SNELLVILLE, Ga. — Kalonji Pro-Profile progressed to the UPSL Georgia Conference Semi-Finals on Sunday night but were made to work for their victory by an impressive Scenic City. After a smashing first half display that saw the away side go 3-0 up, four goals from Kalonji’s Karim Tmimi would ultimately be the difference on a night when both teams went hell for leather in their quest for glory.
Kalonji had ended their regular season first in Georgia Zone 1 and an 8-1-1 record. They scored 38 and allowed 14. Visitors Scenic City, meanwhile, finished fourth in Georgia Zone 2, earning a 5-1-4 record. They scored 23 and conceded 19.
It took ten minutes for the first of the night’s 12 to fly in. A Scenic City corner, floated in by Brian Jimenez, was punched away by Ashon Maynard only as far as Marcus Odeny who swept a one-touch, side-footed, half volley straight into the goal to make it 1-0 for the visitors. A moment to forget for Maynard who gave the ball straight to Odeny, who was unmarked on the edge of the box.
Six minutes later, they had their second. A long ball by full-back Ben Horchak found Clay Gallant who beat off the challenge of Kalonji’s Grant Carr to feed a low cross into the box. The ball bounced off the post, then off defender Ben Davies before Scenic City’s Jack Conrad tapped in. 2-0 to the visitors.
Kalonji were trying to get back into the game, but Scenic City were ruthlessly making the most of their forays into the opposition half. On 35 minutes, they grabbed a third. Sam Conrad now played a creative role, excellently finding space in an advanced position and feeding a delightful pass into the box for his brother Jack to take on. After a good, controlling first touch, his shot looked to take a slight deflection off Davies that left Maynard helpless as Scenic City went 3-0 up and into dreamland.
The start of the second half was simply bonkers, as within four minutes Kalonji had got two back. Kalan Kalonji began the comeback, heading in a cross only 51 seconds into the half. Less than a minute later, Karim Tmimi brought the score to 3-2, firing in a shot from just outside the box.
Scenic City, however, were also in the mood for a goal. Just inside the 49th minute, Sam Conrad brushed off Toni Tiente to find space in the middle of the park. He fed a pass wide to Gallant on the right who somehow found himself unmarked charging into the box. With his second touch, Gallant popped it over substitute goalkeeper Henry Pleitez. 4-2, three goals in less than four minutes.
The game settled for a period before Kalonji Pro-Profile were awarded a strange penalty just after the hour mark. A ball sent into the box found attacker Owanja Medard. He had a seemingly innocuous clash with Jimenez. The ball was passed around between Thierry Jules and Kalan Kalonji who failed to beat a Scenic City defender. All of a sudden, Medard slowly went down and referee Ben Abrams pointed to the spot. It was weird, as there didn’t seem to be any contact, and Medard went down a long time after the challenge from Jimenez. Did Abrams blow the whistle for something else? Had he started pointing to the spot before Medard went down? Don’t know, it remains very unclear. Certainly, I couldn’t make out anything a Scenic City player had done wrong. In any case, Tmimi converted the spot kick to make it 4-3.
A second, less controversial penalty made it 4-4. On 77 minutes, during a Kalonji attack the ball was bouncing around the box. A Scenic City player (possibly Jimenez or Joselli Castillo) was on the ground and might have handled the ball, leading Abrams to point to the spot yet again. And yet again, Tmimi converted his hattrick and we entered the 80th minute on eight goals, amazingly with another four still to be netted. Neither side could break the deadlock and so the game entered extra time.
Kalonji finally took the lead on 99 minutes. Tiente swung in a freekick from the left that was headed in by captain Kymani Irving. They then pulled ahead further through Medard. On 112 minutes he swept a shot past Myers after a good through play header from Tmimi. Tmimi then put the tie to bed, sending his fourth goal past a tired looking Scenic City defense and the game was 7-4.
Scenic City may have given up two leads, including a 3-0 cushion, but they deserve credit at this point for not wilting and continuing to fight against their much fancied hosts. Sam Conrad made it 7-5 in the 119th minute. It was too late but another great solo effort from Conrad who took the ball on wide on the right and dribbled past some Kalonji defenders, who, like their opponents, were also looking tired.
A stunning comeback for Kalonji, they now advance to face Atlanta United’s Academy side in the Semi-Final.
For Scenic City its a first-half performance to be proud of, as was the season as a whole. They’ll be disappointed to have squandered a 3-0 lead, but kept fighting. Only recently promoted after triumphing in the Spring Division 1 season, they have enjoyed a tremendous campaign, especially in-light of their conveyor belt of injury problems. They’ll look forward to a spring season when this side can really lay on a challenge for silverware.
Box Score
Kalonji Pro-Profile v Scenic City SC
UPSL Premier Division Georgia Conference - Fall Playoff Semi-Final
Sunday 30th November, 2025
Venue: Charlie Jordan Field | Snellville, GA
Final Score: Kalonji 7-5 Scenic City
Referee: Ben Abrams
Scoring Summary:
11’: M. Odeny (SCE)
17’: J. Conrad (SCE)
35’: J. Conrad (SCE)
46’: K. Kalonji (KPP)
47’: K. Tmini (KPP)
49’: C G.allant (SCE)
64’: K. Tmini (KPP) penalty
77’: K. Tmini (KPP) penalty
99’: K. Irving (KPP)
112’: O. Medard (KPP)
118’: K. Tmini (KPP)
Starting line-ups:
Kalonji Pro Profile: Ashon Maynard, Grant Carr, Kymani Irving, Eldjero De Mees, Ben Davies, Sam Povolotsky, Toni Tiente, Kalan Kalonji, Owanja Medard, Karim Tmimi, Thierry Jules Head Coach: Max Povolotsky
Scenic City SC: JD Myers, Marcus Odeny, Stiven Galicia, Ben Horchak, Taeylor Fisch, Brian Jimenez, Joselli Castillo, Adin Castle, Sam Conrad, Jack Conrad, Clay Gallant Head Coach: Josh Luff