Match Preview: 2nd Place Tormenta Faces Off With 7th Place Rivals
Greenville, SC – For the third time in league play and fourth time in all competitions, Tormenta and the Greenville Triumph meet again. The two teams have been proven to be strong competition for each other. Both teams are 1-1-1 over the course of the season and when they square off, there is very little to separate the two sides. Tormenta and Greenville kicked off the USL League One season and Tormenta took all 3 points via a 1-0 win. Then, the teams were paired up for their first US Open Cup match and Greenville advanced by a 1-0 win. For their second match in league play, the teams kept it close yet again and each went home with one point following a 1-1 match. Needless to say, these are two squads that have each other figured out. Coaches Miglarese and Harkes have built their teams on strong defenses and looking at these two teams, it shows.
What To Watch For:
Top Keepers In The League: Pablo Jara and Dallas Jaye currently are battling for first in the Golden Glove race, with very little separating the two, week in and week out. On top of that, Jara and Jaye sit in first and second respectively when it comes to clean sheets (Jara with 9 and Jaye with 8). The two are vocal leaders of their team and their success often translates to the success their whole team has. Neither keeper has conceded more than one goal versus the other’s team and they will both look to keep it that way. For Tormenta, the likes of Micaletto, Morrell, Coutinho, Dennis, and new loanee Kadono will have to get creative to frustrate and get past Jaye.
Speaking of Kadono: The Loudoun United loanee impressed in his short time on the pitch last week versus Lansing. Tormenta subbed in the forward in the 76th minute when the team was trailing 1-0. Kadomo came on the pitch and tied the match back up 1-1 and bagged himself Week 18 Goal of the Week. The forward will look to add to his goal tally and assist a struggling Tormenta offense. As I spoke about all season, Tormenta is a team built on the backs of a strong defense. It helps to have a player like Shinya who can come on the pitch and make an immediate impact.
New, But Familiar: Another semi-new name for Tormenta is Kobe Perez. The midfielder spent the course of the USL League Two season on Tormenta FC 2’s roster. Over the course of 17 matches played, Perez bagged three goals and three assists from his midfield position. If you watched any Tormenta 2 this season, Perez always stood out no matter who the League Two team went up against. On the ball, Kobe’s movement is breathtaking, often leaving opponents lost from his footwork. His vision for a great pass is stellar as well; Perez was someone that Tormenta fans were always looking for to start attacks. Kobe will serve well for Tormenta’s already deep midfield with names like Nil Vinyals, Ricardo Gomez, Lucas Countinho, and Marco Micaletto. His time learning from these four will no doubt help him elevate his game even more.
Match Facts:
Greenville Triumph SC (6-6-5) v. Tormenta FC (8-6-3)
Legacy Early College Field, Greenville, SC.
August 3rd, 7 PM.