Tormenta Draws Chattanooga In Penalty Filled Matchup
Three of four goals came from the spot in Chattanooga's home opener.
After a thrilling penalty kick win over cross-town club Chattanooga FC in the Open Cup earlier this week, Chattanooga Red Wolves had its first home match of the season on Saturday at CHI Memorial Stadium against South Georgia Tormenta.
The match did not start out well for the visitors, encountering an early injury to winger Taylor Gray in just the 10th minute. Already missing regular wingers Jonathan Nyandjo and Niall Reid-Stephen, Tormenta Coach Ian Cameron replaced Gray with midfielder Aaron Walker.
With defense on both sides solid, the match became chippy late in the first half with a series of yellow cards and fouls. Subsequently, the half would end scoreless.
The physical play continued into the second half, with three fouls in the first five minutes, including a yellow card issued to Tormenta’s Jackson Kasanzu. Then in the 51st minute, Chattanooga defender Declan Watters blocked a shot in the box by Gabriel Cabral, which deflected off his arm. Despite the fact that his arm appeared to be against his body, the official called it a handball, handing Tormenta a penalty kick. Tormenta’s Mason Tunbridge stepped up to take the shot, sending it into the bottom right of the net, past Chattanooga goalkeeper Jason Smith. It was Tunbridge’s third goal of the season.
Just minutes later, Chattanooga would have its chance at a penalty kick when Tormenta’s Gabriel Alves took down Joshua Ramos in the box. Omar Hernandez stepped up for Chattanooga, sending the shot into the bottom right corner past Tormenta goalkeeper Austin Pack.
Both coaches made immediate substitutions, with Cameron replacing winger Handwalla Bwana with striker Sebastian Vivas, and Chattanooga head coach Scott MacKenzie replacing starting striker Zahir Vazquez with Matt Bentley.
The substitutions would both impact the outcome of the match. In the 77th minute, Vivas scored the match’s only open play goal, heading in a pass from Alves.
However, Chattanooga would equalize on another penalty kick in the 86th minute, after Tormenta defender Joseph Peréz took down Alhassan Alhassan in the box. Bentley took the shot, sending it left past Pack.
Match Notes
Matt Bentley scored his first league goal for Chattanooga after racking up two in Open Cup play.
Sebastian Vivas scored his 14th goal for South Georgia Tormenta, and is now tied for third all time for club goals scored.
Chattanooga has not won back to back matches against Tormenta since 2019.
Match Details
Location: CHI Memorial Stadium, Chattanooga, TN
Attendance: 2,017
Chattanooga Red Wolves Details
Not Used: Owen Green, Ricardo Jérez, Gharett Morris
Absent: Greyson Mercer (lower body), Wynand Wessels (upper body)
South Georgia Tormenta Details
Not Used: Sam Jones, Thabo Nare, Finnley O’Brien
Absent: Jonathan Nyandjo, Anatolie Prepelita (red card), Niall Reid-Stephen
Next Up
Chattanooga Red Wolves will have its first ever matchup at AV Alta FC on Saturday, April 12th. South Georgia Tormenta will host Portland Hearts of Pine on the same day in the first ever matchup between those sides.