April 24, 2023 – United Soccer League One (USL1) – South Georgia Tormenta FC News Release
STATESBORO, Ga. – South Georgia Tormenta FC’s 2023 Lamar Hunt U.S Open Cup run continues this Tuesday, April 25, at 7:30 p.m. ET, versus Charlotte FC. After obtaining its first-ever Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup home win against USL Championship side Rio Grande Valley FC on April 5. South Georgia now enters the Third Round for the second consecutive year to take on its second Major League Soccer side in less than a year.
Tormenta FC will look to obtain its first competitive win against a Major League Soccer side after falling to Inter Miami CF 3-1 in the Fourth Round of the 2022 U.S. Open Cup. Kazaiah Sterling scored the team’s first-ever goal against an MLS team.
In 2023, Tormenta FC secured a 2-1 Second Round victory in the 2023 U.S. Open Cup after defeating Rio Grande Valley Toros FC of the USL Championship at Optim Sports Medicine Field from Tormenta Stadium in Statesboro, Georgia. With the win against RGV, South Georgia remain unbeaten against USL Championship teams in the national competition after defeating the Charleston Battery and the Birmingham Legion FC in 2022.
Last Friday, Tormenta FC obtained its first-ever victory against One Knoxville SC in Friday’s 2-0 win in Knoxville, Tennessee. Matheus Cassini scored and assisted in Friday’s road victory, while Jackson Khoury scored his third goal of the season and is now the leading goalscorer for Tormenta FC. Matheus Cassini scored his first goal for South Georgia in Friday’s win while also adding his first assist of the season. Cassini’s goal ranked number five in SportsCenter’s edition of the Top 10 on April 21.
To note, South Georgia has only been defeated twice on the road since September 2022. (Sept. 7, 2022 @ Richmond Kickers; April 15, 2023 @ Lexington SC.) The Statesboro side remains one of the most impressive sides in the USL and will look to get its first victory against a Major League Soccer side this Tuesday.
Tormenta FC and Charlotte FC will inaugurate Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup coverage on CBS SPORTS GOLAZO with the game being the first Third Round Open Cup game to stream on the network. In addition, Tormenta FC will be the only Division III team streamed on the network in the Third Round of the national competition.
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