Greenville rallies from early deficit to defeat Naples; Charleston win over Tampa seals group win for Triumph
Greenville, SC (July 26, 2025)- The Greenville Triumph Soccer Club battled back from an early goal to defeat FC Naples 2-1 in the final group stage match of the USL Jägermeister Cup on Saturday at Paladin Stadium. Goals from Chevone Marsh and Leo Castro helped Greenville rebound from a Naples goal in the opening three minutes of the match. The win, combined with a Charleston victory over Tampa, clinched the group win for Triumph, sending the club to the knockout rounds of the tournament in August.
Both clubs came into the match with something to prove—Greenville aiming to maintain its momentum from a recent win over Richmond, and Naples looking to build on their first victory in seven matches. Despite the home advantage, the heat and humidity hit hard throughout the game and played a significant role in match flow and fatigue. FC Naples stunned the home crowd just over two minutes into the match. Greenville’s Seth Torman was a step behind on a defensive read, allowing FC Naples’s TJ Presthus to finish a clean cross and give Naples a 1-0 lead. Despite the early blow, the Triumph immediately took an aggressive stance. Chevone Marsh and Zeke Soto displayed intense pressure, with Marsh making multiple long dribbles through midfield and Soto drawing contact in aerial challenges. In the ninth minute, a scary head-to-head collision eventually forced Soto off. His replacement, Pascal Corvino, stepped in with fresh energy as the first half wore on. Just before halftime, Rodrigo Robles opened up the left wing and found Leo Castro with a sharp cross, which Castro buried for the equalizer.
In the second half, Greenville ramped up their intensity searching for their go-ahead goal, employing a tight press on Naples’ attempts to build out of their defensive half. Shots on goal eventually tilted heavily in Greenville’s favor, 12-3. While Naples’ keeper, Joel Serrano, made key stops—including a penalty kick save from #8, Chappa Herrera. But in the 66th minute, Marsh cut back inside the box and slotted home a shot to give Greenville a 2-1 lead. Unable to find another goal, Greenville clinched victory and the advancing spot for the Jagermeister Cup Knockout rounds. The Triumph concluded the group stage 3-1-0, becoming the first League One club to clinch a group in the multi-league tournament.
“We fought and dug out of the early hole, and I’m proud of the team,” said head coach Rick Wright. “The second half was great – we pulled it together after a good talk and our pressing in the last 45 minutes was fantastic. We kept Naples in their half and it was a great team effort to seal the victory.”
Triumph SC will now await the end of group stage play before its opponent and location of the first knockout round is determined. In the meantime, Greenville hits the road for a three-match stretch in league play, beginning with next Saturday’s match at rivals, South Georgia Tormenta FC. The match kicks off at 7:30 PM and can be seen on ESPN+.
Rick Wright, head coach: “We fought and dug out of the early hole, and I’m proud of the team. The second half was great – we pulled it together after a good talk and our pressing in the last 45 minutes was great. We kept Naples in their half and it was a great team effort to seal the victory.”
Seth Torman, goalkeeper: “I think we responded very well after the unfortunate start. We knew that we haven’t come back from down a goal much this season, so we knew we had to press the whole game and work really hard to have a chance to play another game in the in the Cup. We never let off the gas the second half and it showed in a really good win.”
Chapa Herrera, midfielder: “We had a pretty bad start with the early goal, but we really settled in after that. Our press was on point and that’s why we’re able to get a lot of possession in their half and create a lot more chances. It was a great victory for us tonight.”
