Pilato, Castro tally goals as Greenville wins second straight
Georgetown, KY (April 22, 2023) –The Greenville Triumph Soccer Club rattled Lexington SC on Saturday night, collecting a 2-0 road victory for the club’s second straight win. Noah Pilato scored a goal in his third consecutive match, and Leonardo Castro shut the door on a shorthanded Lexington with a stoppage time strike to double Greenville’s lead in the first meeting between the two clubs.
Greenville and Lexington were off to the races once the whistle blew. Lexington maintained possession on the pitch in the early minutes, but Greenville began to threaten midway through the half. Tyler Polak and Evan Lee provided strong defense to prevent Lexington from advancing and move the game forward. In the 19th minute, Allen Gavilanes wound up for a free kick, but a clean snatch from Austin Causey blocked the attempt to put a score on the board for Greenville.
Things heated up midway through the first half when Lexington’s Cesar Murillo was issued a straight red card after a foul on Leo Castro as the last defender. The former Triumph player was sent off, knocking Lexington down to ten men for the remaining 65 minutes of the evening. Capitalizing on Lexington’s reduced numbers, Greenville snagged the first goal of the match when Noah Pilato volleyed in a cross from Devin Boyce. Pilato recorded his third goal in three matches and second go-ahead goal this season. Boyce secured the lead with a defensive header in the 45th minute, keeping Greenville on top before the break.
Leading at the half for the second time in two matches, Greenville tightened its defense as Lexington urged forward to try and regain its lost goal. Lexington pulsed on with bursts of attacks down the flanks, but Greenville parried every attempt. Despite feeling the fatigue from a three-match week, the Triumph managed the game well and were patient with each counterattack as Lexington controlled possession late. Finally, in the 94th minute, Colombian forward, Leo Castro danced around the Lexington backline and sunk a left-footed strike for a second Triumph goal. Castro’s goal concluded the match and finalized another three points for Greenville and the club’s first road win of the season.
The club returns to Greenville to enjoy a full week off before returning to the pitch. Triumph SC takes on North Carolina FC at Paladin Stadium on Saturday, April 29th at 7:00 PM. Tickets are on sale now.
