The rain delays did not lull the Red Wolves to sleep, as Chattanooga pounced all over the top-ranked Greenville Triumph in Saturday’s 5-1 blowout.
Following a two-hour thunderstorm delay, the Red Wolves squared off against their long-time difficult foe in the Greenville Triumph. Every game between the two squads has been one by one goal—that was not the case for this muggy, physical matchup.
As the whistle blew, Chattanooga went on the attack. The Triumph defense was still asleep from the rain delay as the Red Wolves marched into the scoring position within the first 90 seconds.
Pinned deep into Greenville territory, Red Wolves’ Rey Ortiz and Aaron Lombardi played a one-two game as they split the defenses. Ortiz would cross the ball to star striker Juan Galindrez. The cross went off target, but wing Moe Espinoza would tap it back towards the center of the penalty arc. There, Chattanooga’s Josue Cartagena would launch a knuckleball into the back of the net.
With the early two-minute lead, the Red Wolves would launch yet another attack only three minutes later. As Galindrez pushed towards the center of the defense, Chattanooga striker Jimmie Villalobos alluded defenders while on a back post run. Galindrez found the open Villalobos, who would have an easy one-on-one with the goalkeeper, and score.
In six minutes of action, Greenville was shocked with a two-goal deficit. That is when the top ranked team would finally wake up.
Taking the offensive, the Triumph would pierce through the Chattanooga defense with ease. On the third corner kick for Greenville, Triumph midfielder Venton Evans would head the curling ball towards the goal, and with a little help off a deflection from a Red Wolves defender, the Triumph would cut their deficit to one in the 16th minute.
The 2-1 Chattanooga lead would hold up to halftime. The two squads were playing physical now, and the Greenville defense finally stiffened against the Chattanooga offense.
That is until the second half. The break, yet again, lulled that Triumph defense back to sleep.
The talented midfielder Moe Espinoza, who already has an assist, would receive a grounded pass from the opposite side of the field. There, Espinoza took one step and sent a curving strike pass the outreached hands of the Greenville goalkeeper. A beautiful strike from 25-yards out netted the Red Wolves their third goal of the night.
The Red Wolves stayed on the attack. Following a handful of missed opportunities, Chattanooga would be awarded another corner.
This time, Rafael Mentzingen would not squander the opportunity. As the corner came in, and the header deflected off the cross bar, Mentzingen would wind up a shot through the defense and into the goal-splitting the goalkeeper’s legs.
Up 4-1, Mentzingen would not settle. Following the kickoff from the previous goal, Mentzingen received a floating pass into the back of the defense. There, the striker fended off two defenders while in the penalty area. The goalkeeper crept up towards the tussle, and Mentzigen would step back and chip over a shot. The shot bounced into the goal, and the damage was done.
A final 5-1 whipping earned the Red Wolves their second win in a row, and ends this year’s two-game losing streak against the Triumph. Now, Chattanooga has surged from the middle of the pack to third place in the USL League One standings, four points behind Greenville for second place.
Chattanooga looks to continue their 5-game lossless streak—three wins and two draws— as they go on the road against Forward Madison next Saturday.
Boxscore
Greenville 1 0 -- 1
Chattanooga 2 3 -- 5
SCORERS:
GREENVILLE (1) Venton Evans; CHATTANOOGA (5) Rafael Mentzingen 2, Moe Espinoza, Josue Cartagena, Jimmie Villalobos