Fort Lauderdale, FL. – South Georgia Tormenta FC impressed with both their football and kits tonight in one of the biggest tests in club history, the Fourth Round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Battling against Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami CF, Tormenta FC came out two goals shy with a final score of 1-3. Former Tottenham forward Kazaiah Sterling scored his first Tormenta FC goal to deny Inter Miami’s clean sheet and put South Georgia on the board.
“I think there are ways to lose football games, and if you’re going to lose a football game, that’s how this club wants to lose a game. We went at them and caused them a lot of problems. I think for spells of the game, perhaps we were almost the better side, and I don’t want to be silly about it, but I do think the boys performed that highly. At the MLS level, with the speed that they have, they can be clinical, and it’s a lesson for all of us. I think we had really good chances, and we didn’t take them, but I’m so unbelievably proud of this entire organization that we arrived here and how we performed, and everyone is walking away with their head held high.”
Ian Cameron, Tormenta FC Head Coach
South Georgia took the pitch with Argentine player Gonzalo Higuaín and U.S. Men’s National Team talent DeAndre Yedlin but did not make it easy on the football legends. For Tormenta FC, three mistakes turned into three goals for the home side, despite South Georgia’s domination of the attack statistically and through much of the match.
Tormenta FC put the pressure on early with back-to-back shots on goal, the first of the night for either team. Jamil Roberts kicked off the shooting in the sixth minute, forcing Miami’s keeper to make a jumping save to the top right corner. Then, in the 10th minute, Arthur Bosua nearly scored the first goal of the night with a beautiful close-range header. Roberts recorded a second shot in the 29th minute that was punched out, followed by Kingsford Adjei going one-on-one with the keeper and putting the crowd on the edge of their seats.
With zero clear chances thus far for the home team, Inter Miami pulled ahead just before the half with its first shot on goal of the night in the 45th minute, bringing the score to 0-1. Inter Miami then came back and scored a second goal just two minutes into the half.
Things took a turn in the 65th minute as Inter Miami CF’s Robbie Robinson initiated an altercation with TFC defender Jake Dengler. Both players were sent off with red cards and both sides continued on with just ten men.
In the 83rd minute, Inter Miami slotted another goal in what many thought to be the last of the night. Kazaiah Sterling proved that wrong in the 88th minute, though, outrunning two Miami players to find himself one-on-one with the keeper and easily slotting the ball into the net to bring the final score to 3-1, all thanks to a perfect assist from defender Owen Green.
Notably, TFC Academy product Indianna Vassilev also made Tormenta Nation proud tonight, assisting two of the goals for Inter Miami CF.
Tonight’s Player of the Match presented by Galactic Comics and Games is midfielder Chris Heckenberg, who locked it down in the midfield for 81 minutes, recording an 83.3% passing accuracy and winning five duels.
UPCOMING:
Tormenta FC now puts all focus on USL League One play and will now travel to Cary, North Carolina, to take on North Carolina FC on Saturday, May 14 at 5:00 p.m. ET.