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STATESBORO Ga, – Following a historic first U.S. Open Cup win at Tormenta Stadium, South Georgia now looks to use that momentum to get its first USL League One home victory of 2023 against regional rival Greenville Triumph SC this Saturday, April 8, at 7:30 p.m. ET from Optim Sports Medicine Field at Tormenta Stadium. South Georgia comes into this match unbeaten in seven against the Greenville side after last year’s historic semifinal win in Greenville.

Tormenta Stadium will play host to the first edition of the Peach States Derby. South Georgia will look to continue its undefeated streak against the Greenville side as Triumph SC visits Tormenta Stadium for the first time on Saturday.

Last year, both teams featured in four games. South Georgia was able to get a 2-0 road win in the first meeting. In the second visit to Early Legacy College, the Statesboro side scored three on the home team. South Georgia would then go on to secure a historic 5-5 draw. In the League One semifinals, Tormenta FC would go on to secure its ticket to the final after defeating the Triumph SC on the road. 

South Georgia are currently undefeated in seven against the Greenville side. In the last four games between Greenville and South Georgia at Early Legacy College, the Statesboro side has won four matches, with the last one coming on Oct. 30. South Georgia’s last defeat to the Triumph SC was on May 22, 2021. 

South Georgia is poised to make a strong push for the championship title in the upcoming season. Fans can secure their seats at the new Tormenta Stadium ahead of 2023, with Season Tickets now available for purchase.

Following Saturday’s match, Tormenta FC is set to go on the road after several home games to take on Lexington SC for the first time in club history next Saturday April 15 at 7 p.m. ET from Toyota Stadium in Lexington, Kentucky.

Saturday’s match versus the Triumph will be streamed live through ESPN+ domestically and Youtube Internationally. For live updates and highlights throughout the match, fans can follow Tormenta FC on Twitter.

Fans unable to make it to Saturday’s match can stream it domestically via ESPN+ or on Youtube internationally. Fans can follow Tormenta FC on Twitter for live updates and highlights throughout the match.

STATESBORO, Ga. – South Georgia Tormenta FC and Greenville Triumph SC have officially announced its new rivalry name the “Peach States Derby,” highlighting the rich history of peaches in both states. The Peach States Derby honors the legacy of the iconic fruit by bringing together the two teams from Georgia and South Carolina to compete throughout the regular season for a trophy that will be presented on a later date.

Peaches have long been a beloved fruit in both Georgia and South Carolina, with each state laying claim to their own unique variety. In Georgia — also known as “The Peach State” across the United States — the peach industry dates back to the 1800s and has become a significant contributor to the state’s economy, with over 1.6 million trees producing millions of pounds of peaches each year. Similarly, South Carolina has a rich peach-growing history that dates back to the late 1800s, with the state producing more than three times the amount (in pounds) of peaches harvested in Georgia in a typical season.

Through the years the rivalry has continued to grow. From the beginning, South Georgia pulled a statement win in the first-ever USL League One game in 2019. South Georgia has gone on to score 25 goals compared to Greenville’s 17 and currently holds a 8-5-2 (W-L-D) record across all competitions against Greenville. In three games, current TFC forward Kazaiah Sterling has become the top goalscorer of the League One Classic with four goals scored.

In 2022, South Georgia pulled off its best year against the Greenville side after securing seven out of nine regular-season points. The road to the USL League One and W League Final’s also had to go through Greenville after a 1-4 win against the Greenville Liberty and a 0-1 in the League One semifinal secured both teams an opportunity to fight for trophies.

The rivalry name was chosen after much discussion and consideration with the club’s supporters’ groups and fans across the region. Following an initial poll to determine interest in rivalry name options, South Georgia and Greenville ultimately decided that the four poll names did not fully align with the teams’ vision for the iconic rivalry. Overall, supporters from both clubs supported the peach-themed rivalry name options, which ultimately led to Peach States Derby being selected.

