STATESBORO, Ga. – April 27, 2024 – In a nail-biting match, South Georgia Tormenta FC narrowly fell to Charlotte Independence during penalty kicks, following a 1-1 draw in the inaugural USL Jägermeister Cup match.
South Georgia found a late-in-the-game goal during added time to tie the match and catapult the players into penalty kicks when Sebastián Vivas sent a header sailing into the net following a corner kick by Mason Tunbridge. Tie breaking penalty kicks is a feature of the USL Jägermeister Cup to incentivize attacking plays and goal-scoring strategy.
The debut of the USL Jägermeister Cup this season marks a pivotal moment in American soccer, as regional rivalries take center stage in a series of cup matches designed to promote aggressive play and introduce nontraditional modifications to determine winners.
The match began with vigor, as both teams were intent on finding possession and exerting high levels of pressure. In the first minute of play, South Georgia’s Conor Doyle attempted to find the back of the net against Charlotte’s goalkeeper Austin Pack but was unable to convert the attempt.
In the eighth minute of play, Charlotte Independence’s Juan Carlos Obregón Jr. found the first goal of the night, sending a header into the back of the net.
Charlotte Independence’s midfield posed a significant challenge to the Ibises. South Georgia looked to its defense to send long passes through the midfield to press higher toward Charlotte’s goal.
Following a stint of skillful passes and attempts on goal without conversion, Tormenta FC was able to find its equalizing goal to spur the match into penalty kicks.
South Georgia’s Pedro Fonseca was the first to take a penalty kick, slotting it into the left side of the goal. Ajmeer Spengler, Niall Watson, Mason Tunbridge, and Josh Ramos followed.
Tormenta’s last shot of the night was saved by Charlotte’s keeper, giving Charlotte a narrow extra point in the standings for the USL Jägermeister Cup. Should either team emerge victorious outright, the team would receive three points in the standings. Following this match, Charlotte Independence received two points and South Georgia received one.
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, please contact Caroline Boykin at cboykin@tormentafc.com and 912-667-9422 or Noah Schroyer at nschroyer@tormentafc.com and 770-871-8654.
