USL Jägermeister Cup

Greenville Concludes Historic Run in Jägermeister Cup with Loss at Hartford Athletic

Triumph SC falls just short of Cup final after 3-1 defeat

Hartford, CT (September 10, 2025) – In a much-anticipated Jägermeister Cup semifinal clash, Greenville Triumph SC saw its historic run come to a close with a 3-1 defeat at Hartford Athletic on Wednesday. The match saw all four goals scored in the second half, with Greenville unable to overcome Hartford’s late scores. The result eliminated Greenville as the last remaining USL League One side in the interdivisional tournament. The only League One club to make the knockout stages, Greenville closes its Cup campaign with a 4-2-0 record, highlighted by wins over three USL Championship opponents.

The opening half reflected Greenville’s disciplined defensive strategy despite the higher-league opponent. The Triumph frustrated Hartford’s attack, cutting off lanes and forcing long possessions without real danger. Neither side managed to break through, sending the match into halftime scoreless.

After more than 70 minutes of airtight defending, the match finally opened up. Hartford struck first in the 71^st minute on a set piece when Joseph Farrel slipped free at the back post and headed home the opener. Just three minutes later, though, Greenville responded with a perfectly-executed free kick. Connor Evans curled a ball into the box that found the head of Zane Bubb, whose redirection set up Evan Lee at the back post to fire in the equalizer. The deadlock held until the 85^th minute, when a blocked shot fell to Marlon Hairston, who buried it to restore Hartford’s advantage. With Greenville pressing high in stoppage time, Hartford capitalized on the counterattack, sealing the match with Michee Ngalina’s breakaway finish in the 97^th minute.

Despite late attacking substitutions and a spirited push, the Triumph couldn’t overturn the deficit before the final whistle. Greenville now turns focus back to league play, preparing for a quick turnaround as the club hosts rivals Tormenta FC on Saturday night in the Peach States Derby. The match kicks off at 7:00 PM and tickets can be purchased here.

Triumph’s Jägermeister Cup Run Continues as Team Surges to Semifinals

Soto’s late goal and Rankenburg’s shootout heroics send Triumph past Indy

Indianapolis, IN (August 20, 2025) –The Greenville Triumph overcame an early deficit to defeat the USL Championship’s Indy Eleven and send the only remaining League One club to the Jägermeister Cup semifinals following a shootout win in the Hoosier State on Wednesday. Zeke Soto’s efforts to force an own goal from Indy and Gunther Rankenburg’s shootout save brought the Triumph back from the brink and in to the penultimate round of the tournament.

The first half saw Greenville dominate possession but struggle to find the back of the net. Chevone Marsh tested Indy with a rocket toward the top corner, but the match remained scoreless at the break.

Indy struck first in the 56^th minute when Romario Williams finished a clean shot at the top of the box. Greenville’s defense was tested again in the 78^th, but Zane Bubb’s acrobatic goal-line clearance kept the deficit at one.

With time running out, Zeke Soto forced an Indy own-goal in the 90^th minute, sending the match into penalties after five grueling minutes of stoppage time. Both sides traded makes until Soto calmly buried his kick at 6-5. The pressure shifted to goalkeeper Gunther Rankenburg, who guessed correctly and smothered Oliver Bryneus’ attempt, sealing Greenville’s dramatic win.

With the victory, Greenville advances to the semifinals as the only USL League One club still alive in the tournament. The Triumph will learn their next opponent and venue tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. on CBS Sports Golazo. The South Carolina side returns to their regular season schedule on Saturday with a home match versus Texoma FC at 7:00 pm. Tickets are on sale now.

IND vs GNV 08/20/2025 IUPUI Michael A. Carroll Stadium Indianapolis, IN Photo: Trevor Ruszkowski

The Jägermeister Cup Battle Continues in Indianapolis for the Triumph

TAMPA, Fla. – The United Soccer League announced today that the USL Jägermeister Cup Quarterfinal match between Greenville Triumph SC and Indy Eleven will now be played at Michael A. Carroll Stadium in Indianapolis.

Greenville Triumph SC was originally drawn to host as the Group 6 winner against the Group 3 winner, Indy Eleven. The host change is due to Greenville’s primary and secondary venues being unavailable.