How it Works:

The team with the most points from the regular season matches between the two teams will be awarded the Peach States Derby Trophy. To note, the trophy is based only on the regular season. Playoff matches, Open Cup matches and exhibition matches are not included in the decision of awarding the trophy. If both teams are tied in points come the end of the season, the first tie breaker will be total goals scored in the series, and the second tie breaker will be away goals scored.

The Peach States Derby is set to become the most anticipated rivalry series in all of USL League One, and its purpose is to continue growing the oldest rivalry in League One. For South Georgia, having a rival in Greenville has only helped the passion for soccer grow around the region.

Saturday, April 8, will mark the 16th meeting between the two League One sides that began with the inaugural League One match, resulting in a 1-0 Tormenta FC win on March 30, 2019, at Erk Russell Park in Statesboro, Georgia. South Georgia will be playing Greenville for the first time since eliminating them in the League One Semifinals in October of 2022.

South Georgia is poised to make a strong push for the championship title in the upcoming season. Fans can secure their seats at the new Tormenta Stadium ahead of 2023, with Season Tickets now available for purchase.

For additional information and scheduling interviews, call (301-237-0539) or email epintor@tormentafc.com.

STATESBORO, Ga. – The U.S. Soccer Federation announced Thursday the Third Round draws of the 108th edition of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, pairing South Georgia Tormenta FC with Major League Soccer side Charlotte FC. Tormenta FC will travel to Charlotte, North Carolina, for its Third Round fixture with a date and time to be announced in the near future.

UPDATE (April 7, 2023): The Open Cup match will be played at the Mecklenburg County Sportsplex at Matthews on Tuesday, April 25. The match will kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET. Tickets are now on sale and are $25 for the general public, and currently, no stream for the match has been announced.

Tormenta FC enters the Third Round after securing a 2-1 Second Round victory in the 2023 U.S. Open Cup after defeating Rio Grande Valley Toros FC of the USL Championship at Optim Sports Medicine Field from Tormenta Stadium in Statesboro, Georgia. John Murphy Jr. scored the first goal for South Georgia, and midfielder Kingsford Adjei secured the game-winner in the dying moments of the second half. Pablo Jara secured the save of the night with a penalty save in the 69th minute of the match. The victory sees South Georgia’s professional side win its first home U.S. Open Cup game ever at Tormenta Stadium.

Charlotte FC is set to start its 2023 U.S. Open Cup run taking on the reigning USL League One Champions. In 2022, Charlotte FC debuted in the U.S. Open Cup, making it all the way to the Round of 16, where the Charlotte side ultimately fell to the New York Red Bulls. 

In the 2023 MLS regular season, Charlotte FC is currently 1-3-2 (W-L-T) with its lone victory of the season coming on March 18 against Orlando City. Tormenta FC looks to capitalize on its recent success to advance to the Fourth Round of the Open Cup for the second time in club history.

Now in its 108th edition, the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup – U.S. Soccer’s National Championship – has crowned a champion since 1914 in every year except 2020 and 2021. The history-filled tournament is conducted on a single-game-knockout basis and is open to all professional and amateur teams affiliated with U.S. Soccer. In 1999, the oldest ongoing national soccer competition in the United States was renamed to honor American soccer pioneer Lamar Hunt.

The 2023 U.S. Open Cup winner will earn $300,000 in prize money, a berth in the 2024 Concacaf Champions League, and have its name engraved on the Dewar Challenge Trophy – one of the oldest nationally-contested trophies in American team sports – now on permanent display at the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Frisco, Texas. The runner-up will earn $100,000, while the team that advances the furthest from each lower division will take home a $25,000 cash prize.

Orlando City SC are defending Open Cup champions, having earned the club’s first tournament title thanks to a 3-0 victory against second-division (USL Championship) side Sacramento Republic FC on September 7, 2022, in a Final played before a capacity crowd at Orlando’s Exploria Stadium.

usopencup.com is the official website of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Fans can also follow the competition on Twitter and Instagram @OpenCup and Facebook @OfficialOpenCup.

