ONE (plus) From Last Week

It was all about the home field disadvantage in the USL League One Semifinals - with both #1 Richmond Kickers and #2 Greenville Triumph going out to their respective visitors. Your 2022 Final will be Chattanooga Red Wolves heading to SG Tormenta FC for all the chips - let’s take a look at how we got there:

Regular Season Champions Richmond Kickers couldn’t put it together at home against the #4 seed, Chattanooga Red Wolves. Despite the lion’s share of possession and outshooting their opponent 14 to 6 with 4 on target; it was Rafael Metzinger’s 86’ winner which sees the underdogs through to the final. To make matters worse, Richmond were up a man for over half the match and simply could not get anything past keeper Carlos Avilez.
Avilez has been a huge part of Chattanooga’s season, sixth in the league with 57 saves and held his own with 6 clean sheets. While it was disappointing to not get Emiliano Terzaghi to a final, despite his third consecutive Golden Boot, it will nice to see a Red Wolves offense clicking the way it can with Jose Carrera-Garcia and Moe Espinoza creating chances for a underappreciated Juan Galindrez, who finished the season right in the mixer for Golden Boot, on 13.
Two weeks ago, Kazaiah Sterling put the team on his shoulders and beat Charlotte Independence with a pair of goals - he did it again this week, scoring what would end up the winner in the 42’ for SG Tormenta as they visited the number 2 seed in USL League One, Greenville Triumph. Greenville, who had been imperious all season, out-possessed, out-passed, and mostly out-played the visitors, were picked off from a bit of a press near the end of the first half and Kaz was in the right place to collect the ball in the box and finish while on the run.
Head Coach John Harkes did everything he could to try to get Greenville back the game, but they could not crack the code. TJ Bush was unbreakable and helped a very good #3 seed in SG Tormenta advance to not only go to the final, but host the final due to Richmond Kickers losing to #4 seed Chattanooga Red Wolves.

One of the most dynamic players on the pitch for Chattanooga is Moe Espinoza, who can line up at right wing in the attack or sub in at left fullback in defense - we’ve seen him do it. Moe, from San Diego, California, is listed as a midfielder and has appeared for Chula Vista FC (now of NISA Nation) as well as for the Nomads youth program and for Tijuana - he last played for the now defunct San Diego 1904 FC. This season he was 2nd in the side with 8 goals; 2nd with 7 assists; 3rd with 39 shots; and 2nd in chances created, on 32.

ONE For This Week

#3 South Georgia Tormenta vs #4 Chattanooga Redwolves
Sunday, November 6th - 4:30pm (PST) / 7:30pm (EST) at Tormenta Stadium at Optim Sports Medicine Field
GET TICKETS HERE

In what one has to admit is an unexpected matchup in the final, Chattanooga Red Wolves will travel to SG Tormenta FC, both of whom upturned the applecart to be there. The two sides faced off three times prior, during the regular season, and Tormenta have the advantage - they won both times they played at home and only lost by one goal when they went away to Chattanooga. Through the three matches, Tormenta has outscored Red Wolves 5-3 with goals from Kingsford Adjei (2), Ryan Sierakowski, Jamil Roberts, and Gabriel Cabral - both Kazaiah Sterling and Adrian Billhardt will be looking to add to that tally for the home side.

Chattanooga started the season under the management of Jimmy Obleda, but were forced to make a switch to Jimmy Weekly about midway through. Since then, Weekly has changed from a 4-2-3-1 to a more attack-minded 4-3-3 and revved this Red Wolves offense way up. Danger men Juan Galindrez, Jimmie Villalobos and Jose Carrera-Garcia will look to hook up with Rafael Metzinger as well as Moe Espinoza to fight fire with fire against SG Tormenta. While most finals end up cagey affairs with both teams playing not to lose, I think we may be in for an exciting affair where both Jimmy Weekly and Tormenta Head Coach Ian Cameron really go for it.

This will be the first final in the young history of the league not to feature Greenville Triumph and regardless of who comes out on top, gives us a brand new name in the winners list - which includes North Texas from 2019, Greenville Triumph awarded the championship due to their regular season performance during 2020’s Covid season; and last year’s #1 Seed Union Omaha, going the distance and doing the League One Double in 2021. This weekend’s winner of the USL League One title will be in good company.

by Joshua Duder