Lachlan McLean’s 91st minute equalizer earned Greenville Triumph SC a 2-2 draw against FC Tucson Saturday night at Kino North Stadium, bringing the South Carolina side within a point of clinching home-field advantage in the League One Final. 

It was all Greenville through the opening quarter of an hour and the visitors opened the scoring in the 14th minute. The referee played advantage after a foul on the left flank, allowing Omar Mohamed to serve a cross towards the back post which found the foot of McLean who finished past Carlos Merancio to score his fifth goal of the season. 

The Triumph had a chance to double its advantage ten minutes later through Alex Morrell. Greenville countered quickly and Jake Keegan played Morrell through on goal, but his shot found the wrong side of the side netting at Merancio’s near post and the lead remained at one. 

FC Tucson found its attacking rhythm in the final 15 minutes of the first half and equalized on the stroke of halftime. Roberto Alarcon found a space on the right flank and delivered a driven cross towards the top of the six-yard box. Josh Coan beat his defender to the cross and nodded it past Dallas Jaye to send the sides into the break tied at a goal apiece. Coan’s goal was the first the Triumph conceded in 412 minutes of play. 

Giovanni Godoy doubled Tucson’s tally two minutes into the second half, taking advantage of a wayward back pass. Godoy intercepted Evan Lee’s back pass intended for Jaye, flicking it past the goalkeeper then finishing into the empty net to put the hosts in front. 

There were chances at either end just before the 60 minute mark as Niall Logue connected with Charlie Dennis’ in-swinging corner kick, but his header was right at Jaye. Jaye collected Logue’s nodded effort and started a counterattack the other way with a long throw out to Morrell who found Mohamed on the right flank. Mohamed dribbled towards goal before finding Morrell inside the penalty area, but Morrell pushed his shot just wide of Merancio’s left post. 

Morrell served two quality corner kicks into the mix after the missed chance, the first to McLean whose volley soared over the crossbar and the second to Aaron Walker whose first-time shot missed just high. 

Azaad Liadi had a chance to put the game on ice in the 85th minute, taking a clever touch to skip past Brandon Fricke at midfield and putting himself clean through on goal. Liadi dragged the ball onto his left foot and struck a shot across his body from 12 yards out, but Jaye got his left foot to the strike to keep it out. 

McLean equalized in the 91st minute after Morrell made a brilliant run into the penalty area and served a low, driven cross through the six yard box. Logue deflected Morrell’s cross into the air and McLean nodded it past Merancio for his team-high sixth goal of the year. 

FCT had one last chance to grab all three points and save its playoff hopes in the 93rd minute when Liadi found second-half substitute Elivelton with a pass inside the box, but the Brazilian dragged his shot just wide of Jaye’s goal. 

The draw reduces Greenville’s magic number to host the League One Final to one point, while eliminating FC Tucson from contention.  

SCORING SUMMARY 

GVL (14'): McLean (fifth), assisted by O. Mohamed
TUC (45'): Coan (second), assisted by Alarcon 
TUC (47'): Godoy (third), unassisted
GVL (90+1'): McLean (sixth), unassisted  

NEXT MATCHES

FC Tucson: October 17 v. Orlando City B (H)
Greenville Triumph SC: October 18 v. Union Omaha (H)