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savannah clovers

2024 US Open Cup Round 2: South Georgia Tormenta dominates Savannah Clovers FC in rare Peach State battle

April 4, 2024 by Forrest Wimberly

South Georgia Tormenta FC players celebrate after scoring a goal against the Savannah Clovers in the Second Round of the 2024 US Open Cup. Photo: Holt Wimberly | TheCup.us
South Georgia Tormenta FC players celebrate after scoring a goal against the Savannah Clovers in the Second Round of the 2024 US Open Cup. Photo: Holt Wimberly | TheCup.us
South Georgia Tormenta FC players celebrate after scoring a goal against the Savannah Clovers in the Second Round of the 2024 US Open Cup. Photo: Holt Wimberly | TheCup.us

The South Georgia Tormenta FC stormed past the visiting Savannah Clovers FC 4-0 Wednesday night in Statesboro to book their spot in the Third Round of the 2024 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.  Tormenta scored early, added a late second-half goal, another one in stoppage-time and dominated the patterns of play in-between during this first-ever meeting of Coastal Georgia regional opponents.

Didn't take long, @Tormenta_FC ????#USOC2024 // @opencup pic.twitter.com/6nxXInRx9L

— U.S. Open Cup (@opencup) April 3, 2024

With just seconds expired in the first half the Tormenta high pressure forced a Clovers’ turnover in the attacking third of the field that Pedro Fonseca whipped into the Clovers’ box where Niall Watson nodded the hosts into the lead in the 2nd minute.  From this opening moment, Tormenta never looked back.

More Tormenta pressure constantly turned the ball over in advantageous positions and kept the Clovers off-balance as they tried to find a way back into the match. Tormenta looked like a team playing in their sixth competitive match (four USL-1 and two US Open Cup) while the Clovers were more unsure of their patterns playing in just their second competitive match of the year due to the delayed start to the 2024 NISA regular season.

Fonseca ➡️ Khoury ➡️ Ramos ➡️ Back of the net#VamosTormenta pic.twitter.com/dUjt9EAEuy

— South Georgia Tormenta FC (@Tormenta_FC) April 3, 2024

Tormenta added a second goal in the 35th minute as Jackson Khoury drove a low cross through the Clovers’ box eluding all the runners except Joshua Ramos who smashed the ball into the open net for the 2-0 halftime advantage.

In the 58th minute Tormenta’s Fonseca again provided a perfect service from the flank finding a streaking Sebastian Vivas inside the box with a low driven ball for a third goal on the night.  The nightcap to balance the scoring came with just seconds to play in the 90th minute as Austin Wehner was first to react to a loose ball in the box pouncing on the opportunity to push the final score to 4-0.

Seba picks up his first South Georgia goal thanks to Fonseca’s second assist of the night! ????️????️ pic.twitter.com/dkU13yYJdr

— South Georgia Tormenta FC (@Tormenta_FC) April 4, 2024

Goalkeeper Drew Romig posted another Open Cup clean sheet for Tormenta and was there to put out any dangerous moments the Clovers created.

“It’s always helpful to score early,” said Tormenta head coach Ian Cameron after the game. “But what I really liked about the group is how they responded to that goal, they went back on the front foot. It was a very solid performance. David Proctor (Clovers head coach) is a good coach with a good group of players. There’s lots of good footballers in this county and Savannah Clovers have a bunch of them but I thought our unity, our team culture, our organization showed tonight.”

Adding a fourth to close it out ????

Austin Wehner's first pro goal seals the W for @Tormenta_FC in the South Georgia Showdown! ????#USOC2024 // @opencup pic.twitter.com/KaVBSXwYK5

— USL League One (@USLLeagueOne) April 4, 2024

Wednesday’s game marked just the third time in the Modern Era (1995-present) that an Open Cup game has featured an all-Georgia matchup. In 2012, the NASL’s Atlanta Silverbacks defeated the NPSL’s Georgia Revolution 1-0 in the Second Round. The two teams met again the following year in the same round, with the Silverbacks winning 3-2.

South Georgia Tormenta now waits for the third round draw to see which USL Championship side they will face in mid-April.

Filed Under: 2024 US Open Cup, Feature - Main, US Open Cup, US Open Cup Central Tagged With: 2024 US Open Cup, savannah clovers, South Georgia Tormenta FC

2024 US Open Cup Round 1: Savannah Clovers score early to earn first USOC win vs. Brave SC

March 20, 2024 by Christian Gomez

2024 us open cup first round recap graphic

2024 us open cup first round recap graphic

Entering the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup with a fresh rebrand, Brave SC — the club formerly known as Villages FC — looked to carry the torch for USL League Two as last season’s Southern Conference champions. Savannah Clovers arrived in Central Florida looking to represent NISA and start the year off right.

One of them would leave disappointed.

Perseverance pays off | Roddy Green ????@SavCloversFC | #USOC2024 pic.twitter.com/UbyUvDWtNC

— U.S. Open Cup (@opencup) March 19, 2024

Roddy Green and Vlad Jokic each scored a goal in the first half as Clovers shut out Brave, 2-0 in Tuesday night’s Open Cup opening round.

Right from the go, Savannah was on the attack. Green had multiple chances to give the Clovers an early lead but Brave goalkeeper Yago Darub was called into action and kept things at bay. Unfortunately for Darub, a miscalculation on a pass gave away the ball to Green which led to the opening goal of the match in the 29th minute.

Just before halftime, Jokic latched on to a rebound for a second-chance goal that doubled Clovers’ advantage.

Clovers had a decisive physical advantage over Brave SC, and the game turned cagey as physical challenges from both squads saw a total of seven players booked (four for Brave; three for the Clovers), mostly in the second half.

