LEXINGTON, KY — Lexington SC suffered its first loss of the season in a hard-fought battle against San Antonio FC, falling 3-2 at Lexington SC Stadium. Both teams entered the match undefeated, setting the stage for an action-packed 90 minutes.
Lexington started strong, generating multiple scoring opportunities early. The club struck first in the 11th minute when Nick Firmino found the back of the net off an assist from Kieran Sargeant.
“We knew it was going to be a fight early, and we knew we wanted to win that side of the match first,” Sargeant said. “For us to get out on the strong foot and get two goals, it was a great feeling.”
Lexington doubled its lead in the 16th minute when Marcus Epps delivered a well-placed ball to an open Cory Burke, who finished to make it 2-0.
San Antonio responded quickly, with Jimmy Medranda scoring in the 23rd minute. Just two minutes later, Jorge Hernandez converted a penalty kick after Sargeant was issued a yellow card, leveling the score at 2-2.
Tensions rose in the second half as both teams pushed for the lead. Lexington continued to apply pressure, but San Antonio goalkeeper Richard Sanchez made several key saves to keep the home side from regaining the advantage.
The decisive moment came in the 82nd minute, when Jake LaCava netted the game-winner for San Antonio. Despite an energetic home crowd urging them forward, Lexington was unable to find an equalizer before the final whistle.
Head coach Terry Boss reflected on the performance.
“I couldn’t be prouder of the guys. I know it’s not the result we wanted, specifically at home, but there’s a lot to be proud of,” Boss said. “We played to win, and we want to win because we want to reward the fans for everything they’ve done for us.”
Lexington SC now turns its attention to the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, facing Columbus Crew 2 in the second round on April 1 at 6 p.m.