MAULDIN, S.C. – Ryan Becher continued to display his offensive prowess Saturday night, scoring twice, and Fort Wayne Football Club secured a pivotal 3-1 victory over Greenville Triumph SC in a rain-soaked affair at GE Vernova Park.
Becher has scored three goals in the past two matches, and five in the last nine, and the Autumn Gold & Black won for the third time in their last four matches to improve their record to 10-8-6.
With eight matches remaining in their first regular season in professional soccer, the club is in the eighth and final playoff spot amid the 17-team USL League One table.
“I’m very proud of this group,” Fort Wayne FC head coach Mike Avery said. “Another road win in very challenging circumstances, and with a lot at stake. This game required a lot of grit, and we showed up with that tonight.”
Greenville Triumph (6-13-5) was assessed an own goal, on the heels of a shot by Fort Wayne FC’s Michael Rempel, on Saturday in front of a crowd of 2,417.
“It’s a sign of our continued growth that we found a different way to win tonight. The conditions asked us to be a little more direct and the boys responded,” said Avery, whose club swept the season series, also winning 3-0 at Ruoff Mortgage Stadium on July 18.
Hundreds of fans were at Ruoff Mortgage Stadium on Saturday, when for the first time ever Fort Wayne FC held a watch party at 6411 Bass Road – allowing the club’s faithful to watch the ESPN+ broadcast on the second widest scoreboard in the state of Indiana.
Kabiru Gafar, who assisted on Becher’s first goal, is now tied for the club’s all-time assist record with six regardless of competition – impressive for a first-year pro. Alberto Anaya had six assists for Fort Wayne FC in the pre-professional level of USL League Two, in which the club played from 2021 to 2025.
Fort Wayne Football Club opened the scoring at GE Vernova Park in the 4th minute when a Rempel shot from the left side of the penalty area caromed off Greenville midfielder Connor Evans and into the net. Because it was ruled an own goal, Rempel is still in search of his first official pro goal. Clarence Awoudor set up Rempel on the play.
In the 32nd minute, Fort Wayne FC’s Logan Neidlinger was given a yellow card for a takedown, setting up a free kick from just outside the left side of the penalty area. On it, Greenville Triumph SC’s Brandon Fricke scored into the far side of the net, tying the match at 1. Despite there having been two goals at that point, Fricke’s shot was the first one of the match put on net.
Becher regained the lead in the 43rd minute at the end of a speedy counterattack, which saw Gafar send a centering pass to set up the goal.
Inclement weather rolled into the area during the second half and there was a 30-minute delay for lightning before the second half kickoff at 8:45 p.m.
Rain continued to pour down, however, and Fort Wayne FC goalkeeper Bernd Schipmann came up with a brilliant diving save on a Muba Nour shot in the 48th minute from 15 yards out.
Becher made it 3-1 in the 58th minute, heading in a Taig Healy corner kick. Becher has seven goals this season in USL League One play and another in a Prinx Tires USL Cup match.
“Becher had a great night, and I’m not just speaking of the goals,” Avery said. “He was a focal point for us tonight and he won a lot of challenges that helped us get the result. The goals were well taken and well earned by him, so a big night for him all around.”
Greenville Triumph had a chance to get back into things in the 66th minute, after a Fort Wayne FC foul set up a penalty kick, but Devin Boyce shot it wide.
Schipmann then followed the sequence by coming up with a big stop in the 69th minute on a close-range Brigham Larsen shot.
Schipmann finished with three saves, including another diving save on Larsen in second-half stoppage time.
This was the first of three matches in the span of eight days for Fort Wayne FC, which hosts defending-champion One Knoxville on Wednesday and FC Naples on Saturday at Ruoff Mortgage Stadium.
Wednesday’s match is a Meijer Family night; those who buy four tickets in the northeast grandstand get a free ticket and a $15 food voucher. Saturday’s will be the Birthday Bash for mascot Friendly the Goalrilla and there will be surprises in store.
Match & Watch Party photos
Match highlights
Box score
FORT WAYNE FC 2-1-3
GREENVILLE TRIUMPH SC 1-0-1
September 12, 2026
At GE Vernova Park, Mauldin, SC
Attendance: 2,417
RECORDS: FW 10-8-6; GVL 6-13-5.
GOALS: FW—Connor Evans, Ryan Becher 2, Own Goal by Greenville; GVL—Brandon Fricke.
ASSISTS: FW— Kabiru Gafar, Taig Healy; GVL–Azaad Liadi.
SAVES: FW—Bernd Schipmann 3; GVL—Amahl Knight 0.
POSSESSION: FW— 49.8%; GVL —50.2%
YELLOW CARDS: FW—Emerson Nieto, Logan Neidlinger, Tiago Dias; GVL—Ivan Agyaakwah, Azaad Liadi, Alex Villanueva, Muba Nour.
RED CARDS: FW—None; GVL —None.
REFEREE: Mario Maric.
About Fort Wayne Football Club
Fort Wayne Football Club, founded in 2019, is a professional soccer club playing its first season in USL League One in 2026. The club plays home matches at Ruoff Mortgage Stadium, which opened May 2, 2026, and is a soccer-specific venue. In pre-professional USL League Two, Fort Wayne Football Club won division titles in 2023, 2024 and 2025. For more information, visit FortWayneFC.com.
About United Soccer League
Founded in 1986, the United Soccer League (USL) is the largest and fastest-growing soccer organization in the United States, impacting more than 200 communities nationwide. The USL is the first and only organization to offer a comprehensive youth-to-professional pathway for both men and women under one ecosystem. This structure includes four men’s leagues: the newly announced, top-tier professional Division I league, the USL Championship (Division II), USL League One (Division III), and USL League Two (pre-professional). The women’s pathway includes the top-tier USL Super League (Division I), which debuted in 2024, and USL W League, the country’s leading pre-professional women’s league. The USL also oversees USL Academy, a progressive talent development platform, and USL Youth, a premier national youth platform.