WINDSOR, Colo. — It took some late heroics from their captain, but Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC got their club-record fourth straight win with a 2-1 victory over South Georgia Tormenta FC Sunday at Future Legends Field.
The win keeps Hailstorm at second place in the USL League One table with 49 points this season.
Hailstorm captain Rob Cornwall scored the match winner, heading home a long throw from Lucky Opara in the 88th minute. It was his second goal against Tormenta this season, both of them winners.
“That’s what winning teams do, they scrap it out and get the three points in the end,” Cornwall said.
The goal came in Cornwall’s first start since a 2-2 draw with Tormenta in Georgia on August 23.
“I’m really happy for him,” Hailstorm FC head coach Éamon Zayed said. “There’s been tough competition at center back but he came up trumps with the winner and that’s what captains do.”
Tormenta started the scoring when forward Pedro Fonseca got on the end of a cutback and slotted it past Hailstorm goalkeeper Lalo Delgado to give the visitors a 1-0 lead in the 31st minute.
After a pair of Hailstorm halftime subs, it was mainly one-way traffic in the second half, with them out-shooting the visitors 12-2 after halftime. It took until the 71st minute for them to find the equalizer, which came courtesy of Danny Robles’ first goal of the season in his 100th professional appearance at the age of 21.
“It’s exciting to come in and make an impact and most importantly get the three points,” Robles said.
The win helped Hailstorm keep pace with North Carolina FC and Union Omaha, both of whom won Saturday, in the race for the USL League One Players’ Shield.
“North Carolina and Omaha are showing championship quality, so we have to take care of business,” Zayed said.
Hailstorm’s next business trip comes on Saturday at Central Valley Fuego FC. Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. and the match can be viewed on ESPN+.
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The home of Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC, 118-acre Future Legends Complex, will feature 6,500-seat TicketSmarter Stadium, 2,500-seat Future Legends Field, multiple baseball diamonds, multi-purpose fields, an indoor sports arena, lodging, and retail; and will host guests for major sports leagues, tournaments, events and more.
More information is available at HailstormFC.com and FutureLegendsComplex.com.