The match will be played on Wednesday, August 20 at 7:00 p.m. ET at Michael A. Carroll Stadium with tickets now available.

Triumph Advances to Cup Knockout Round With 2-1 Win Over Naples

Greenville rallies from early deficit to defeat Naples; Charleston win over Tampa seals group win for Triumph

Greenville, SC (July 26, 2025)- The Greenville Triumph Soccer Club battled back from an early goal to defeat FC Naples 2-1 in the final group stage match of the USL Jägermeister Cup on Saturday at Paladin Stadium. Goals from Chevone Marsh and Leo Castro helped Greenville rebound from a Naples goal in the opening three minutes of the match. The win, combined with a Charleston victory over Tampa, clinched the group win for Triumph, sending the club to the knockout rounds of the tournament in August.

Both clubs came into the match with something to prove—Greenville aiming to maintain its momentum from a recent win over Richmond, and Naples looking to build on their first victory in seven matches. Despite the home advantage, the heat and humidity hit hard throughout the game and played a significant role in match flow and fatigue. FC Naples stunned the home crowd just over two minutes into the match. Greenville’s Seth Torman was a step behind on a defensive read, allowing FC Naples’s TJ Presthus to finish a clean cross and give Naples a 1-0 lead. Despite the early blow, the Triumph immediately took an aggressive stance. Chevone Marsh and Zeke Soto displayed intense pressure, with Marsh making multiple long dribbles through midfield and Soto drawing contact in aerial challenges. In the ninth minute, a scary head-to-head collision eventually forced Soto off. His replacement, Pascal Corvino, stepped in with fresh energy as the first half wore on. Just before halftime, Rodrigo Robles opened up the left wing and found Leo Castro with a sharp cross, which Castro buried for the equalizer.

In the second half, Greenville ramped up their intensity searching for their go-ahead goal, employing a tight press on Naples’ attempts to build out of their defensive half. Shots on goal eventually tilted heavily in Greenville’s favor, 12-3. While Naples’ keeper, Joel Serrano, made key stops—including a penalty kick save from #8, Chappa Herrera. But in the 66th minute, Marsh cut back inside the box and slotted home a shot to give Greenville a 2-1 lead. Unable to find another goal, Greenville clinched victory and the advancing spot for the Jagermeister Cup Knockout rounds. The Triumph concluded the group stage 3-1-0, becoming the first League One club to clinch a group in the multi-league tournament.

“We fought and dug out of the early hole, and I’m proud of the team,” said head coach Rick Wright. “The second half was great – we pulled it together after a good talk and our pressing in the last 45 minutes was fantastic. We kept Naples in their half and it was a great team effort to seal the victory.”

Triumph SC will now await the end of group stage play before its opponent and location of the first knockout round is determined. In the meantime, Greenville hits the road for a three-match stretch in league play, beginning with next Saturday’s match at rivals, South Georgia Tormenta FC. The match kicks off at 7:30 PM and can be seen on ESPN+.

Rick Wright, head coach: “We fought and dug out of the early hole, and I’m proud of the team. The second half was great – we pulled it together after a good talk and our pressing in the last 45 minutes was great. We kept Naples in their half and it was a great team effort to seal the victory.”

Seth Torman, goalkeeper: “I think we responded very well after the unfortunate start. We knew that we haven’t come back from down a goal much this season, so we knew we had to press the whole game and work really hard to have a chance to play another game in the in the Cup. We never let off the gas the second half and it showed in a really good win.”

Chapa Herrera, midfielder: “We had a pretty bad start with the early goal, but we really settled in after that. Our press was on point and that’s why we’re able to get a lot of possession in their half and create a lot more chances. It was a great victory for us tonight.”

Triumph Outlasts Miami FC 2-0 in Jägermeister Group Play

Goals from Robles and Anguiano lead Greenville to top of Cup Pod Standings

Greenville, SC (June 28, 2025) – The Triumph continued a run of strong play in the Jägermeister Cup, taking down USL Championship team Miami FC 2-0 on Saturday night at Paladin Stadium. Second half goals from Rodrigo Robles and Carlos Anguiano propelled the Triumph to the win while goalkeeper Seth Torman and the Triumph defense earned a shutout. With the victory, Greenville secured valuable points in Jägermeister group play, as it now leads the group after back-to-back wins against USL Championship teams.

