Greenville, SC – A roller coaster match on the West Coast that nearly slipped away saw the Triumph rally late with a stunning empty-net goal in stoppage time to net a 3-2 win, pushing the club into the playoffs in their inaugural season and eliminating Tucson’s postseason dreams with one kick of the ball. The victory not only clinched the playoff birth for the club, but kept Greenville is in position to fight for the No. 2 spot in the league and a home playoff match as they head into their final two matches of the regular season.
Greenville opened with purpose, as Greenville found the back of the net following a sequence of deft passes at the feet of JJ Donnelly, Omar Mohamed and Dom Boland. On a one-time service, Boland connected with an unmarked Cameron Saul at the back post to put Greenville up 1-0.
FC Tucson held the majority of possession throughout the first half, but Greenville was able to gain momentum during the last five minutes that culminated in Cameron Saul breakaway for the Englishman’s second goal of the night and fourth on the season.
The match seemed comfortably in control, but Tucson did not go quietly and was able to disrupt Greenville’s clean sheet with two unanswered goals in the second half. Tucson got on the board in the 50th minute by way of a penalty kick goal after a handball in the box. The Triumph clung to a one goal lead until the match turned just before the 90th minute, as Tucson midfielder Jamael Cox brought extraordinary life off the bench with the late equalizer goal from distance.
The referees awarded five minutes of stoppage time, during which FC Tucson sent all players forward in a last-ditch effort to score. In a stunning turn of events, Greenville was able to clear the corner kick to the speedy Christopher Bermudez to start a breakaway. With Tucson needing the win to stay alive, the keeper was pulled forward and Bermudez kept composure and struck on an empty Tucson net to score a last minute goal to earn Greenville three points and a spot in the playoffs.
Following the match, an elated John Harkes reflected on the journey to the playoffs. “I’m so excited for our club,” he said. “To do this in our first season as an organization is a massive milestone. There’s lots of work to be done and it will only get more difficult from here, but you have to enjoy these moments. It’s not always about the wins and losses. It’s about the experiences you have as a team. We put 7 goals in against Tucson this season and we’re excited for what lies ahead of us.”
With the 3-2 win over FC Tucson, Greenville has earned a playoff birth and now stand in contention for the No. 2 seed should the club win the last two matches of the year. A No. 2 seeding in the post-season would mean a first-round home match for Greenville.
Join us back at Legacy Early College for Fan Appreciation Night on September 27th as we celebrate clinching a playoff position and our last home match of the season! Happy Hour begins at 5:30 pm with gates opening for season ticket members. Gates open at 6:00 pm for all ticket holders, and kickoff is at 7:00 pm. Tickets can be purchased by clicking here.
Reminder: ticket holders for the 9/13 match vs. FC Tucson are allowed to exchange their tickets for the 9/27 match due to excessive weather delays.
STATS
Shots (on goal):
Greenville – 13 (7)
Tucson – 11 (4)
Possession:
Greenville: 39%
Tucson: 61%
Corners:
Greenville – 4
Tucson – 2
Scoring Summary:
Greenville: C. Saul – 3′, 44′, C. Bermudez – 94′
Tucson: J. Jones – 50′, J. Cox – 89′
Misconduct Summary:
Greenville: A. Walker (caution) – 57′, C. Bermudez (caution) – 94′
Tucson: B. Spencer (caution) – 40′
Ejection Summary:
N/A
