Madison edges past Greenville 3-2
Madison, WI (May 4, 2024) – The Greenville Triumph SC fell 3-2 to Forward Madison FC despite rallying past an early deficit to hold a brief second half lead. Madison converted a penalty to level the match at 2-2 before scoring a goal in stoppage time to deny Greenville a road point in the back-and-forth clash. Saturday night’s match resulted in Greenville’s second regular season loss, sending the team to a record of 4-2-1. The club still sits first atop the USL League One table with 13 points.
In a lively encounter at Breese Stevens Field, the hosts got off to a blistering start, forcing the Triumph into a deficit less than a minute into the match. The early goal scored by Forward Madison’s Wolfgang Prentice immediately put the visitors on the back foot, leaving Greenville nearly 90 minutes to compensate for it. Despite Greenville’s efforts, neither side managed to dominate in front of goal in the first half, with Madison recording three shots and Greenville just two. However, a pivotal moment before halftime saw Greenville claw their way back into contention. A foul in the 43rd minute granted Greenville a penalty kick, expertly converted by Jamie Smith, ensured the teams headed into the break 1-1.
After halftime, Greenville emerged with renewed determination, injecting energy into their play with strategic substitutions. The introduction of Hayden Anderson on the left flank provided Greenville with fresh impetus, allowing them to test Madison’s defense from new angles. Greenville’s persistence paid off in the 53rd minute when a Leo Castro cleaned up a rebounded cross, putting Greenville ahead 2-1. Yet, Madison responded swiftly though, leveling the score two minutes later with a penalty kick goal of their own.
Despite Greenville’s relentless pursuit of a third goal, including numerous close calls and individual efforts, they were unable to find the breakthrough. As the match entered stoppage time, Madison capitalized on a late opportunity, securing a dramatic 3-2 victory with a last-gasp goal by League One veteran Juan Galindrez, leaving Greenville Triumph stunned and disappointed in defeat.
Greenville will return home next weekend on Saturday, May 11th following the Greenville Liberty’s home opener on Friday, May 10th. Tickets for both matches are available now.
