3rd seeded Tormenta FC travel to Greenville to face the second seeded Triumph in a semifinal matchup.
Greenville Triumph
The Triumph finished the regular season strong, with an unbeaten streak going back to a 2-1 loss at Charlotte on September 9th. Their 12-8-10 record was good enough for 46 points, and their second straight 2nd place finish. Their final match at Richmond was meaningless to the hosts, but Greenville was in a must draw or win situation to maintain the second seed and the first round bye. They were able to take a 1-1 draw in front of 6,000 Kickers fans.
This isn’t Greenville’s first rodeo either. Since their inaugural season, they have qualified for the post season with the exception of the COVID-19 year, 2020. That year, they finished 1st, and with playoffs cancelled due to pandemic-related logistics issues, were crowned league champions. They played in the final in 2019 and 2021.
Led by Jacob Labovitz and his 12 goals, Greenville comes in with only a +2 goal differential, unusual for such a highly ranked team. Indeed, none of their 12 victories were by more than 2 goals, but they found a way to grab those points along the way with their close victories.
Greenville also has an impressive 8-4-3 home record; however two of those four losses came at the hands of Tormenta FC, who seem to have no problems in Greenville.
Tormenta FC
South Georgia Tormenta FC also finished the season strong, having not lost since September 7th in Richmond. However, it wasn’t quite enough to overtake Greenville Triumph for the second seed, who also finished strong down the stretch, and remained a point ahead. Tormenta FC ended up with just one more loss than Greenville. However, they took their momentum into the playoffs with a decisive 2-1 victory over Charlotte Independence in the first round.
During the first half of the season, Tormenta FC was all over the map. They dropped matches they should have won, including against non-contenders North Carolina FC, Central Valley Fuego, FC Tucson and Forward Madison. However their stronger second half saw wins or draws against contenders Union Omaha, Richmond Kickers, Hailstorm FC, Charlotte and Greenville.
Tormenta FC had a +3 goal differential, and came in 3rd in the league for total goals at 44. They had Greenville’s number, with two wins in Greenville and a wild 5-5 draw at home.
Tormenta FC is led by Englishman Kazaiah Sterling, with a league second best 15 goals. Sterling is capable of receiving assists from multiple forwards and midfielders.
Head to Head Comparisons
April 23 at Greenville: Tormenta FC 2, Triumph 0
June 1 at Statesboro: Tormenta FC 5, Triumph 5
July 30 at Greenville: Tormenta FC 3, Triumph 1
| Statistic | Greenville Triumph | Tormenta FC |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 12-8-10 | 12-9-9 |
| Points | 46 | 45 |
| GF | 40 | 44 |
| GA | 38 | 41 |
| GD | +2 | +3 |
| Goals Leader | Jacob Labovitz (12) | Kazaiah Sterling (15) |
| Assists Leader | Jesús Ibarra (4) Allen Gavilanes (4) | Adrian Billhardt (5) |
| Shooting Accuracy | 44.8% | 52.2%% |
| Conversion Rate | 13.1% | 15.8% |
| Home/Away Record | 8-4-3 (Home) | 8-4-3 (Away) |
Our Prediction
Tormenta FC brings momentum and a willingness to not back down on the road, especially in Greenville. We see the South Georgians pulling the upset in extra time, 2-1.