Team has won each of first three matches for the first time in club history
EDINBURG, Texas (March 27, 2022) – San Antonio FC topped Rio Grande Valley FC tonight by a score of 2-1 to move to 3-0-0 on the season. The perfect 3-0-0 start is the best in club history through three matches, and one of just two teams still without a loss or draw so far on the USL Championship season.
SAFC struck first, with Connor Maloney finding Elliot Collier in front of goal to score and make it 1-0 in the 34th minute. RGV would tie it up at 1-1 in the 44th minute, before David Loera put San Antonio back ahead almost immediately with an unassisted goal in the 45th minute.
The SAFC defense held firm in the second half, holding RGV scoreless despite being outshot 9-1.
San Antonio FC is back at home next weekend, hosting Phoenix Rising at Toyota Field on Saturday, April 2. Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. CT kickoff, and first Viva Night of the season, are available at SanAntonioFC.com.
Scoring Summary:
SAFC: 1-0, Elliot Collier (Assisted by Connor Maloney) 34’
RGV: 1-1, Dylan Borczak (Assisted by Isidro Martinez) 44’
SAFC: 2-1, David Loera 45’
Disciplinary Summary:
SAFC: Yellow Card (Ates Diouf) 8’
RGV: Yellow Card (Ricky Ruiz) 18’
RGV: Yellow Card (Frank Lopez) 49’
SAFC: Yellow Card (Diedie Traore) 54’
SAFC: Yellow Card (Jordan Ayimbila) 78’
SAFC: Yellow Card (Fabien Garcia) 86’
RGV: Yellow Card (Jesus Vazquez) 89’
SAFC: Yellow Card (David Loera) 90’
Attendance: 3,759
SAFC Starting XI: GK: Cristian Bonilla; D: Mitchell Taintor, Fabien Garcia, Carter Manley; M: Shannon Gomez, Connor Maloney (captain), Ates Diouf, Diedie Traore (Jordan Ayimbila 56’), David Loera, Elliot Collier F: Justin Dhillon
Substitutions not used: Matt Cardone, Jordan Farr, Roman Holt, Kai Louviere, Henrik Sakshaug
Postgame Notes:
- SAFC moves to 3-0-0 for the first time in club history.
- With the win, SAFC is one of just two clubs in the USL Championship to stand a perfect 3-0-0.
- Elliot Collier scored his first goal of the season, and first with SAFC, in the 34th minute to put San Antonio FC up 1-0.
- Connor Maloney assisted on Collier’s goal, his first of the season after tallying two in 2021.
- SAFC has scored first in all three matches this season.
- David Loera has scored in two-straight matches, his first two goals of the season.
- Cristian Bonilla posted his second-straight match with four saves, bringing his season total to 10.
- SAFC’s defense has now surrendered just two goals through the first three matches of the season, outscoring the opposition 5-2 in the stretch.
Quotes:
Head Coach Alen Marcina
(On the match result…)
“That was a hard-fought, well earned-three points. RGV were very, very good
Tonight. Our guys stayed resilient for the 90+ minutes and got a well-earned 3
points on the road against a well-organized team, which is very hard to do.”
(On the club’s resilience…)
“Demonstrating resilient behavior is staying confident in the face of adversity and
the face of challenges. Finding solutions, never making excuses. The guys did
that tonight and earned three points.”
Midfielder David Loera
(On the team’s performance…)
“We grinded out the win, we were resilient for 90 minutes and just kept going,
and didn’t give up. Very proud of the boys for the result … hard work and
resilience got us that win.”
