The final match of the season for Tormenta came at home against Texoma FC, just a week after Tormenta clinched their playoff spot. The work wasn’t done, though, as the team still had a small chance to finish in the top five of the regular season standings and they nearly pulled it off. Tormenta did almost everything right in this one, dominating possession 65% to 35%, outshooting Texoma 18 to 8, and securing a convincing 3–0 clean-sheet victory.
Goalkeeper Austin Pack was tested early, making a sharp save in the 12th minute on a close-range effort that he pushed safely out of bounds. Texoma’s goalkeeper Garcia, however, wasn’t ready to be outdone. In the 18th minute, Justin Malou nearly scored with a header from a free kick, but Garcia managed to deny him. On the ensuing corner, though, Jackson Simba Kasanzu found space and headed the ball home for his first career USL League One goal, putting Tormenta ahead 1–0.
The final 25 minutes of the half featured some physical play from both sides, but no further goals as Tormenta entered halftime with the lead.
Texoma’s best chance of the second half came from a familiar face former Ibis player, Philip Spengler, whose long-range shot was read perfectly by Pack. In the 60th minute, Yaniv Bazini extended the lead with his 11th goal of the season after staying onside to finish a clever through ball from Vivas. Just eight minutes later, Bazini turned provider, threading another beautiful pass through to Mason Tunbridge, who slid it past a reaching Garcia to make it 3–0. Mason’s expression said it all—this is a team having fun, and that might be the most dangerous thing for their opponents.
Tormenta close out the regular season unbeaten in their final nine matches, including a draw against the Spokane team they’ll face in the first round of the playoffs, in Spokane. Their 13 wins mark a new club record, surpassing their previous best from 2021 by one.
Now, Tormenta enters the postseason as the hottest team in USL League One, ready to carry their momentum into Spokane.
Until next time—Vamos Tormenta!