Charlotte Independence secured a 3–2 victory away at Chattanooga Red Wolves SC on Saturday, with goals from Prince Saydee, Souaibou Marou, and Jon Bakero enough to hold off a spirited Chattanooga fightback through Joshua Ramos and Pedro Hernandez.

Charlotte needed less than a minute to seize control. Saydee found the net in the opening seconds, and Marou doubled the lead in the 13th minute, converting from a Luis Alvarez delivery. At 2–0 inside a quarter of an hour, the Red Wolves looked in serious trouble.

They responded well. Ramos pulled one back in the 21st minute, finishing off a Pedro Hernandez pass, and the momentum shifted. Hernandez then completed the comeback effort himself on 40 minutes, tucking away a chance created by Ropapa Mensah to level it at 2–2 heading toward halftime.

The game grew increasingly fractious as the first half wound down. Ramos was booked a minute after his team equalized, Jordan Ayimbila followed him into the referee's notebook at the stroke of halftime, and both Matthew Acosta and Eric Kinzner picked up yellows deep into first-half stoppage time. Chattanooga's discipline was fraying badly.

Charlotte regrouped at the break and found the winner in the 58th minute. Bakero got on the end of another Alvarez assist — his second of the match — to restore the visitors' lead. Chattanooga pushed for another equalizer in the final half hour but couldn't find it, despite Charlotte picking up two late bookings of their own.

The result gives Charlotte Independence a valuable three points on the road as they look to build momentum in the USL League One season.