STATESBORO, Ga. – South Georgia Tormenta FC secured a 2-1 Second Round victory in the 2023 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup after defeating Rio Grande Valley Toros FC of the USL Championship at Optim Sports Medicine Field from Tormenta Stadium in Statesboro, Georgia. John Murphy Jr. scored the first goal of the night for South Georgia, and midfielder Kingsford Adjei secured the game-winner in the dying moments of the second half. Pablo Jara secured the save of the night following a penalty save in the 69th minute of the match. Tonight’s result sees South Georgia’s professional side win its first home U.S. Open Cup game ever at Tormenta Stadium. South Georgia now awaits its Third Round opponent.

“This was a difficult game. Rio Grande is a talented USL Championship team that never quit and were able to score a goal in the dying moments of the game. Despite this, we remained concentrated and were able to pull off our first home win of the season. A win today was massive, but we are moving on and now shift our focus to Greenville. We are glad to get a win in the Open Cup, but we need to get back on track in league play.” 

Pablo Jara, Tormenta FC Goalkeeper

Tormenta FC’s performance showed the importance the club gives to the Open Cup. With a very competitive starting XI and high energy throughout, Cameron showed that a win was necessary to make a statement. Cameron and his squad remain unbeaten against USL Championship sides in the Open Cup competition following tonight’s win against Rio Grande and wins against the Charleston Battery and the Birmingham Legion in 2022. 

In a sturdy first half, Tormenta FC was able to retain possession of the ball despite Rio Grande being productive on the offensive side. In the 39th minute of the match, South Georgia’s offensive line coordinated a tactical play that ended up in Tormenta FC’s first goal of the night. Andrew Akindele and Mukwelle Akale played a give-and-go pass to each other leaving Akale clear to center into the box. Murphy Jr. was able to shoot the ball first time to the keeper’s opposite corner. 

Despite a strong second half start for the visiting team, Rio Grnade was unable to finish its chances. About 82 minutes into the match, South Georgia found its game-winner following a great play starting with Matheus Cassini backheeling a pass to the pacey fullback Nick Akoto, who sped through the entire field to place a cross to the opposite side of the box, finding Adjei. Adjei was able to place the ball into the opposite side of the keeper’s net, giving Tormenta FC a 2-0 lead. 

Rio Grande was not going to go down without a fight, in stoppage time, the visitor secured a goal and was pressing for the equalizer. Despite its strong efforts, the referee blew the whistle, which meant South Georgia had placed itself in the Third Round of the national competition. 

South Georgia’s Pablo Jara had a night to remember. His three saves were crucial to Tormenta FC’s victory today. 

South Georgia is poised to make a strong push for the championship title in the upcoming season. Fans can secure their seats at the new Tormenta Stadium ahead of 2023, with Season Tickets now available for purchase.

Tormenta FC will await its destiny in the third round of the U.S. Open Cup, with the draw being on April 6.  

Following today’s Open Cup match, the team returns home to host regional rivals the Greenville Triumph SC this Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET from Optim Sports Medicine Field at Tormenta Stadium. 

STATESBORO, Ga. – The 2023 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup makes its return to Statesboro, Georgia, this Wednesday, when South Georgia Tormenta FC begins play in the Second Round of the national  tournament to take on USL Championship side Rio Grande Valley FC at 7:30 p.m. ET from Optim Sports Medicine Field at Tormenta Stadium. 

Tormenta FC made its professional debut in the 106th edition of the US Open Cup in 2019, which resulted in a 1-0 defeat against Greenville Triumph. In 2022, South Georgia entered the national competition after the competition’s two-year hiatus. The Statesboro side had its best cup run in club history after defeating Championship side Charleston Battery in the Second Round and the Birmingham Legion in the Third Round. South Georgia ultimately fell to Major League Soccer side Inter Miami CF in the Fourth Round. 

South Georgia opened its 2023 League One regular season on the road with a 0-1 win at North Carolina FC. Despite two consecutive defeats at home, South Georgia will look to get back on track and obtain its first home victory of the season this Wednesday. In 2022, the Statesboro side obtained two consecutive wins against Championship sides and will look to continue its winning ways against the second-tier teams.  

