Chattanooga Red Wolves SC advanced on penalties after a 1-1 draw with Union Omaha, winning the shootout 5-4 on Friday night in USL League One action. Pedro Hernandez opened the scoring inside the first minute for the visitors, while Diego Gutiérrez equalized for Omaha in the 66th minute to force extra time and eventually spot kicks.

Chattanooga wasted no time unsettling the hosts. Hernandez latched onto a Yanis Lelin pass and converted just 60 seconds in, giving the Red Wolves an early cushion to sit behind. Omaha pressed but struggled to find a way through for most of the first half, with Laurence Wootton picking up a yellow card in the 36th minute as frustrations grew.

The second half brought more urgency from the home side. Gutiérrez finally broke through in the 66th minute, finishing from a Gabriel de Freitas assist to level the match at 1-1. Chattanooga's Aaron Lombardi was cautioned in the 59th minute, and James Vaughan joined him in the book late on in the 89th as the contest grew testy. Neither side could find a winner through 90 minutes or the subsequent extra-time period.

In the shootout, Chattanooga were clinical. Matthew Bentley, Joshua Hallenberger, Lombardi, Lelin, and Ricardo Jerez all converted from the spot — five from five. Omaha scored four of their five through Gutiérrez, Samuel Owusu, Sami Guediri, and Sergio Ors, but one miss proved costly as the Red Wolves sealed the victory.

The result gives Chattanooga a valuable postseason-style win and leaves Union Omaha to rue a slow start that ultimately defined the night.