A brilliant strike from Jokic! ???? @SavCloversFC @opencup | #USOC2024 pic.twitter.com/6SBeXSWu0A

— NISA Official (@NISALeague) March 20, 2024

Clovers brought just three players on their bench and managed the lead against a Brave squad which had twice as many options in reserve.

Michael Florian made his Brave SC debut on the high school senior’s home field, expressing gratitude during the postgame press conference for the opportunity to make his Open Cup debut.

Filed Under: 2024 US Open Cup, Feature - Main, US Open Cup, US Open Cup Central Tagged With: 2024 US Open Cup, brave sc, savannah clovers

2023 US Open Cup Round 2: Charleston Battery open tournament in orange with 4-1 win over Savannah Clovers

April 5, 2023 by Forrest Wimberly

Photo: Charleston Battery
Photo: Charleston Battery
Photo: Charleston Battery

The Charleston Battery (USL Championship) defeated the visiting Savannah Clovers (NISA) 4-1 in the Second Round of the 2023 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Tuesday night in the Lowcountry.

The storylines were numerous in this first-ever meeting between these two coastal franchises and at the final whistle it was the history of Battery that defeated the destiny of the Clovers.

Charleston is one of the most successful lower-division professional teams in the nation when it comes to the US Open Cup and the Battery have appeared in the tournament 22 times since 1999 finishing as Runners-up in 2008. Dozens of home victories including several of the magical “Cupset” variety over a visiting MLS franchise have entertained the Palmetto state faithful throughout the years. With the win on Tuesday night, the Battery earn the club’s 35th all-time win, which ranks fifth among all teams in the Modern Era (1995-present). 

Savannah, on the other end of their Open Cup journey, was making their tournament debut after making the jump into the professional ranks this season.  A brand-new roster with just one professional match of experience on their resume would be put to the test by the homestanding Battery. 

Charleston debuted a new orange third kit with the rebrand of Holy City Football Club in a nod to the church steeple filled skyline just across the Cooper River from Patriots Point stadium in downtown Charleston.

The weather at kickoff was a perfect 70 degrees with light winds coming off the harbor under partly cloud skies.  In 2019 and 2022 the weather had not cooperated with the US Open Cup schedule and the delays didn’t favor the Battery as they were bounced from the Cup on both occasions.

The first 30 minutes saw Savannah absorb the Charleston pressure but only bend as much to allow a corner kick.  Savannah would then look to spring their attack on a counter but the Battery defensive line were quick to put out any fires the Clovers could create.

Goal in Charleston. 1-0 ⁦@Chas_Battery⁩ in 36th minute. ⁦@usopencup⁩ ⁦@opencup⁩ pic.twitter.com/x6Xw5wVdS1

— TheSoccerForrest (@soccer_forrest) April 5, 2023


The breakthrough occurred in the 36th minute for the Battery as a poorly cleared corner kick was ripped by midfielder Robbie Crawford from the top of the box through a maze of players inside the penalty area beating the Savannah goalkeeper.  The two teams went to the intermission with Charleston ahead 1-0. For Crawford, it was his second career US Open Cup goal. Last year, he scored one for Monterey Bay FC. 

Just five minutes into the second half the Battery struck again as Augi Williams collected an AJ Patterson pass from the left side of the box to double the advantage to 2-0. The third Battery goal was in the 62nd minute as Tristan Trager and Dekland Wynne played a series of quick passes inside the penalty area to open up the near post before Trager ripped a shot past the scrambling Clovers defense.

Savannah did pull a goal back in the 75th minute against the run of play as Andres Sanchez slipped a ball past the Battery keeper to narrow the score to 3-1. Charleston didn’t waste anytime in answering the Clovers’ goal as forward Nick Markanich took a little dibble inside the area from a Wynne pass before roofing the ball for the fourth and final goal of the evening for the Battery.

2-0 @Chas_Battery in the 50th. Williams with the goal. @opencup @usopencup pic.twitter.com/57kViF7zyL

— TheSoccerForrest (@soccer_forrest) April 5, 2023


Battery head coach Ben Pirmann was pleased with the win as he looked at the big picture of how his team has opened the 2023 league and cup campaigns.

“The biggest thing right now for games this season is making sure we’re improving,” said Pirmann. “I thought our ball speed was pretty good, we did a good job of creating a lot of chances.  Whether it was restarts, run of play, slip passes, this selflessness was pretty good.”

The win comes a year after an opening round loss to the South Georgia Tormenta in an empty stadium. That win snapped a 14-game opening round advance streak for Charleston. Prior to that, they hadn’t gone one-and-done since 2005. Now the Battery can begin another streak. Charleston will now await the Third Round draw and the next chapter of their US Open Cup story.

Filed Under: 2023 US Open Cup, Feature - Main, US Open Cup, US Open Cup Central Tagged With: 2023 US Open Cup, Charleston Battery, savannah clovers

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U.S. Open Cup History

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1995 US Open Cup Rewind series: The Modern Era begins

The 30th anniversary of the 1995 Open Cup is upon us this year, and as we did with the inaugural tournament in 1913-1914, we’re going to take you back in time and relive the 1995 US Open Cup in chronological order, as it happened.

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  • 1995 US Open Cup Round 1: Richmond Kickers dominate shorthanded Spartans SC … again
  • 1995 US Open Cup Round 1: USASA orders replay for Richmond Kickers vs. Spartans SC match
  • 1995 US Open Cup Round 1: El Paso Patriots overcome early upset scare, beat 1989 USOC champs
  • 1995 US Open Cup Round 1: Day after a league game, Chico Rooks blank San Fernando Valley Golden Eagles

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