GTSC concludes rivalry series with win after Castro brace
Statesboro, G.A. (July 22, 2023) – The Greenville Triumph secured a hard-fought 2-1 win over regional rivals, Tormenta FC on Saturday night in the third and final regular season match between the regional rivals in 2023. A brace by Triumph forward, Leo Castro in the first 25 minutes of play wasn’t enough to push Greenville to a multi-point win needed to take home the Peach States Derby trophy, but the club was able to close out its first victory against Tormenta in over a year with strong defense in the closing minutes. The win moved the Triumph to fourth in the table and three points above the playoff cut line.
The match began with a blazing start, as Triumph midfielder Noah Pilato delivered a precise pass that sliced through the Tormenta defenders leaving them helpless against Greenville forward Leo Castro. The striker coolly slotted the ball past the Tormenta goalkeeper, giving Greenville an early advantage just four minutes in.
As the first half progressed, Greenville continued to assert their dominance on the pitch, capitalizing on counterattacks with savviness. In the 21st minute, Allen Gavilanes thought he had doubled the lead with a brilliant finish, only for the goal to be disallowed due to an offsides call. However, Gavilanes quickly redeemed himself and minutes later he sent a skillful cross to Castro’s head, which extended Greenville’s lead to 2-0. The first half ended with Greenville firmly in control, thanks to their disciplined defensive display and Castro’s early brace.
As the teams returned for the second half, Greenville adopted a more defensive approach, focusing on preserving their lead. However, their defensive resolve was finally tested in the 66th minute when Matheus Cassini managed to muscle in a cross to get Tormenta on the scoreboard and cut the Greenville lead in half.
With the Peach States Derby hanging in the balance, Greenville found themselves fighting fiercely to protect their lead in the defending third. Tormenta relentlessly pressed forward, and Greenville was forced to absorb considerable pressure throughout the second half. The match turned into an intense midfield battle, with both teams vying for control.
At the final whistle, Greenville emerged victorious with a 2-1 scoreline. The hard-earned three points propelled Greenville into fourth place in the League table but left them shy of bring home the Peach States Derby trophy following a loss and draw against Tormenta earlier in the season. Though leaving Statesboro without the rivalry trophy, the all-important three points went to a Greenville team eager to start another win streak after the last-second loss at Charlotte on Wednesday.
“Just full credit to our team,” said head coach John Harkes. “The players were unbelievably gritty tonight. They sacrificed so much and they pushed hard. The way the midweek loss happened, going extra time and then losing so late like that, put a chip on their shoulder. Tt’s hard to accept that that kind of loss, and they came here against a very good side you know and competed so well. Great goals tonight – Leo is just so intelligent in the box and had great finishes on great passes from the guys. I’m very proud.”
Greenville returns to a normal week of rest after a seven-point effort across a stretch of three matches in eight days. The club returns to action next Saturday in Wisconsin’s capital, matching up against Forward Madison at 8:00 PM EST. Tickets are available now for home matches.
