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How Tormenta FC has drawn inward inspiration ahead of League One Final

By NICHOLAS MURRAY - nicholas.murray@uslsoccer.com, 11/05/22, 8:11AM EDT

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Kazaiah Sterling’s celebration tribute to title-winning W League side highlighted close ties within organization


South Georgia Tormenta FC is looking for its second trophy of the year on Sunday night, with the USL League One squad looking to emulate the club's title-winning USL W League side's victory in July. | Photo courtesy South Georgia Tormenta FC

If you wanted an idea of the bonds that developed across the South Georgia Tormenta FC organization throughout the past year, you only had to look at the club’s social media channels after last weekend’s victory against Greenville Triumph SC in the Semifinals of the 2022 USL League One Playoffs presented by Hisense.

English forward Kazaiah Sterling’s “night-night” celebration after scoring the game-winning goal?

It was inspired by the same celebration from Tormenta FC’s W League squad after its victory on the road in Greenville in the Semifinals of the 2022 W League Playoffs in July.

“They had done that when they won at Greenville, so we thought it would be fun if we did it as well,” Sterling told the USL’s Maury Urcadez on Instagram Live this week.

Now Tormenta FC’s men are aiming replicate what happened the following weekend for its women – who claimed the inaugural W League title with a 2-1 win against Minnesota Aurora FC – as the club plays host to Chattanooga Red Wolves SC on Sunday night in the USL League One Final (7:30 p.m. ET | ESPN2 | SiriusXM FC).

In the club’s first postseason appearance since moving into the professional ranks as League One’s first club in 2018, Tormenta FC’s momentum has been undeniable. Currently on an eight-game undefeated streak (5-0-3) that included a 2-0 victory on home turf against the Red Wolves on the final day of the regular season, the side led by Head Coach Ian Cameron has produced the goods in maybe the most unpredictable campaign in the league’s young history.

Leading from the front has been Sterling, whose move to the United States from his hometown London, England fulfilled an ambition the 23-year-old had as a youngster.

“Playing abroad in America was something that had always interested me from a young age,” Sterling said. “I’ve always liked America, I’ve always wanted to travel over here, so the fact that I got the chance to play over here, I was really excited to do that. Tormenta gave me that platform to do that, so I’m really grateful to them for that.”

Tormenta FC has certainly appreciated the caliber that Sterling has brought to the club’s attack. The former Tottenham Hotspur player set a club single-season record with 13 goals in the regular season and has scored three goals across South Georgia’s two postseason victories so far. His strike rate of a goal every 112.5 minutes across the regular season and playoffs – and four assists on top of that – brings to mind the success of another former Spurs product who struck it big Stateside in current Louisville City FC standout Cameron Lancaster. 


South Georgia Tormenta FC's Kazaiah Sterling has set a club record with 16 goals across the regular season and playoffs going into Sunday's League One Final against Chattanooga Red Wolves SC. | Photo courtesy Union Omaha

Sterling – who appeared once in the UEFA Champions League but was more often finding his way through loan stints in the lower divisions – has appreciated the atmosphere he’s found within Tormenta FC’s organization, something that has helped him find the right mindset to thrive.

“When I got here, I felt really welcomed,” he said. “This is probably one of the nicest groups and organizations I’ve been involved in in a long while. The staff are really good, the players are really friendly, we’ve got quite a young team as well and I think that’s helped a bit too.”

That atmosphere has crossed over Tormenta FC’s different teams. Four players from the title-winning W League side were on hand in Greenville last weekend wearing their jerseys with the title-winner’s star above the crest, and more are expected as the side hosts Sunday’s final at its new home of Optim Sports Medicine Field.

With the chance for another trophy and celebration for the club, it’s an opportunity that Sterling and his teammates are eager to make the most of.

“It’s a final, so we’re going to be up for it,” he said. “We want to win just as bad as they do, if not more, so we’re going to be out here firing with loads of enthusiasm and hopefully that home advantage will work in our favor.”


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