HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (Feb. 16, 2024) — South Georgia Tormenta FC opened the inaugural Hunstville City FC Blastoff Battle with a 0-1 defeat against Chattanooga FC on Friday afternoon at Wicks Family Field. The game was followed by penalty kicks, which Chattanooga FC won 4-5.
Both teams played a slow, methodical first half as they tried to find holes in the opponent’s defensive line. Both teams were able to find openings, registering three shots on target each. Chattanooga missed a big opportunity in the first half, forcing an acrobatic save from goalkeeper Ford Parker.
Jackson Khoury had the best chance for Tormenta FC in the first half, finding himself behind the Chattanooga defense before being chased down by a Chattanooga FC defender, who was able to stop him from registering a shot on target.
South Georgia and Chattanooga again remained tight early into the second half. Goalkeeper Drew Romig made a goal-saving stop in the 79th minute when he faced an intense one-on-one challenge from the Chattanooga FC attack. The game remained level until the referee awarded a penalty to Chattanooga FC in the 87th minute. The Chattanooga attacker slotted his spot kick into the back of the net, breaking the deadlock.
Full-time finished with a score of 0-1 in favor of Chattanooga FC. Following the 90 minutes, the two teams went to penalty kicks. Gabriel Rodriguez, Joshua Ramos, Collin Mocyunas, and Austin Wehner scored their opportunity from the penalty spot. Trialist 10 struck the crossbar, and Drew Romig was unable to save any of Chattanooga’s well-placed penalties, resulting in a 4-5 defeat in penalties.
South Georgia returns to action Sunday when the team plays Huntsville City FC before returning to Statesboro for their final two preseason matches against Jacksonville University and Charleston Battery.
Tormenta FC fans can secure their seats at Tormenta Stadium ahead of 2024, with Season Tickets now available for purchase.
Founded in 2015, Tormenta FC is a professional soccer club based in Statesboro, Georgia. Tormenta FC competes in the professional USL League One and the pre-professional USL W League, under the United Soccer League (USL), and has also established a thriving academy system throughout South Georgia and the Lowcountry of South Carolina.
Follow the club through Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter), and the Tormenta FC app available on both IOS and Android.
For media inquiries or additional information please contact Caroline Boykin at (912) 667-9422 or email cboykin@tormentafc.com or Noah Schroyer at (770) 871-8654 or email nschroyer@tormentafc.com.