News

San Antonio FC (1-0-2) tied 1-1 against league leaders LA Galaxy II (2-0-3) at StubHub Center in the first encounter between the two clubs. A late equalizer from Carlos Alvarez earned SAFC a valuable point.

"First and foremost I'm really proud of the guys for playing to the final whistle," said SAFC Head Coach Darren Powell. "We managed to get a point thanks to a really good strike from Carlos Alvarez in front of his family. I think at that moment we were really excited to get the draw."

SAFC got a warning from the home team early on when Galaxy II created a dangerous attack that forced goalkeeper Josh Ford out of his box to smother the ball. The majority of the rest of the first half saw both teams go back and forth offensively, with SAFC stringing together a few quality plays but not able to find the finish in the final third.

The first goal of the match came in the 40th minute when Galaxy II forward Jack McBean found the end of a cross inside the SAFC box and squeezed the ball into a tight angle near-post. SAFC responded well, but the half ended with the home team in the lead.

The second half was a possession battle, with Galaxy II threatening the visitors with multiple chances. After some nifty play in the box from the LA attack in the 70th minute, Josh Ford kept SAFC in the game with a crucial save from point blank range.

San Antonio FC found the equalizer in the final minutes of the game after Alvarez settled the ball and buried it into the net off the underside of the crossbar, following a string of headers inside the Galaxy’s box.

SAFC remains undefeated in their inaugural season after tallying a win against Seattle Sounders 2 and tying Swope Park Rangers in their first two matches. This was the first match of a three-game road trip for San Antonio that will see them play Orange County Blues on Saturday, April 16, and Colorado Switchbacks FC on Saturday, April 23.

Scoring Summary:

LA: 1-0, Jack McBean ‘40

SAFC: 1-1, Carlos Alvarez ‘89

SAFC Starting XI: GK: Josh Ford (c); D: Milton Palacios, Stephen McCarthy, Sam McBride, Greg Cochrane; M: Michael Reed, Sebastien Thuriere (Rafa Castillo ’58), Carlos Alvarez; F: Bobby Moseley (Fejiro Okiomah ’56), Danny Garcia (Victor Araujo ’75), Jason Johnson (Manolo Sanchez ’63)

Substitutions Not Used: Matt Cardone, Miguel Salazar, Shawn Chin

Postgame Notes:

• San Antonio FC tied LA Galaxy II on Wednesday night 1-1…marked the second draw on the season for San Antonio after the club drew 1-1 against Swope Park Rangers in its home opener
• SAFC midfielder Carlos Alvarez scored his first goal of the season in the 89th minute to earn SAFC a point…marked the club’s latest goal this season (previously 80th minute) Alvarez grew up in Los Angeles and previously played for now defunct club Chivas USA
• Sam McBride, Stephen McCarthy, Greg Cochrane, Milton Palacios and Michal Reed played 90 minutes for SAFC…marks the only players to play every minute of every game for the club so far this season
• Sebastien Thuriere made his first start for the club, playing 58 minutes…made his club debut on 4/3 against Seattle, coming on in the 90th minute

San Antonio FC (1-0-2) tied 1-1 against league leaders LA Galaxy II (2-0-3) at StubHub Center in the first encounter between the two clubs. A late equalizer from Carlos Alvarez earned SAFC a valuable point.

“First and foremost I’m really proud of the guys for playing to the final whistle,” said SAFC Head Coach Darren Powell. “We managed to get a point thanks to a really good strike from Carlos Alvarez in front of his family. I think at that moment we were really excited to get the draw.”

SAFC got a warning from the home team early on when Galaxy II created a dangerous attack that forced goalkeeper Josh Ford out of his box to smother the ball. The majority of the rest of the first half saw both teams go back and forth offensively, with SAFC stringing together a few quality plays but not able to find the finish in the final third.

The first goal of the match came in the 40th minute when Galaxy II forward Jack McBean found the end of a cross inside the SAFC box and squeezed the ball into a tight angle near-post. SAFC responded well, but the half ended with the home team in the lead.

The second half was a possession battle, with Galaxy II threatening the visitors with multiple chances. After some nifty play in the box from the LA attack in the 70th minute, Josh Ford kept SAFC in the game with a crucial save from point blank range.

San Antonio FC found the equalizer in the final minutes of the game after Alvarez settled the ball and buried it into the net off the underside of the crossbar, following a string of headers inside the Galaxy’s box.

SAFC remains undefeated in their inaugural season after tallying a win against Seattle Sounders 2 and tying Swope Park Rangers in their first two matches. This was the first match of a three-game road trip for San Antonio that will see them play Orange County Blues on Saturday, April 16, and Colorado Switchbacks FC on Saturday, April 23.

