For the second consecutive game, South Georgia Tormenta FC surrendered three goals, this time to the Northern Colorado Hailstorm en route to a 3-0 defeat at Tormenta Stadium Saturday night.

The loss, Tormenta’s second of the year following a season-opening win, saw South Georgia once again struggle to finish in the attacking third of the field as they continue to play without injured star striker Kazaiah Sterling. 

“You can have all the possession you want, but we’ve got to look more dangerous in the chances early to take the lead,” said Manager Ian Cameron. “Taking the lead early is massive and then the game changes.”

Tormenta had chances early, including a low blast from Tobias Otieno in the 19th minute that missed just wide of the goal.

Six minutes later, the Hailstorm would find the back of the net when Robert Cornwall was able to score on a corner kick, taking the ball in the middle of the box and firing a shot past goalkeeper TJ Bush in the upper left corner to give Northern Colorado a 1-0 lead. 

Tormenta was playing without its two starting central defenders Saturday as Jake Dengler was sidelined with an injury that is expected to keep him out a few weeks and Preston Kilwien was out after collecting two yellow cards in the previous match. 

Bush said the team had a great week of preparation and it was one of those nights where things didn’t go their way. 

“Honestly, they just had some fortunate bounces and fortunate in different situations and they outworked us at times and that’s something we’re going to have to look at,” he said. 

Northern Colorado was able to keep Tormenta off the scoreboard and added two goals late in the second half, one by Nortei Nortley on a shot that deflected off a Tormenta defender in the 76th minute and then Mark Hernandez scored on a deflection from Bush where he dove and headed the ball in off the ground for the final goal of the night.

“Two games in a row with three goals against us is not good enough,” Cameron said. “This group has to accept that every team coming is playing like it’s a World Cup Final no and we have to get better. It’s as simple as that.”

“They deserved to win because they played awesome,” Otieno said. “They took all their chances and football is all about chances.”

“I think we’ll bounce back. It’s just a tough day and sometimes you have a bad day at the office,” he added.

Cameron said the season is a work in progress and he’s confident the team is going to improve going forward. Part of that will come from practice and part of that will come from getting players back from injury. 

“If you’re going to make mistakes and have bad nights, then it’s better to have them in the front end of the season than in the back end and this club has shown time and time again it has the ability to respond and deal with adversity and to come back stronger and that’s what we aim to do.”

Cameron hopes Sterling can return to training this week and then depending on how that goes will determine when he’s fit for game action. His return will boost and offense that has only scored two goals in their three games this season.

“We have be sharper and more aggressive and more comfortable in the forward areas and create chances and carve chances and get up in games,” Cameron said.

It can be easier, Cameron said, for a team to become a good defensive unit more quickly than a good offensive unit.

“We have a group of boys that we really like. We believe they’ve taken some big strides forward,” he said. “We’re just missing some action in the final third and we have to be a little more clinical and a little bit more dangerous and that process, sometimes, is the hardest one and it takes the longest.”

Despite the loss, Cameron still has high expectations and expects his team to be competing for a playoff spot and a championship at the end of the season.

“Just because we won a championship last year doesn’t mean we arrived and just because we lost a game tonight doesn’t mean we suck,” he said. “We have to get getter, we have to bounce back and find ways early in the season to win.”

Tormenta to host US Open Cup Game Wednesday

Tormenta will take a break from league play on Wednesday as they host a US Open Cup game for the first time in the club’s history. The tournament is composed of teams from Major League Soccer, USL Championship, USL1, MLS Next and the National Independent Soccer Association as well as amateur  clubs who qualify.

Last year Tormenta advanced to the final 32 teams, defeating two USL Championship clubs along the way.

Tormenta will host USL Championship team Rio Grande Valley Toros Wednesday at 7:30 in the second round.

“We’re a team that when it comes to knockout play we dig deep,” Cameron said. “We have the ability to beat teams that are bigger than us.”

Bush is looking forward to the experience and having the game played in Statesboro.

“Open Cup is massive,” he said. “It’s been something we’ve been looking forward to since last year so it’s going to be easy to get up for that and we’re excited to see all our fans out here.”

“The atmosphere tonight  and for our past home games have already been incredible and an Open Cup game will hopefully ramp that up even more,” he said.

Cameron expects his team to be ready to compete and play, especially following Saturday’s loss.

“I think if you gave the boys two options, one being a full week of training and wait until Saturday or get back on the field Wednesday and play, you’re always going to take back to the field and this provides us an opportunity to do just that.”

Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30.