One Knoxville Continues Dominance of Greenville Triumph
Knoxville has two wins over Greenville this season
One Knoxville continued its early season dominance over Greenville Triumph, taking a second win over their southeastern rivals in the span of a week.
It was just last Wednesday when One Knox travelled to Greenville in a US Open Cup Second Round matchup, taking that one 3-1. Returning one week later, Knoxville seemed to pick up where it left off.
Greenville made some significant changes to its roster since that last matchup, with strikers Leo Castro and Ropapa Mensah getting the start up front, and Rodrigo Robles and Connor Evans getting the start on the wings. However, the changes did not appear to jumpstart the goalscoring chances, falling from seven shots on target in the previous match to just three in this one.
Making matters worse for Greenville, Castro had to exit the match in the 27th minute with an apparent injury.
One Knox however continued its efficient and lethal attack, with Stávros Zarokóstas earning the first big chance of the night in the 30th minute. Receiving a pass from Kempes Tekiela, Zarokóstas broke away into the box, going one on one with Greenville goalkeeper Gunther Rankenburg, who made an outstretch save, deflecting the ball away to safety.
The pair would cause trouble for Greenville again in the 37th minute following Callum Johnson intercepting a bad Greenville pass in the midfield. Despite being knocked to the ground, Johnson sent the ball to Tekiela, who sent it out to Zarokóstas on the wing. The striker lifted the ball into the box, finding the head of Mark Doyle for the only goal of the night.
Robles had a solid attempt in stoppage time for Greenville, but the shot was batted away by Knoxville goalkeeper Johan Garibay. Then in the 84th minute, Zakowski saw a shot go off the post.
Greenville’s poor showing was capped off by a red card on Chapa Herrera for a violent collision with Knoxville’s Babacar Diene early in second have stoppage time. However, the home side nearly equalized just minutes later when Mensah broke through and chipped a shot over the head of a charging Rankenburg. But it was Knoxville’s defense saving the day, as Jordan Skelton managed to get a foot on the ball at the line, clearing over his own head.
It’s been a frustratingly inconsistent season so far for Greenville.
“We’re lacking a killer instinct in the attacking third right now,” said head coach Rick Wright via the team’s press release, “we’re not creating the opportunities for ourselves – we’re expecting others to create it for us.”
Wright pointed out that Greenville did have nine shots, including Zakowski’s close call off the crossbar, but reiterated “we should be putting some of those in the back of the net.”
However, Wright remains optimistic, saying “I believe in the odds will turn and we’ll start making our own fortune, but we’ll reflect on this match, take a few days off before Chattanooga and we’ll come back stronger.”
No comments were provided from Knoxville head coach Ian Fuller. The first-year club manager remains undefeated against USL League One opponents, and has his side at third in the table with two matches in hand over first and second place FC Naples and Richmond Kickers.
He’ll have another big road test when One Knoxville travels to FC Naples on Saturday, April 19th before hosting FC Tulsa in the home opener in Jägermeister Cup play. The club states that they have sold over 4,000 tickets for that match, its first at the new Covenant Health Park. It would be the largest home crowd in Knoxville’s USL League One history.
Match Details
Johan Garibay earned his second consecutive clean sheet in league competition and 8th overall in just 13 starts going back through last season.
Knoxville keeper Sean Lewis has still not appeared on roster this season, for reasons undisclosed by the club.
Greenville falls to 2-2-1 with a -1 goal differential after the loss, and sits in fourth place. The club also has a match in had over fifth place Spokane, and could fall further down the table depending on the results of Spokane’s matchup with Texoma this Sunday.
Mark Doyle’s goal was his second on the season, and the assist from Stavros Zarokóstas was also his second of the season.
Goals
KNX: Mark Doyle (Stavros Zarokóstas) - 37’
Discipline
KNX: Jaheim Brown - Yellow, 6’
GVL: Leo Castro - Yellow, 7’
KNX: Savros Zarokóstas - Yellow, 45+6’
KNX: Sivert Haugli - Yellow, 65’
KNX: Kimarni Smith - Yellow, 67’
GVL: Zane Bubb -Yellow, 88’
GVL: Chapa Herrera - Red, 90+1’ (serious foul)
KNX: Angelo Kelly - Yellow, 90+4’
Next Up
Greenville will have the weekend off before traveling to Chattanooga on Saturday, April 19th.
Knoxville will also have the weekend off and will travel to FC Naples on Saturday, April 19th.
Keep up with all the action in South Carolina with Forrest Wimberly’s South East Soccer Palmetto State Reports.
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Thanks for the write up! I wonder why they schedule these mid-week games? The attendance during the week is almost always lackluster compared to weekend games, no doubt due to most people have to work at remote areas so unable to or not have enough leftover energy to round up the family to trek to the stadium..... I mean, even in NYC or Chicago with density and plentiful public transportation, even getting to a midweek game is iffy!