Scoring Summary:

LA: 1-0, Jack McBean ‘40

SAFC: 1-1, Carlos Alvarez ‘89

SAFC Starting XI: GK: Josh Ford (c); D: Milton Palacios, Stephen McCarthy, Sam McBride, Greg Cochrane; M: Michael Reed, Sebastien Thuriere (Rafa Castillo ’58), Carlos Alvarez; F: Bobby Moseley (Fejiro Okiomah ’56), Danny Garcia (Victor Araujo ’75), Jason Johnson (Manolo Sanchez ’63)

Substitutions Not Used: Matt Cardone, Miguel Salazar, Shawn Chin

Postgame Notes:

• San Antonio FC tied LA Galaxy II on Wednesday night 1-1…marked the second draw on the season for San Antonio after the club drew 1-1 against Swope Park Rangers in its home opener
• SAFC midfielder Carlos Alvarez scored his first goal of the season in the 89th minute to earn SAFC a point…marked the club’s latest goal this season (previously 80th minute) Alvarez grew up in Los Angeles and previously played for now defunct club Chivas USA
• Sam McBride, Stephen McCarthy, Greg Cochrane, Milton Palacios and Michal Reed played 90 minutes for SAFC…marks the only players to play every minute of every game for the club so far this season
• Sebastien Thuriere made his first start for the club, playing 58 minutes…made his club debut on 4/3 against Seattle, coming on in the 90th minute

San Antonio FC (1-0-1) will play against league leaders LA Galaxy II (2-0-2) at the StubHub Center track on Wednesday, April 13 in their third match of the 2016 USL season. The match will be the first encounter ever between the two clubs, as both will fight to remain undefeated in their 2016 campaign.

Coverage of the match will be available for free through www.sanantoniofc.com, as well as the USL Match Center.

SAFC will travel to LA following their inaugural home opener at Toyota Field last Saturday, where they managed to get a 1-1 draw against league newcomers Swope Park Rangers, who currently sit in fourth place on the league table. An early goal in the second minute by Daniel Salloi gave SPR the lead before a late first-half equalizer by SAFC midfielder Danny Garcia put the teams level.

Despite San Antonio FC playing away from home this week, they will have plenty of support back in the Alamo City. For their inaugural match, SAFC saw a record-breaking attendance with 8,466 fans packing Toyota Field to cheer for the silver and black.

LA Galaxy II remains undefeated this season after starting off strong with two back-to-back wins against Arizona United and Saint Louis FC, followed by two draws against Real Monarchs and Orange County Blues. Now, SAFC will aim to hand the leaders their first loss of the season.

The Galaxy II attack will be led by Jack McBean, who has two goals so far in the young season. Coached by Curt Onalfo, the club is looking to improve on their 2015 campaign, where they lost dramatically to Rochester Rhinos in the final minutes of the USL Championship match.

San Antonio FC has yet to see its first loss in franchise history, and will aim to continue their undefeated streak in Los Angeles on Wednesday. SAFC faces a busy week as it takes on the Orange County Blues on Saturday, April 16, only three days after their upcoming encounter against the Galaxy II as part of a three-game road trip that concludes on April 23 in Colorado Springs.

Game 3 – San Antonio FC at LA Galaxy II

Date: Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Kickoff: 9:30 p.m. central

Stadium: Stub Hub Center Track (Carson, CA)

San Antonio FC: 1-0-1, 4 pts (7th place)

Swope Park Rangers: 2-0-2, 8 pts (1st place)

All-time Series: The game marks the first matchup ever between San Antonio FC and LA Galaxy II

Streaming:

www.sanantoniofc.com

Media Information:

2016 SAFC Media Guide

Social Media Information:

Twitter: @SanAntonioFC

Snapchat: SanAntonioFC

Facebook: San Antonio FC

Instagram: @sanantoniofc

Hashtags: #OurClub, #LAvSA

San Antonio FC (1-0-1) will play against league leaders LA Galaxy II (2-0-2) at the StubHub Center track on Wednesday, April 13 in their third match of the 2016 USL season. The match will be the first encounter ever between the two clubs, as both will fight to remain undefeated in their 2016 campaign.

Coverage of the match will be available for free through www.sanantoniofc.com, as well as the USL Match Center.

SAFC will travel to LA following their inaugural home opener at Toyota Field last Saturday, where they managed to get a 1-1 draw against league newcomers Swope Park Rangers, who currently sit in fourth place on the league table. An early goal in the second minute by Daniel Salloi gave SPR the lead before a late first-half equalizer by SAFC midfielder Danny Garcia put the teams level.