The fixture will be a first for both sides as the teams look to start off its cup run the best way possible. Rio Grande Valley will travel 1,262 miles for its Second Round fixture against the reigning USL League One Champions. 

Fans not able to make it to Wednesday’s match can stream the match domestically via Tormenta FC’s Twitch and Youtube Channels.

Rio Grande Valley kicked off its eighth season as a professional club in 2023 with a 1-1 draw against Las Vegas Lights. Rio Grande is currently ranked fifth in the USL Championship Western Conference and is undefeated after four games with three consecutive draws at home and a win on the road to Detroit City FC.

Rio Grande currently rosters Liga MX veterans Francisco “Paco” Torres, who is a three-time Liga MX Apertura Winner with Tigres UANL and a Clausura winner with CF Pachuca. Paco Torres is also a Copa Sudamericana and Concacaf Champions League winner with Pachuca.

Rio Grande also rosters Erik Pimentel, a Club America youth product with whom he obtained two Liga MX titles and two Concacaf Champions League titles. 

Now in its 108th edition, the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup – U.S. Soccer’s National Championship – has crowned a champion since 1914 in every year except 2020 and 2021. The history-filled tournament is conducted on a single-game-knockout basis and is open to all professional and amateur teams affiliated with U.S. Soccer. In 1999, the oldest ongoing national soccer competition in the United States was renamed to honor American soccer pioneer Lamar Hunt.

The 2023 U.S. Open Cup winner will earn $300,000 in prize money, a berth in the 2024 Concacaf Champions League, and have its name engraved on the Dewar Challenge Trophy – one of the oldest nationally-contested trophies in American team sports – now on permanent display at the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Frisco, Texas. The runner-up will earn $100,000, while the team that advances the furthest from each lower division will take home a $25,000 cash prize.

Orlando City SC are defending Open Cup champions, having earned the club’s first tournament title thanks to a 3-0 victory against second-division (USL Championship) side Sacramento Republic FC on September 7, 2022, in a Final played before a capacity crowd at Orlando’s Exploria Stadium.

usopencup.com is the official website of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Fans can also follow the competition on Twitter and Instagram @OpenCup and Facebook @OfficialOpenCup.

Wednesday’s match versus Rio Grande Valley Toros FC will be streamed live through Tormenta FC’s Twitch Channel and Youtube Channel. For live updates and highlights throughout the match, fans can follow Tormenta FC on Twitter.

STATESBORO, Ga. – South Georgia Tormenta FC has announced the four nominees for the month of March’s Tormenta FC Player of the Month (USL League One) award. The community will help decide the winner. Defenders Jake Dengler and Davey Mason and midfielders Tobias Otieno and Mukwelle Akale are all up for the award. In the two games played throughout March, these four individuals stood out over the rest. South Georgia continued its winning ways on the road in 2023, opening up the season with a 0-1 win at North Carolina FC two weeks ago. 

Akale has impressed in his second season with the reigning champions. In his first two games of the season, Akale has scored twice and has appeared in Week One and Week Two of USL League One’s Team of the Week. Otieno’s presence in the midfield continues to captivate many as his performances only get better. In his first game of the season, Otieno won 100% of his duels and 86% of his tackles to go along with 10 recoveries. 

Voting for the Tormenta FC Player of the Month (USL League One) award will run through Monday, Apr. 10, at 11:59 p.m. ET, with daily voting permitted. The winner will be determined via a weighted vote from the following three voting bodies:

• A fan vote (poll below) will comprise 60 percent of the poll.
• The Tormenta FC staff ballots will comprise 20 percent of the poll.
• Media ballots comprise 20 percent of the poll.

Voting results will be announced on Tuesday, April 11.

Player of the Month Nominees:

Jake Dengler, Defender: Dengler’s defensive presence proved to be critical to the team’s success in the team’s first win of the season. Despite injury in the second game, Dengler is keen to continue to become a leader in the defensive unit when back on the field. Additionally, Dengler leads the team in clearances (10). 

