GAME RECAP: One Knoxville 1-2 NC Fusion
As the hosts bow out in the Southern Conference Final, the book closes on a season of otherwise remarkable achievement for Mark McKeever and his men.
It is a testament to the impact One Knoxville has made on this city in just three months time that even after falling to the 2021 national finalists in a brutal 90 minutes of football, dozens of fans remained, some for up to an hour after the final whistle, cheering.
“He’s one of our own. Mark McKeever, he’s one of our own.”
In the club’s inaugural season, the Scottish coach, who’s been embraced by the Knoxville soccer faithful with as much fervor as any coach in this Scruffy Southern City has before, led his men to South Central Division and Smoky Mountain Series titles.
But, even so, a bittersweet taste remains after the way the final game of his first season in charge concluded. A feeling that, even against a North Carolina Fusion team that had only lost once this season, the hosts were the superior threat, on the ascendancy as legs tired, momentum swayed, and the stadium rocked in support.
The Fusion’s lone loss was the final game of their regular season, 2-1, against West Virginia United—the team One Knoxville vanquished in the Southern Conference semifinals last Sunday. And through 45 minutes, the visitors did look the better side.
If you had done any Googling before the match, you would’ve surmised the two danger men for the Fusion were Joao Gomeiro and Mason Duvall. And it was they who combined for the first goal in just the seventh minute of play: Gomeiro’s free kick pushed onto the bar by Peter Swinkels, the deflection falling to Duvall, who was quick to finish from close range.
But whatever McKeever told his men at halftime had reset the tie. The sloppiness and ineffectiveness that defined their first 45 minutes was tossed in the waste bin just three minutes into the second half as the Spaniard Dani Fernandez—one of the players who, at the final whistle, was visibly distraught and overcome by emotion—scored from a corner kick.
With fire in his veins, Sebastian Andreassen, on as substitute for Lukas Sunesson, battered defenders and opened up space for the attacking midfielders behind him to finally show themselves after a dormant first half. In the 57th minute, Stephen Afrifa forced a fingertip save from goalkeeper Joseph McNally. In the 69th, a Zyan Andrade bicycle kick inside the 18 missed by inches.
Three minutes later, calamity struck. Everything changed.
Preparing to shoot, Andrade took a heavy touch and collided with a Fusion defender. The Brazilian had already picked up a yellow in the first half for a similar lunge. After a discussion, the referee pulled a yellow card from his pocket—Andrade’s second—reducing Knoxville to 10 men.
But the home side continued to press forward, spurred on by the 12th man in the stands that had been forced to become their 11th. Then Moses Mensah, the team’s most unpredictable and dangerous player through two rounds of playoff fixtures, went in late on a tackle in midfield, getting the player and not the ball. This time, the referee was quicker to his pocket, pulling a second yellow and eventually a red card for the Ghanaian.
At that moment, most other teams would’ve sent all eight field players back to defend—digging a trench, with potential penalty kicks the only source of hope. But McKeever signaled for a 4-4 lineup—four defenders, four midfield/attacking players. It was typical of the approach Knoxvillians have become enamored with. Between the rock and the dagger, you swing for the jaw even if the blade kills you.
In the 83rd minute, the Fusion scored again.
The players did not lower their heads. Not a single tail was spotted between a pair of legs for the home side, which valiantly fought for the equalizer. Once Andreassen was clattered from behind by McNally as the goalkeeper went to punch a ball inside the penalty box. The referee, perhaps interested in neutralizing the advantage of the raucous home crowd by making himself the protagonist of the game’s final 20 minutes, didn’t wince, even as the Norwegian lay on the ground in visible agony.
In history, you will find few teams who will go toe-to-toe, 9-v-11, for as long as One Knoxville attempted to. With the threat of 3-1 scoreline fully shutting the door on their ambitions, they waved Swinkels and every other man up on set pieces in the dying minutes. But even the patented Alex Abril long throw-in for a Scandinavian forehead failed.
Andreassen was the first to the crowd, pleading, “Sorry.” Many—players, coaches, staff—were in tears. This season is over. The reality struck as feelings were and remain hot to the touch, like a wound that’s only just stopped bleeding but is still raw from the trauma.