The opening 45 minutes were tightly contested, with Greenville generating several offensive chances but were unable to break through. Despite a handful of attacking sequences from each team, the match went into halftime level at 0-0.

Just 20 seconds into the second half, Greenville pressed forward and the ball bounced between several Triumph attackers before Rodrigo Robles collected a brilliant pass from Toby Sims and chipped the ball past Bill Hamid, Miami’s keeper, in the 46th minute to give Greenville a 1-0 lead.

Both sides had opportunities throughout the second half, but the Triumph’s backline held strong. Goalkeeper Seth Torman turned in a clean sheet, denying multiple threats from Miami to preserve the shutout.

The decisive moment came in the 86th minute when Ben Zakowski danced through defenders then slipped a pass to Carlos Anguiano, who buried a one-touch strike into the back of the net for his first goal in the Triumph uniform.

“The work ethic of the group has been great,” said team captain Brandon Fricke. “We put in the work on the defensive end, and everyone was working together to tackle and fight for each other. We were hunting in packs, and then offensively we did a good job of playing in pace and it showed with two really good goals. Can’t say much more than how proud of the guys I am.”

The Triumph will look to carry this momentum into their next match as they travel to Westchester SC on Wednesday, July 2. The match kicks off at 7:00 PM. Greenville returns home on Sunday, July 20^th, to play the Richmond kickers before hosting their final match of the Jägermeister Cup group stage on July 26^th against FC Naples.

Rodrigo Robles, forward, on his chipped goal that opened scoring: “That goal was the result of teamwork – we were pressing together, we were going together and attacking together. In space I know Toby [Sims] can play that ball and I just made the run. Lucky enough, it went in and I hope I can continue that run of form in league play and we can keep getting the three points, because that’s the most important part.”

Brandon Fricke, defender and team captain, on the win: “The work ethic of the group has been great. We put in the work on the defensive end, and everyone was working together to tackle and fight for each other. We were hunting in packs, and then offensively we did a good job of playing in pace and it showed with two really good goals. Can’t say much more than how proud of the guys I am.”

Greenville tops Charleston Battery in 1-0 win in USL Jägermeister Cup group stage

Rankenburg & Zakowski anchor Greenville in low country battle

Charleston, SC (May 31, 2025)– Saturday night Greenville Triumph SC shocked in-state rivals and USL Championship power Charleston Battery with a 1-0 win in the USL Jägermeister Cup group stage. It was only the second competitive meeting between the two South Carolina clubs since 2019.

Charleston got off to a quick start, nearly striking in the eighth minute, slipping into the 18-yard box for a dangerous shot on goal. Triumph goalkeeper Gunther Rankenburg reacted quickly, diving to his right to parry the effort wide and keep things level. The first half unfolded with both teams battling for control through the midfield, neither side giving an inch. Then, in the 43^rd minute, Greenville broke the deadlock with a brilliant counterattack that started in the backline. Michael Gonzalez connected with Ben Zakowski, who weaved his way past the defense and slotted home a confident finish past former Triumph keeper Christian Garner—giving Greenville a 1-0 lead before the break.

Charleston turned up the pressure early in the second half. In the 55^th, Anthony Patti halted a threatening run inside Greenville’s box before Rankenburg once again stepped up, and blocked a powerful shot to keep the visitors in front. Moments later, the Battery found the net, but the goal was waved off for offside. The visitors pushed for an equalizer late, and in the 89^th minute, Rankenburg delivered again with a spectacular save from point-blank range—denying Charleston and preserving Greenville’s lead. After five minutes of stoppage time and a full defensive effort, Greenville Triumph came out victorious, 1-0.

The result keeps Greenville’s USL Jägermeister Cup hopes alive, with two more crucial group stage fixtures on the horizon. The Upstate club sits third in Group 6 standings and will return to league play next Saturday versus FC Naples. Tickets for next week’s home are on sale now.