Davey Mason, Defender: Mason has enjoyed a great start at Tormenta FC. Mason’s ability to create danger and defend well has allowed him to distinguish himself throughout the other fullbacks in the league.

Tobias Otieno, Midfielder: Otieno remains one of the best midfielders in the league after dominating the midfield in the month of March. Otieno has won 15 of his 20 duels, and his 83% passing accuracy helps create chances for the offensive line. 

Mukwelle Akale, Midfielder: Akale leads USL League One in goals scored with both of his goals coming in two consecutive games. The pacey and agile winger has become a threat to every League One defensive line. Akale’s free kick goal against the Charlotte Independence  was featured in Saturday’s edition of SportsCenter’s Top Ten, coming in at number 10.

STATESBORO, Ga. – South Georgia Tormenta FC was unable to get its first home victory of the 2023 USL League One season despite a strong showing throughout the first half. Collin Mocyunas made his professional debut after entering in the 76th minute of the match. 

South Georgia’s only opportunity of the first half came in the 19th minute, when Jackson Khoury positioned Akindele one-on-one with the goalkeeper, but his effort hit the post.

“It was a tough game. Despite the result, we aim to bounce back and get back in the win column next Wednesday in the Open Cup match.”

Tobias Otieno, Tormenta FC Midfielder

Northern Colorado striked first from the visitors’ second corner kick of the night. A short corner saw a second cross get placed into the penalty area, where the Northern Colorado defender was able to finish the ball to the top-right corner despite TJ Bush getting a touch on the ball.

The second half saw both teams create multiple opportunities. South Georgia obtained the majority of the possession throughout the half but was unable to finish.

Northern Colorado was able to score twice in the final moments of the second half, and in the 89th minute, South Georgia was unable to convert a penalty kick.

Fans can secure their seats at the new Tormenta Stadium ahead of 2023, with Season Tickets now available for purchase.

Following Saturday’s match, Tormenta FC is set to remain at home for its Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Second Round fixture against USL Championship side Rio Grande Valley FC next Wednesday, April 5, at 7:30 p.m. ET from Optim Sports Medicine Field at Tormenta Stadium in Statesboro, Georgia.

STATESBORO, Ga. – South Georgia Tormenta FC is looking to leave last week behind and get back in the winning column against Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC this Saturday, April 1, at 7:30 p.m. ET from Optim Sports Medicine Field at Tormenta Stadium. Despite opening its season with a win on the road, South Georgia is eager to get its first home victory of the season.

South Georgia’s renewed sense of focus and determination will help them take on one of the best League One teams in 2022. Despite last week’s loss, South Georgia had many moments of quality that show what the team is capable of in 2023.

Mukwelle Akale’s sensational free kick goal saw him feature in SportCenter’s Top 10 last Saturday, and has him leading the league in goals scored. Additionally, Akale has appeared in the first two League One Team of the Weeks. 

The defending League One champion will not have an easy match as the team faces a tough test against the Hailstorm. Last season, both teams defeated each other once, and drew once. The matchup is extremely equal and is set to be a tactical and set piece showdown. 

South Georgia’s ability to maintain its focus and momentum is an advantage as the home team keeps its shape very well. However, the defensive unit will need to be careful not to be overconfident and complacent as the 2022 USL League One Defender of the Year Arthur Rodgers will be looking to feed balls into Irvin Parra. Northern Colorado will be looking to capitalize on any mistakes and take advantage of any weakness.

South Georgia is poised to make a strong push for the championship title in the upcoming season. Fans can secure their seats at the new Tormenta Stadium ahead of 2023, with Season Tickets now available for purchase.

Following Saturday’s match, Tormenta FC is set to remain at home for its Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Second Round fixture against USL Championship side Rio Grande Valley FC next Wednesday, April 5, at 7:30 p.m. ET from Optim Sports Medicine Field at Tormenta Stadium in Statesboro, Georgia.

HOW TO WATCH/FOLLOW:

Saturday’s match versus the Northern Colorado Hailstorm will be streamed live through ESPN+ domestically and Youtube Internationally. For live updates and highlights throughout the match, fans can follow Tormenta FC on Twitter.