GREENVILLE, S.C. — Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC dropped their second consecutive USL League One match, taking a 3-1 loss at Greenville Triumph SC.
“We weren’t good enough tonight,” Hailstorm FC head coach Éamon Zayed said. “We’ll look at the performance and evaluate what we need to work on.”
Despite the defeat, Hailstorm did break their goal scoring duck in league play this season when defender Lucky Opara took a pass from forward Jake Keegan, beat a man, and slipped one past Greenville goalkeeper Christian Garner in the 64th minute.
“You have to trust your teammates, not play as an individual. That’s the only way forward,” Opara said.
Unfortunately, Opara’s goal came with Hailstorm already down 3-0, a deficit they ultimately could not overcome.
Greenville got their first goal late in the opening half courtesy of Liam MacKinnon from the penalty spot, and the hosts took a 1-0 lead into halftime.
It was then two more quick goals for Greenville early in the second half, both on the counter attack. The first came from forward Leo Castro in the 53rd minute and MacKinnon scored his second of the game three minutes later, giving Greenville the 3-0 lead.
“Obviously a disappointing one,” Hailstorm defender Johnny Fenwick said. “We’ve got to be better. I’m looking forward though, it’s early in the season.”
Opara got one back for Hailstorm, and forward Irvin Parra had a ball in the back of the net in the 81st minute, but was called for a foul on Garner in the process.
“The league is very competitive, and we know we’ll need to work to earn results going forward,” Zayed said.
Hailstorm will be back in action on April 17 when they travel to FC Tulsa for a Third Round match in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
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