Blake Bowen scored twice, including CCFC’s first opening goal of the season, as the Sharks battled One Knoxville SC to a dramatic 2-2 draw
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (May 23, 2026) – A 97th-minute equalizer forced Corpus Christi FC into a 2-2 draw against defending USL League One champions One Knoxville SC after the Sharks appeared moments away from one of the biggest results in club history.
By the final whistle Saturday night, the atmosphere inside Cabaniss Athletic Complex felt deflated.
Still, beneath the disappointment was a performance CCFC could rally around. Led by two goals from Blake Bowen, the expansion side went toe-to-toe with the reigning league champions for nearly the full 90 minutes.
“I’m gutted by the result, but we played very well against a very good team. I know the wins are coming, and we’ll be ready by next week,” said Bowen.
First Half Statement
From kickoff, CCFC made its intentions clear. The Sharks were not going to be intimidated by the gap in experience or the standings between the two sides. Entering the match second in the USL League One table, One Knoxville faced early pressure from Corpus Christi’s physical defensive approach.
As fouls piled up throughout the opening 15 minutes, the Sharks continued to impose themselves defensively. Sam Roscoe and Tomas Ritondale each recorded three clearances while commanding the back line, helping limit One Knoxville to just two shots on target in the first half and forcing much of the visitors’ buildup play backwards.
Those defensive efforts paved the way for Bowen’s breakthrough in the 42nd minute. The forward broke free and fired a strike from the left edge of the six-yard box to give CCFC a 1-0 lead heading into halftime.
Bowen Strikes Again
Corpus Christi continued to control momentum early in the second half. In the 48th minute, One Knoxville’s Mikkel Gøling was shown a red card after attempting to volley a ball in midair and colliding with Roscoe near the head and neck area. Roscoe was able to continue, while Knoxville was forced to play the remainder of the match down a man.
Despite the disadvantage, One Knoxville quickly responded with a series of dangerous attacks inside the Sharks’ defensive third.
Recently acquired goalkeeper Logan Erb made several key stops to keep CCFC in front, but the sustained pressure eventually led to an equalizer from Braudilio Rodrigues in the 55th minute. Momentum had suddenly shifted, and frustrations began to rise as the fouls continued to accumulate.
Just as Knoxville appeared to have seized control of the match, Corpus Christi answered back in the 69th minute. Midfielder Andrew Booth received a soft touch pass down the left side from Bowen before attempting to redirect the ball toward the center of the box. The pass instead deflected back into Bowen’s path, allowing the forward to finish the loose ball and restore the Sharks’ lead with his second goal of the night.
Regroup and Reload
As the clock reached the 90th minute, the fourth official raised the board signaling six minutes of stoppage time. Corpus Christi stood just moments away from securing one of the biggest victories of its inaugural professional season.
Every Knoxville attack was met by either midfielder Enock Kwakwa stepping in for a tackle or Erb coming off his line to claim a cross or shot. The visitors struggled to find an answer as the final minutes ticked away.
It was not until the final minute of stoppage time that One Knoxville earned its first corner kick of the second half. Rodrigues worked down the left side before a deflection off CCFC captain Paddy Langlois sent the ball out for the set piece. Knoxville midfielder Teddy Baker delivered the ensuing corner toward the far post, where Erb initially appeared to secure it before the ball slipped through and into the net. The play was ultimately ruled an own goal against Erb, leveling the match at 2-2 moments before the final whistle.
“I’m gutted, obviously,” said assistant coach Manny Iwabuchi. “I thought tonight we finally put it together to the point where we felt like we deserved to win… And obviously, the game can be cruel sometimes and that’s what it was tonight… We just got to take the positives and move on to the next couple of matches, but I’m very very gutted for them. But we’ll regroup and we’ll get ready for the next one to make sure that we take this as a learning experience and put it together for the next one.”
Kwakwa, who recorded four tackles and two interceptions defensively, added after the match, “It is hard to take this one. We just want to get a win for the fans. But I’m happy with my teammates. Everyone did a great job. We’ll keep fighting as a team.”
CCFC’s next league match is Friday, May 29 at Forward Madison FC.
Their next home match will be Wednesday, June 3 against Portland Hearts of Pine at Cabaniss Athletic Complex.
Notable:
Blake Bowen’s goal in the 42nd minute marked CCFC’s first opening goal in its 2026 inaugural pro season.
Goals: Bowen (42’, 69’)
Assists: Ritondale (1)
Yellow Cards: Keaney (1), Booth (1), Dietrich (1), Gomez (1)
| CORPUS CHRISTI FC | ONE KNOX SC | |
| 9 | SHOTS | 9 |
| 5 | SHOTS ON TARGET | 5 |
| 4 | SAVES | 3 |
| 24 | FOULS | 17 |
| 3 | CORNERS WON | 2 |
| 4 | YELLOW CARDS | 3 |
| 0 | RED CARDS | 1 |
About Corpus Christi FC
CCFC was established in 2017 by Dr. Kingsley Okonkwo. The club previously played in USL League Two, the nation’s leading pre-professional league, and won their first Lone Star Division title in 2024. That same year, Corpus Christi was awarded a USL League One franchise and will kick off its first professional season in 2026. CCFC is building a new home at the Corpus Christi Multi-Sport Complex currently being constructed at 5102 Old Brownsville Road. Phase One of the $28.3 million complex was completed in summer 2025 and a 5,000-seat stadium, which will serve as home for all of the Sharks’ USL League One home games, is currently under construction.
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