Atlanta joins to replace Georgia Revolution FC.

Chattanooga FC

When asked about the importance of the Independent Cup, Chattanooga FC’s Managing Director Jeremy Alumbaugh stated, “The Independent Cup last year served as a beacon of hope for sports. It was one of the first competitions to be back up and running last summer and showed our fans and supporters that CFC was back after the shutdown with the pandemic. In a similar sense it is a beacon of hope for soccer in our nation. It’s a competition that thrives on amateur and professional clubs competing on the field under the premise that communities know best how to support their clubs and clubs themselves.

We are excited about the growth of the Independent Cup this year and as a club happy to play a small part in growing the game in this way.”

CFC in play against LA Force. Photo credit: NISA

Chattanooga enters the Independent Cup seeking some answers to a somewhat uneven 2020-21 NISA season. CFC did relatively well in the Fall even though hampered by numerous injuries. And an appearance in the Legends Cup final earlier this year gave them a slot in the NISA 2021 Spring Championship which served as the league’s 2020-21 season semifinal. But the club did not meet the high standards expected of them and ended the Spring in the bottom half of the standings. Expect to see the club use the tournament as an opportunity to get back into a winning mindset on the pitch.

The two Independent Cup home games, as well as a home friendly against Appalachian FC on Wednesday, will also get the club’s fans, especially the Chattahooligans, back into Finley Stadium and cheering for their beloved Blues in person prior to the fall season. Chattanooga FC hosts Atlético Atlanta on July 10 and Soda City FC on July 24.

Atlético Atlanta

Making its debut in the Independent Cup is Atlético Atlanta. Like the Maryland Bobcats in 2020, Atlético Atlanta enters the tournament as the reigning UPSL champion winning the Fall 2020 season in a penalty shootout in March. Previously known as Ginga Atlanta, the club rebranded to its new name immediately following the undefeated title run.

The club is co-owned by Joao Garcia and Rodrigo Cruz. Garcia serves as head coach and previously headed Miami-based, FC Ginga, which also played in the UPSL. A former professional player, Cruz is the club’s GM and was an assistant coach with FC Ginga. Atlético Atlanta recently ended the UPSL Spring season fifth in the Southeast Conference Georgia – Premier Division and was knocked out in the first round of the divisional playoffs. The organization also has a U23 squad that is plays in the UPSL’s Southeast Conference Georgia – Division I. Atlético Atlanta’s only home match in the Independent Cup is against Savannah Clovers FC on July 24 at Life University at Marietta.

Joao feels his team is ready for this competition. "We are very excited to be joining the Independent Cup, the players have been working hard to play on this stage. We are expecting to be able to showcase our players so that they can have a chance to be signed by teams in NISA Pro. This is our main priority, to be able to give a platform so that they can be seen and move on in their careers, we are very happy NISA offers this possibility and we can't wait to start playing. Who knows we can't one day make the move up ourselves, that is the ultimate dream of any armature club."

Savannah Clovers FC

The Savannah Clovers F.C. was founded in 2016 and played in local leagues before joining in the UPSL for the Spring 2018 season. The club went on hiatus during the past Spring season and returned to competition in late June playing three local clubs in tune-ups to the Independent Cup. Those were three easy wins for the semi-pro Savannah squad which is looking to improve on their third place showing in last year’s tournament. The team is coached by Darren Sprong who was a player on the team since the club’s inception and served as captain through a UPSL playoff run in 2018. The club will play its two Independent Cup home matches, July 10 against Soda City FC and July 17 against Chattanooga FC, at Savannah’s Memorial Stadium, a county-owned 5,000 seat multi-purpose stadium primarily used by high schools for gridiron football games.

Soda City FC

Located in Columbia, S.C., Soda City FC was formed in 2018 and played its first competitive matches upon joining the UPSL that fall. The club made a playoff run at the 2019 Fall UPSL championship losing in the semifinals on February 9, 2020, to eventual winner, Maryland Bobcats. In its short history, Soda City has claimed two division titles and a conference title along with that National Semifinal run. The Columbians ended their Spring 2021 campaign with three straight wins to put them at fourth place in the Southeast Conference Mid-Atlantic division and secured them a place in the divisional playoffs. Soda City upset first-seed SC Heat 4-3 in the first round but missed out on making the national Round of 32 when they lost 3-2 to second-seed Moros FC in the divisional final. Soda City hosts Atlético Atlanta July 17 at Palmetto Health Fields, an athletic complex located in Saluda Shoals Park.

Tony Baker, club president, highlighted the importance of the competition. "The NISA Independent Cup is a platform that allows our players to have the experience to compete against professional teams. It also allows us to showcase our amateur players that are aspiring to play at the next level."

- Dan Creel