Triumph fall short in matchup of league’s top-two clubs
Greenville, SC (July 13, 2024) – A top-of-the table tilt between the Greenville Triumph and Union Omaha ended in a 1-0 loss for Greenville on Saturday night in Paladin stadium. The tense game featured a flurry of yellow cards and a second-half goal from Omaha that proved to be the lone goal of the rivalry’s first meeting of 2024.
A physical match from the start, fouls and yellow cards became the theme of the opening frame. Controlling early attacking opportunities, Union Omaha had a chance to take the lead in the 16th minute with a free kick that was expertly knocked over the goal by Triumph goalkeeper Gunther Rankenburg. Just a few minutes later, Omaha had another close opportunity, but Brandon Fricke made a crucial block, leading to a corner kick for Union.
In the 23rd minute, a Union Omaha player was awarded a yellow card for running in to Triumph’s keeper in the 18-yard box. The match continued to be a physical battle, with Ben Zakowski receiving a yellow card in the 27th minute for causing an opponent to trip. Gunther showcased his skills again in the 35th minute with a fantastic save from another Union Omaha free kick.
The second half began with congestion in the Triumph box, allowing Union Omaha’s forward to slide the ball past Rankenburg and Greenville defender Oliver Hald to put Omaha up 1-0 in the 50th minute. Despite a valiant effort from the Triumph, including several substitutions and increased offensive pressure, they were unable to equalize. Although Greenville had more chances in the second half, they ultimately fell short, ending the match with a 1-0 loss.
“We had some good moments, but we just didn’t create any clear-cut chances to score,” said head coach Rick Wright. We’d hope to at least get a draw, but the goal we gave up was just not a good situation. We’ll try to address some of those things with extra film this week and clean it up a little bit before Richmond.”
The loss allowed Omaha to tie the Triumph on top of the USL League One Standings with 22 points. The Triumph will look to bounce back next Saturday, July 20th, against the Richmond Kickers in the next match of the Jägermeister Cup group stage. Greenville returns home on July 27th, and fans can purchase tickets on the Greenville Triumph website.
