San Antonio FC (17-4-11) solidified a second-place finish in the USL Western Conference with a 3-1 win over Rio Grande Valley FC (9-15-8) at Toyota Field on Saturday night in front of 7,604 fans. SAFC will enter the 2017 USL Playoffs as the No. 2 seed and will host the first match of the postseason campaign at Toyota Field on Saturday, Oct. 21.
“We’re extremely excited to host (a playoff match) at Toyota Field,” SAFC Head Coach Darren Powell said. “Our fans have been fantastic all year. They get behind the team, and that gives extra motivation for our guys to deliver good performances.”
SAFC opened the scoring when midfielder Billy Forbes buried a shot in the 29th minute. RGV FC goalkeeper Calle Brown came out of the box and mishandled the ball in an attempt to prevent a corner kick. Forbes collected the ball and dribbled into an open net to give SAFC a 1-0 lead.
SAFC forward Ever Guzman then widened the lead to two after burying a low cross from midfielder Omar Gordon. The goal marked Guzman’s third in as many matches and Gordons second assist of the season.
The Toros added their lone goal of the night early in the second half with an unassisted shot from midfielder Eric Bird.
SWBC Man of the Match Guzman then finished a tap-in from inside the box in the 59th minute to give SAFC a 3-1 lead. Guzman’s second goal was assisted by Forbes, who chipped in a pass in from 25 yards. Forbes’ goal-and-assist performance was his fifth of the season, a team high for SAFC.
RGV FC played the final 17 minutes of the match down a player after forward Jose Escalante was handed a red card for an aggressive foul.
San Antonio FC will return to action on Saturday, Oct. 21 at Toyota Field as they host a to-be-determined opponent at 7:30 p.m. in the quarterfinals of the USL Cup Playoffs.
Scoring Summary:
SAFC: Billy Forbes 29’
SAFC: Ever Guzman 34’ (Omar Gordon assist)
RGV FC: Eric Bird 47’
SAFC: Ever Guzman 59’ (Billy Forbes assist)
Attendance: 7,604
SAFC Starting XI: GK: Diego Restrepo; D: Mark O’Ojong, Sebastien Ibeagha, Stephen McCarthy, Greg Cochrane; M: Pecka, Ryan Roushandel, Omar Gordon, Cesar Elizondo, Billy Forbes; F: Ever Guzman
Substitutions Not Used: Johnston, Hedrick, Seth, Tyrpak
Postgame Notes:
* San Antonio FC defeated Rio Grande Valley FC 3-1 at Toyota Field, marking the Alamo City club’s first win at home over their South Texas Rivals since their inaugural season… SAFC won two of the three matchups between the two in 2017, posting a 1-0 win on the road, a 0-1 loss at home and a 3-1 win at home in their final match of the regular season
* With the win, San Antonio FC will finish in second place in the Western Conference and will host a first-round playoff match at Toyota Field on 10/21… SAFC secured a playoff berth on Sept. 13 with a 1-0 win at Orange County SC
* SAFC forward Ever Guzman has now scored in three consecutive matches, becoming just the second SAFC player to record the feat (midfielder Billy Forbes scored in four consecutive matches earlier this season)… With his two goals on the night, Guzman is tied in third place for most goals scored this season (4)
* SAFC midfielder Billy Forbes scored his 10th goal of the season, becoming the club’s all-time leading goal scorer after surpassing Rafa Castillo’s tally (nine)… The match also marked the fifth time this season that the Turks and Caicos native tallied a goal and an assist in the same match… Forbes recently also became the club’s all-time leader in assists after tallying his eighth of the season on Oct. 11 vs. the Portland Timbers 2
* San Antonio FC midfielder Omar Gordon tallied his second assist of the season… Gordon has now tallied a goal and two assists in 11 appearances for the club since joining the Silver and Black on August 17
San Antonio FC (17-4-11) solidified a second-place finish in the USL Western Conference with a 3-1 win over Rio Grande Valley FC (9-15-8) at Toyota Field on Saturday night in front of 7,604 fans. SAFC will enter the 2017 USL Playoffs as the No. 2 seed and will host the first match of the postseason campaign at Toyota Field on Saturday, Oct. 21.
“We’re extremely excited to host (a playoff match) at Toyota Field,” SAFC Head Coach Darren Powell said. “Our fans have been fantastic all year. They get behind the team, and that gives extra motivation for our guys to deliver good performances.”
SAFC opened the scoring when midfielder Billy Forbes buried a shot in the 29th minute. RGV FC goalkeeper Calle Brown came out of the box and mishandled the ball in an attempt to prevent a corner kick. Forbes collected the ball and dribbled into an open net to give SAFC a 1-0 lead.
SAFC forward Ever Guzman then widened the lead to two after burying a low cross from midfielder Omar Gordon. The goal marked Guzman’s third in as many matches and Gordons second assist of the season.
The Toros added their lone goal of the night early in the second half with an unassisted shot from midfielder Eric Bird.
SWBC Man of the Match Guzman then finished a tap-in from inside the box in the 59th minute to give SAFC a 3-1 lead. Guzman’s second goal was assisted by Forbes, who chipped in a pass in from 25 yards. Forbes’ goal-and-assist performance was his fifth of the season, a team high for SAFC.
RGV FC played the final 17 minutes of the match down a player after forward Jose Escalante was handed a red card for an aggressive foul.
San Antonio FC will return to action on Saturday, Oct. 21 at Toyota Field as they host a to-be-determined opponent at 7:30 p.m. in the quarterfinals of the USL Cup Playoffs.
Scoring Summary:
SAFC: Billy Forbes 29’
SAFC: Ever Guzman 34’ (Omar Gordon assist)
RGV FC: Eric Bird 47’
SAFC: Ever Guzman 59’ (Billy Forbes assist)
Attendance: 7,604
SAFC Starting XI: GK: Diego Restrepo; D: Mark O’Ojong, Sebastien Ibeagha, Stephen McCarthy, Greg Cochrane; M: Pecka, Ryan Roushandel, Omar Gordon, Cesar Elizondo, Billy Forbes; F: Ever Guzman
Substitutions Not Used: Johnston, Hedrick, Seth, Tyrpak
Postgame Notes:
* San Antonio FC defeated Rio Grande Valley FC 3-1 at Toyota Field, marking the Alamo City club’s first win at home over their South Texas Rivals since their inaugural season… SAFC won two of the three matchups between the two in 2017, posting a 1-0 win on the road, a 0-1 loss at home and a 3-1 win at home in their final match of the regular season
* With the win, San Antonio FC will finish in second place in the Western Conference and will host a first-round playoff match at Toyota Field on 10/21… SAFC secured a playoff berth on Sept. 13 with a 1-0 win at Orange County SC
* SAFC forward Ever Guzman has now scored in three consecutive matches, becoming just the second SAFC player to record the feat (midfielder Billy Forbes scored in four consecutive matches earlier this season)… With his two goals on the night, Guzman is tied in third place for most goals scored this season (4)
* SAFC midfielder Billy Forbes scored his 10th goal of the season, becoming the club’s all-time leading goal scorer after surpassing Rafa Castillo’s tally (nine)… The match also marked the fifth time this season that the Turks and Caicos native tallied a goal and an assist in the same match… Forbes recently also became the club’s all-time leader in assists after tallying his eighth of the season on Oct. 11 vs. the Portland Timbers 2
* San Antonio FC midfielder Omar Gordon tallied his second assist of the season… Gordon has now tallied a goal and two assists in 11 appearances for the club since joining the Silver and Black on August 17
