Nights Like These: Greenville Triumph Defeat Charlotte Independence in 5-4 Thriller

Returning to the scene of a promise, the Greenville Triumph score its most cathartic win of the season!

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - In the midst of what is statistically the worst season in Greenville Triumph history, this club just keeps finding a way to create our greatest memories. Winning away to Charleston Battery, sliding into the Jägermeister Cup Quarterfinals, and now whatever we just collectively witnessed on Saturday in Charlotte. Greenville won 5-4 on the road against Charlotte Independence this weekend, breaking a 2.5 year duck at American Legion Memorial Stadium for just GTSC’s third away win of the entire season in all competitions, and in the most entertaining way imaginable.

Things started off like Charlotte away usually does for us Triumph fans. A beer and some wings at Big Ben’s pub with a small crowd of 8 to 10 of us, a short walk to the stadium, and quickly moving our feet down to Section 110… just close enough to jaw back and forth with the small Independence supporters section, which would become a running theme as the night went on. The strange “is this a library” chants directed towards the larger away end, banter about the number of stars above the Greenville crest and lack thereof above Charlotte’s, and the lack of overall home support every time we’ve traveled to the Queen City were enough to lift the mood and calm any nerves.

The game started out ordinarily enough. Charlotte sat back and tried to hit Greenville on the counter, something the Triumph historically have never defended well at all away to the Independence, Greenville had a few chances and even took the lead after 21 minutes through Chevone Marsh. By the time the 30th minute rolled around however, the semi-annual very stupid League One game started to show itself. Charlotte immediately answered back, first with a Christian Chaney penalty that sent Greenville keeper Gunther Rankenburg the wrong way, then with a John Bakero goal that kind of knuckled from our view and caught everyone off guard. 28th and 30th minutes, 2-1 Charlotte, and for Greenville… here we go again.

But the Triumph did enter in good form on Saturday, having lost just twice in eight games since GTSC last visited Charlotte back on Father’s Day weekend. That good form continued with the just as on fire Chevone Marsh, who added a second just before halftime. The Jamaican international previously scored in defeats at Portland and Madison, but seems to be finding his groove in green in July and August. A beautiful little one-two with Marsh and Zane Bubb assured a 2-2 game at halftime and some jokes in the away end that we looked like prime Barcelona.

After halftime, it started to feel like the universe was fighting between the Triumph’s road struggles, the Triumph entering in good form, GTSC unable to basically ever win in Charlotte, and Riot member Josh being in attendance (he’s personally undefeated this season) because things got increasingly stupider. The soccer gods didn’t know what they wanted. After a blatant jersey tug on Ropapah Mensah, Chevone Marsh completed his hat trick from the penalty spot, giving the Triumph a 3-2 lead by the 50th minute. But as would be a trend all night, Charlotte responded to again take the lead. Christian Chaney scored another penalty and added another somersault by the 55th minute to level the score, before 5’10” Rafael Jauregui was left alone for a free header to put the Independence back in front 4-3 by the 59th minute.

At this point, I’m looking up to the heavens and wondering what the Triumph have to do to win in Charlotte, but then things got even stupider, as is tradition in League One. In the 68th minute, Pascal Corvinho found some space at the edge of the box to fire in a fourth Greenville goal, 4-4 and game on. With Greenville finding pep in its step again, chaos erupts. After a jersey tug and a tactical yellow from Rodrigo Robles, Juan Moreno took exception and lost his head. 74th minute, less than two whole minutes after he entered as a substitute, Moreno put his hands to the face of Robles right in front of the referee and is shown a red card for violent conduct. A Charlotte fan behind the away end disagrees but the laws of the game are the laws of the game, so advantage Greenville. From there, the Triumph and the visiting section, we all smell blood. Up a man, with the way things are going, a goal feels certain.

Greenville continues to push, works patiently, misses a couple chances in the midst of 11 minutes of stoppage time, but then finally finds a winner in the 97th minute. A long ball across from DJ Benton finds Tyler Polak at the far post. The cross, probably intended for Rodrigo Robles, drifts wide after Robles, who valiantly hobbled around for the last 15 minutes or so on a pulled hamstring, falls to the turf. Polak looks up, waits, might have a shot for himself, but lays it off to second half sub Ben Zakowski who smashes home the winner. Both teams collapse, one in an exhausted celebration and the other exhausted in defeat.

Back in the away end, the Riot goes wild but not in the way you think. About as dead on our feet as the teams, the Triumph fans can do nothing but hug. It’s a beautiful moment in what has been at times a rough season, but one that looks to be on track again. After a 1-0 defeat in Charlotte back on Father’s Day that left GTSC without a league win in eight games, we were promised that things would turn around. Fast forward two months later, back at the scene of that tough conversation, and it looks like the Triumph are on the way to just that.

And I say all this, why? Because this is what makes following a local club so special. It’s nights like these. It’s hugs in the away end after a nine-goal thriller or a smash and grab 1-nil that you didn’t expect, it’s bantering with your friends and with the home section, it’s memories that will last a lifetime all over a 90 minute game because you’ve been through it all with them all season. It’s because you believed in your club even when things looked bleak in the past, it’s one night to release and celebrate all the pent up frustration, because this is ours. We’re the ones who get it.

Credit Greenville Triumph