MacKinnon, Walker & Coutinho contribute goals to snap Charlotte’s shutout streak
Greenville, SC (May 3, 2023) – The Greenville Triumph Soccer Club jumped up to third place in League One standings after securing a 3-1 road win against Charlotte Independence on Wednesday. Two goals late in the first half and a third after the break helped the Triumph collect its third win of the season and deal league-leading Charlotte their first loss.
The start of Wednesday’s match began a tedious first 20 minutes of play. Both teams robbed the other of possession repeatedly in the opening moments, but were unable to take advantage of their opponent. Charlotte edged closer to the Triumph goal as the half neared its end, monopolizing the left flank. After a pair of failed attempts from the Independence, though, Greenville went offensive, using Leo Castro as a target forward to challenge the backline. Creating space for fellow Triumph attackers, Castro’s handiwork come into play four minutes before the half when he pulled two Charlotte defenders and crossed the ball to an open Lyam MacKinnon, who buried the cross for a GTSC goal. MacKinnon’s 41st minute goal, the first for the rookie from Villanova, flipped the switch on the Triumph offense. With renewed purpose, they quickly tossed in another goal before the halftime whistle when MacKinnon megged a Jacks defender to line up midfielder, Aaron Walker for a shot from distance. Walker whipped the ball into the left corner for his first goal of the season to double Greenville’s lead.
Surging off its two-goal advantage out of the half, Greenville quickly struck again. A combination play with MacKinnon, Castro and Lucas Coutinho solidified the Triumph momentum and gave Greenville its largest lead of the season. Castro tallied his second assist of the night and Coutinho added a goal to his stretch of stellar play across the last month. The South Carolina side was strategic for the remainder of the match to reserve high-minute players and integrate in beneficial subs. Though Greenville was unable to preserve the shutout after a late Independence goal off a headed-in cross, the match ended in a convincing win for the Upstate side as they head into a needed ten-day break.
“It was a big win,” said head coach John Harkes. “Charlotte was a big challenge and these guys rose to the occasion. To get back physically on a short week and perform like that against the team tied for first place in points was big. I’m so proud to see how they sacrificed for each other and performed for the guy next to them.”
GTSC enjoys a rare weekend off before returning to Paladin Stadium to face the Richmond Kickers, who defeated Greenville 1-0 in the season opener. The club will host an Autograph Night promotion after the conclusion of the match, with fans invited on the field to meet their favorite players. The match kicks off on Saturday, May 13th at 7:00 PM. Tickets are on sale now.