Isn’t it an achievement to believe, in a season where you’ve only lost three times and claimed two titles across 17 games, that it’s ended far too soon? To be among the last eight standing and yet feel like you still haven’t met your potential?
Thoughts swirl in many heads as we await to see what’s next.
Before there was One Knoxville, there was the announcement by the ownership group that manifested the club into being that they would bring pro soccer to Knoxville. That could be as soon as next season in the USL League One. Nothing is confirmed.
As early as Monday, players will pack their possessions and return to their schools to finish their college careers, many like Andreassen and Dani the Bull—crowdpleasers who embody the fight-until-your-dying-breath nature that Knoxvillians admire—waiting, perhaps, for a contract offer from McKeever alongside the rest of their Christmas presents in December.
The coaches also depart. McKeever and Dean Grey to Young-Harris College and Nick Jaramillo to North Carolina FC Youth. Will we see them all together again? These men who brought us so much joy. We can only hope.
And what’s next for those of us left with our hearts bleeding? For the fans. For the Scruffs. The club doesn’t end with the season. One Knoxville has established itself in the city. The building project has not ceased construction, regardless of the circumstances. In fact, it’s only ramping up. Through its collaboration with Knox Metro Soccer League, the club has become a visible presence in adult recreational leagues across the city. The flag still flies.
And, as I lay my head to sleep, that is what I will hold onto. The knowledge that this is not the end. It’s just the beginning.
Mark McKeever
On the fans who remained to support the team an hour after game’s end
“Yeah, I think special things are going to happen in this city. And they're going to happen because of that crew that were behind us, supporting us from start to finish. We tell the players, ‘you've got to stick by each other through thick and thin.’ And I feel as though the fans are now those people who are through thick and thin. When things started to go against us, they lifted us up. And you saw the response in the second half. When we came out, we came out with little bit more quality, a little bit more aptitude, a little bit more energy. But the fans just created it 10 times more. And the players fed off it. Those guys have made these young mens lives so bloody good this summer. They're gonna walk away with this memory for the rest of their lives because of the fans.”
On the team’s performance
We were very poor on the first half. Really, really poor. We didn't do the things that we’re good at. And credit to the Fusion. They were better than us in the first half. They beat us to the second ball on set pieces. So they were sharper. They were better on the ball. They got it right. And we weren't getting it right. But the flow of the game in the second half changed tremendously. With a little talk at halftime, the guys responded. And you saw their effort, you saw their energy, you saw their body language. They went from very poor to extremely, extremely good and extremely motivated to make these fans happy.
On what’s to come for One Knoxville
“So I believe we've built a really good base. For any journey to reach any deeper level, the base has got to be intact. The strength of the base is now there, so we can build. The sky is the limit from this point on. So, as you say, it’s bittersweet. It’s really bitter, the fact that we've lost the night. It’s really sweet that we created a really, really strong foundation.”
Sebastian Andreassen
On his sentiments after the season came to a close with the final whistle
“I didn’t want it to end. It’s been so much fun this summer. You guys, the supporters, everyone in Knoxville has taken such incredibly good care of us. You don't want that to stop. So when a situation like this appears and it's over, it hits hard. I just want to tell the people how much I appreciate them, because it's it's been probably the best summer of my life. I had so much fun. I got to play soccer. I got to be around people I love. It’s been absolutely fantastic.”
On his most cherished memories from this summer
“Probably my best memory is that I got to score in front of my parents against Peachtree City. I haven't played in front of my parents in probably five years. So it's yeah, it's special. Obviously winning our division, and that mountain boot we won, you cherish those moments so much because they’re special to you. You put something on the map that's not going to get taken away from you. In 2022, we won our division, and that's never gonna be taken away from us. So it's been a lot of good memories.”
On the next steps in his career
“Well, first of all, I’m going back to Arkansas to play play one last season there. Try to do as best I can there, have a good full season, and then see what the possibilities are when Christmas comes around. That's the plan, hopefully. My dream would be just sign a contract here. But you’ve got to provide the product for that to happen.”
On his parting words to the city
“Thank you so much Knoxville. I love you guys so incredibly much. I will never ever forget you guys like you guys have a special place in my heart and you will be there forever. Thank you so much.”
Watch the full match on YouTube