It has been fourteen months since Tormenta and USL staff gathered at the Bishop Fieldhouse to welcome the club as the founding member of USL League One. Twenty-two months since the team, gathered in front of the Bulloch County Courthouse, publicly announced its ambitions to join the ranks of professional soccer in the United States. Today, March 29, 2019, is a day that has been long in the making. It's gameday in Statesboro.

South Georgia Tormenta FC and Greenville Triumph SC kick off not only their seasons, but the beginning of an entire new professional soccer league tonight at Erk Russell Park. The abandoned third division of U.S. Soccer gets new life for the first time since the exit of the North American Soccer League, and it all begins deep in the state of Georgia, where a renaissance of soccer has recently taken a firm hold throughout the southeast. A close-knit, college town, and one of the smallest pro-sport cities in the country now finds itself at the cutting edge of American soccer.

This is a big week for Tormenta, having just broken ground on their own soccer specific stadium (moment of silence here for Charleston and MUSC Health Stadium) along with the earth-shaking announcement of a Publix right next door, which is surely the defining moment of the history of Statesboro (kidding, I think). All the buildup over the last couple years finally reaches its bursting point in just a few hours' time.

To preview this matchup that some have already deemed a rivalry, I will project the starting lineups, identify a couple key characteristics of the two teams, and finally give a prediction of what the scoreboard will look like as the final whistle is blown.

Projected Lineups:

South Georgia Tormenta FC

Greenville Triumph SC

Strengths:

South Georgia Tormenta FC

Strength out wide: What Tormenta lacks in terms of a clinical lone forward it makes up for with its strength on the wings. Players like Alex Morrell and Jad Arslan going on dangerous runs with the assistance of forwards like Chris Hellmann and Charlie Dennis will surely create scoring opportunities, especially on the break.

Chemistry: As one of the few pre-existing teams in USL League One, Tormenta has brought up eleven players from last year's undefeated League Two regular season in one of the league's toughest divisions. Players like Arslan, Wells, Dennis, Rowe, Vinyals, and Phelps are entering their third year with club and provide the team with a strong bond, whereas other squads are still getting to know each other.

GATA Mentality: If there is one thing that defines Statesboro, it is the ability to thrive as an underdog. Erk Russell, the person who tonight's venue is named for, came to Statesboro in 1981 to bring football back to Georgia Southern. In just four years, on a very limited budget, Erk cemented his place as a Statesboro legend as he led the Eagles to their first FCS National Championship. Tormenta FC finds itself in somewhat of a similar situation as Erk's squad did three decades before. Tormenta comes into their first year as a fully fledged pro-team surrounded by the likes of the flashy Forward Madison or the historic Richmond Kickers. As the smallest of the inaugural cities, it's easy for people to write Tormenta off, to aim their lenses toward the shiniest of teams. But that is exactly what a Statesboro team would want. Who can forget the day of November 23rd, 2013, when the Georgia Southern Eagles walked into the Swamp in Gainesville and emerged with a 23-20 victory without completing a single pass? The "Runts have to try harder" motto that Erk instilled in his team and the community should drive this squad not only in tonight's match but in the bright future ahead.

Greenville Triumph SC

Defensive talent: Greenville has built itself a very strong inaugural squad, and this strength begins at defense. Many of the players signed by the Triumph boast USL Championship or MLS experience, giving them one of the most proven back lines in the league. Players like Tyler Polak and Chris Seiler each have MLS appearances under their belt, and won't shy away from the play of a new pro league. Kevin Politz, a New York Red Bulls homegrown, and Evan Lee, with plenty of prior USL experience, will also contribute to a stout defense in front of goalkeeper Dallas Jaye.

Coaching: A unique strength of Greenville's is their U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame head coach, John Harkes. Harkes, along with his appearances in the Premier League, MLS, and two World Cups, served as a coach under Bruce Arena in New York and led FC Cincinnati's inaugural campaign. This puts Harkes among the most accomplished coaches in League One, and his experience and leadership will no doubt benefit this Triumph squad.

Travelling Support: Greenville's fan support has not gone unnoticed, and many fans along with the supporters group Reedy River Riot have been eagerly awaiting their team to take the field. A good number should be travelling to Statesboro to witness the historic match and give the Triumph support as they begin their 2019 campaign.

Prediction:

With both teams' preseasons wrapped up, the energy should be high for a game that will go down in the history books. Tormenta's chemistry matched against the Triumph's experience make this game a close one to call. While my head says that this hard fought game should be even at 1-1 when the match ends, my heart tells me that Tormenta will harness the energy of the Statesboro community and grind out a 2-1 win to start the campaign.

With that, there's nothing left but to find out what happens. I'll see y'all at Erk Russell tonight. It's time to write history.

South Georgia Tormenta FC vs. Greenville Triumph SC

USL League One Regular Season

March 29, 2019, 7:00 PM EST

Erk Russell Park, Statesboro, Georgia

Watch in the U.S. on ESPN+ or internationally on YouTube