San Antonio FC (12-7-7) earned its fourth straight road win, defeating OKC Energy FC (8-9-7) 1-0 on Sunday night. A Marcus Epps goal and the club’s sixth clean sheet on the season helped seal the three points for the Alamo City side.
“I’m proud of the guys,” said SAFC Head Coach Alen Marcina. “This is not an easy place to play. The guys dug deep and created a number of opportunities. We have to be better in our final product…but nonetheless we achieved the result that we sought after.”
SAFC started the game well and dominated the first 45 minutes, creating a number of chances in the final third. Good crosses from Connor Maloney were almost put away by Epps who nearly scored the opener more than once. Despite the frenzied attack, SAFC and OKC would enter halftime with the score locked at zero.
The second half picked up where the first left off with SAFC coming close once again through Jose Gallegos and Justin Dhillon. It was in the 66th minute however when San Antonio would finally break the deadlock. A wonderful, flicked pass from Dhillon found Epps in stride and the midfielder dribbled past two players in the box before calmly slotting home for the 1-0 lead. The Energy came close to equalizing in the dying minutes, but the crossbar and a Matthew Cardone save helped keep the shutout and the grab the win.
SAFC will now travel to its penultimate road match of the season, facing El Paso Locomotive this Wednesday. SAFC defeated the Locos 2-1 at home in the last meeting between the two sides as Wednesday’s match marks the fourth and final between the two in the regular season.
Scoring Summary:
SAFC: 1-0, Marcus Epps (Justin Dhillon assist) 66’
Disciplinary Summary:
OKC: Yellow Card (Hiroki Kurimoto) 31’
SAFC: Yellow Card (Mitch Taintor) 34’
OKC: Yellow Card (Lamar Batista) 54’
SAFC: Yellow Card (Jose Gallegos) 80’
OKC: Yellow Card (Villyan Bijev) 86’
SAFC: Yellow Card (Shandon Hopeau) 90’
Attendance: 1,828
SAFC Starting XI: GK: Matthew Cardone; D: Kortne Ford, Mitch Taintor, Jasser Khmiri; M: Mathieu Deplagne (Chris Lema 70’), Mohammed Abu, PC (c) (Cam Lindley 45’), Connor Maloney; F: Marcus Epps, Jose Gallegos (Shandon Hopeau 90’), Nathan (Justin Dhillon 60’)
Substitutions not used: Carlos Mercado, Joaquin Varela, Axel Sjoberg
Postgame Notes:
- SAFC defeated OKC 1-0 taking their record to 6-1-7 all-time against the Energy and 3-0-4 at Taft Stadium…SAFC has now won five straight matches against the Energy, outscoring them 13-1 over the course of those matches
- With the win, SAFC has now compiled a 7-4-3 road record…SAFC has now won its last four matches on the road, and six of their last eight…SAFC is now 29-38-19 all-time on the road
- SAFC midfielder Marcus Epps was named the SWBC Man of the Match…Epps led the team with a goal, five shots and three shots on target in the win…Epps has now recorded either a goal or an assist in six of his last nine matches
- SAFC goalkeeper Matthew Cardone saved 100 percent of shots faced in the win and kept his sixth clean sheet of the season…Cardone’s 79 saves rank fourth in the USL Championship
San Antonio FC (12-7-7) earned its fourth straight road win, defeating OKC Energy FC (8-9-7) 1-0 on Sunday night. A Marcus Epps goal and the club’s sixth clean sheet on the season helped seal the three points for the Alamo City side.
“I’m proud of the guys,” said SAFC Head Coach Alen Marcina. “This is not an easy place to play. The guys dug deep and created a number of opportunities. We have to be better in our final product…but nonetheless we achieved the result that we sought after.”
SAFC started the game well and dominated the first 45 minutes, creating a number of chances in the final third. Good crosses from Connor Maloney were almost put away by Epps who nearly scored the opener more than once. Despite the frenzied attack, SAFC and OKC would enter halftime with the score locked at zero.
The second half picked up where the first left off with SAFC coming close once again through Jose Gallegos and Justin Dhillon. It was in the 66th minute however when San Antonio would finally break the deadlock. A wonderful, flicked pass from Dhillon found Epps in stride and the midfielder dribbled past two players in the box before calmly slotting home for the 1-0 lead. The Energy came close to equalizing in the dying minutes, but the crossbar and a Matthew Cardone save helped keep the shutout and the grab the win.
SAFC will now travel to its penultimate road match of the season, facing El Paso Locomotive this Wednesday. SAFC defeated the Locos 2-1 at home in the last meeting between the two sides as Wednesday’s match marks the fourth and final between the two in the regular season.
Scoring Summary:
SAFC: 1-0, Marcus Epps (Justin Dhillon assist) 66’
Disciplinary Summary:
OKC: Yellow Card (Hiroki Kurimoto) 31’
SAFC: Yellow Card (Mitch Taintor) 34’
OKC: Yellow Card (Lamar Batista) 54’
SAFC: Yellow Card (Jose Gallegos) 80’
OKC: Yellow Card (Villyan Bijev) 86’
SAFC: Yellow Card (Shandon Hopeau) 90’
Attendance: 1,828
SAFC Starting XI: GK: Matthew Cardone; D: Kortne Ford, Mitch Taintor, Jasser Khmiri; M: Mathieu Deplagne (Chris Lema 70’), Mohammed Abu, PC (c) (Cam Lindley 45’), Connor Maloney; F: Marcus Epps, Jose Gallegos (Shandon Hopeau 90’), Nathan (Justin Dhillon 60’)
Substitutions not used: Carlos Mercado, Joaquin Varela, Axel Sjoberg
Postgame Notes:
- SAFC defeated OKC 1-0 taking their record to 6-1-7 all-time against the Energy and 3-0-4 at Taft Stadium…SAFC has now won five straight matches against the Energy, outscoring them 13-1 over the course of those matches
- With the win, SAFC has now compiled a 7-4-3 road record…SAFC has now won its last four matches on the road, and six of their last eight…SAFC is now 29-38-19 all-time on the road
- SAFC midfielder Marcus Epps was named the SWBC Man of the Match…Epps led the team with a goal, five shots and three shots on target in the win…Epps has now recorded either a goal or an assist in six of his last nine matches
- SAFC goalkeeper Matthew Cardone saved 100 percent of shots faced in the win and kept his sixth clean sheet of the season…Cardone’s 79 saves rank fourth in the USL Championship
