GREENVILLE, S.C. – The Chattanooga Red Wolves emerge victorious from their first game of the season against Greenville Triumph with a final score of 2-1.
Pedro Hernandez took the first shot on target in the 3rd minute, sending the ball over the posts and scoreboard with an aggressive strike. Greenville mirrored the attempt two minutes after, but was blocked by a surefooted Jason Smith.
At the very end of the 9th minute, Greenville’s Devin Boyce scored his club’s first goal of the season, sending his team surging into the lead. An attempt for another point was had in the 17th minute, but was crushed by a meticulous flying swat from Smith.
The score was evened in the 36th minute when a curling kick from a ferocious Omar Hernandez slipped seamlessly into the bottom left corner of Greenville’s goal.
As the game entered halftime, the score was tied.
As halftime came to a close, there was calm for another dozen minutes- and then, in the 57th, a solid score. Greyson Mercer pulled off his first professional goal with a brilliant header, giving the Red Wolves a 2-1 lead.
As the 80th minute dawned, tension and tempers exploded when Boyce- the midfielder who’d scored for Greenville in the 10th minute- indulged an angry outburst at Ropapa Mensah. His ill manners were rewarded with a yellow card, and the Red Wolves crept minutes closer to victory.
In the 86th minute, Greenville took a swipe at evening out the score with a shot that ricocheted just off the crossbar. It dropped right into the path of Jordan Ayimbila, who snuffed the attack with an expert deflection.
At the end of the 90th minute, the Red Wolves endured another ten minutes of stoppage time. Greenville edged closer in desperation, especially in the final five minutes, but was unable to pull through.
