CHARLOTTE, NC (August 9, 2025) – The Charlotte Independence ended up on the wrong side of a chaotic nine-goal affair Saturday night, falling to Greenville Triumph SC 4-5.
The nine goals in a match is a season-high for the Jacks. #99 Christian Chaney netted two penalties, #9 Jon Bakero scored his second goal of the season, and #15 Rafael Jauregui added a fourth in the wild game at American Legion Memorial Stadium.
The two sides felt each other out for the first 20 minutes. Greenville, knowing how lethal the Independence can be on the counter, did well to not throw everyone forward and allow any breaks from the hosts. The first shot on target of the match came from Greenville and it found the back of the net.
#20 Ropapa Mensah played a gorgeous through ball to #19 Chevone Marsh. The speedy winger executed a give-and-go with #9 Rodrigo Robles and blasted a half-volley past #28 Matt Levy to give the visitors the lead in the 22nd minute.
The Jacks quickly had a response in the 27th minute. Last week’s Player of the Week in USL League One, Bakero headed a cross looking for Chaney. The striker was taken down illegally by #23 Ivan Agyaakwah and awarded a penalty. Chaney made no mistake from the spot, burying it into the bottom corner for his seventh goal of the season.
Before the fans could sit back down, the Jacks suddenly took the lead a few minutes later. #15 Rafael Jauregui played Bakero at the top of the box. The Spaniard one-timed a strike past Greenville goalkeeper #1 Gunther Rankeburg to continue his sensational run of form.
Greenville totaled two shots on target in the first half and both of them found the back of the net. In first half stoppage time, Marsh once again completed a one-two at the top of the box, this time from #42 Zane Bubb. The Jamaican cooly finished with his left foot for his second of the half and made it 2-2 heading to the break.
The craziness continued early in the second half. Independence defender #4 Nick Spielman battled inside his own penalty area with Mensah. Mensah was pulled down and Greenville was awarded a penalty of their own in the 50th minute. Marsh stepped up to the spot and netted his first league hat trick.
Three minutes later, another penalty was given. #11 Bachir Ndaiye was drilled by Rankeburg and Chaney buried his second penalty of the night into the top corner to make it 3-3.
The scoring didn’t stop there. In the 59th minute, #2 Fabrice Ngah lifted a cross to the back post. Rising high was Jauregui, who nodded it in for his first league goal of the season and flipping the score back in the Jacks’ favor.
Greenville scored the eighth goal of the night in the 68th minute, knotting the score once again. It was another lovely team goal from the Triumph as #18 Connor Evans set up #11 Pascal Corvino at the top of the box. The Italian rifled a strike into the bottom corner for his first goal of the season.
Adding to the everchanging score and wildness of the match, the Jacks received a red card in the 75th minute. Just two minutes after coming on as a substitute, #8 Juan David Moreno shoved down Robles and immediately was shown the door, leaving the Independence a man down for the remainder of the match. It is a second consecutive match the Jacks have been shown red, as #26 Souaibou Marou was suspended for the night after his straight red card last Saturday.
Greenville substitute #21 Zeke Soto got in behind the Independence defense in the 79th minute, but could not direct a bouncing ball on net.
A man down, the Jacks had a great scoring chance of their own in minute 3 of 11 extra minutes of stoppage time. Ngah gracefully brought the ball down on his chest, beat a defender, and whistled a shot into the outside netting, nearly sending the bench into a frenzy.
In crushing fashion, Greenville kept their foot down and found the winner in the 96th minute. #3 Tyler Polak got on the end of a back post, cut it back to #7 Ben Zakowski, and the substitute fired a one-timer past an out-of-position Levy to give the visitors all three points.
QUOTES:
Head Coach Mike Jeffries on the match:
“Gutted. Really frustrated by the lack of discipline to put ourselves in a hole at 4-4, especially from a guy that just came on. It was one of those nights where we didn’t do a good job defensively throughout the night. I don’t think we’ve ever had a game with Greenville that ends up with nine goals and to concede five at home is really, really, really disappointing.”
Jeffries on the lack of discipline the last two matches:
“We take pride in having a team that’s been disciplined throughout time here and and those two red cards both lacked discipline and that’s really frustrating. They obviously lead to costing us points and cost points against teams that we’re competing against.”
Clay Dimick on the night:
“We’re just giving up too many goals, so we just need to get back to being hard to play against, but we just can’t give up that many goals.”
Rafael Jauregui on the team’s recent goal-scoring form:
“We’re getting into good areas and we’re able to have good chemistry up front. We just need to find a way to keep the ball out of our net now.”