Despite San Antonio FC playing away from home this week, they will have plenty of support back in the Alamo City. For their inaugural match, SAFC saw a record-breaking attendance with 8,466 fans packing Toyota Field to cheer for the silver and black.

LA Galaxy II remains undefeated this season after starting off strong with two back-to-back wins against Arizona United and Saint Louis FC, followed by two draws against Real Monarchs and Orange County Blues. Now, SAFC will aim to hand the leaders their first loss of the season.

The Galaxy II attack will be led by Jack McBean, who has two goals so far in the young season. Coached by Curt Onalfo, the club is looking to improve on their 2015 campaign, where they lost dramatically to Rochester Rhinos in the final minutes of the USL Championship match.

San Antonio FC has yet to see its first loss in franchise history, and will aim to continue their undefeated streak in Los Angeles on Wednesday. SAFC faces a busy week as it takes on the Orange County Blues on Saturday, April 16, only three days after their upcoming encounter against the Galaxy II as part of a three-game road trip that concludes on April 23 in Colorado Springs.

Game 3 – San Antonio FC at LA Galaxy II

Date: Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Kickoff: 9:30 p.m. central

Stadium: Stub Hub Center Track (Carson, CA)

San Antonio FC: 1-0-1, 4 pts (7th place)

Swope Park Rangers: 2-0-2, 8 pts (1st place)

All-time Series: The game marks the first matchup ever between San Antonio FC and LA Galaxy II

Streaming:

www.sanantoniofc.com

Media Information:

2016 SAFC Media Guide

Social Media Information:

Twitter: @SanAntonioFC

Snapchat: SanAntonioFC

Facebook: San Antonio FC

Instagram: @sanantoniofc

Hashtags: #OurClub, #LAvSA

Among the sold-out crowd of 8,466 at Toyota Field on Saturday, USL President Jake Edwards was there to see San Antonio FC’s inaugural home match.

Edwards took a few minutes to talk about his hopes for one of the USL’s newest franchises.

What are your first impressions of San Antonio FC?

JE: I’m loving what I’m seeing. It’s not just that fans are coming out, but you can see the passion, the excitement and the enthusiasm here.  This is something we always knew would happen in San Antonio with this ownership group and it’s great to see the fans raring to go.

When you were here in January, the team was just announced. What did you think of the way the team was built?

JE: It’s a testament to the work that Spurs Sports & Entertainment has done here in a short space of time. This organization does everything at the top level. They’ve got big ambitions here and big goals. To achieve those, you’ve got to do everything at a top level on the field and off the field.

Were you expecting a reception like this?

JE: This is something we always knew would happen in San Antonio with this ownership group, and it’s great to see the fans raring to go.

To see this crowd, It’s a testament to the passion that the supporters and people of San Antonio have for the sport, and a testament to supporting local sports that they’re here in such great numbers.

What do you see for San Antonio for growth as a soccer city?

JE: It’s critical that the city engage with the team. That’s how they succeed and how we succeed. To see the mayor, judge and so many officials at this game, the fact that they were so committed to soccer and working with the Spurs organization to bring soccer here was critical. I certainly applaud their efforts and I know they have big plans for the future.

What is San Antonio’s MLS blueprint? How does it follow the path of Seattle and Orlando from USL to MLS?

JE: If San Antonio can continue to build the brand, build the fanbase and continue to have these kinds of crowds, they’re in great shape for the future.

It’s about having an owner with the vision . They have to be engaged in the community, and the community has to play their part. The fan base has to come and sell out the stadium. They have to create that authentic soccer atmosphere and make people look at San Antonio. The city as a whole has to get behind it.

Sometimes it takes five years, sometimes it’s 10 to 15 years. It’s happening quicker and quicker these days. But you have to have all the right pieces in place in San Antonio.

San Antonio FC Managing Director Tim Holt was USL President from 2009-15. What can you tell us about your predecessor?

JE: He doesn’t drink enough beer. He’s a health-conscious nut, so he runs too much and is way too fit. Tim is the consummate professional. It was my pleasure to work under him for a couple of years, and I learned a lot from him. He is a passionate, committed sports executive and is absolutely the right man for this job to take this team forward.

Among the sold-out crowd of 8,466 at Toyota Field on Saturday, USL President Jake Edwards was there to see San Antonio FC’s inaugural home match.

Edwards took a few minutes to talk about his hopes for one of the USL’s newest franchises.

What are your first impressions of San Antonio FC?

JE: I’m loving what I’m seeing. It’s not just that fans are coming out, but you can see the passion, the excitement and the enthusiasm here.  This is something we always knew would happen in San Antonio with this ownership group and it’s great to see the fans raring to go.

When you were here in January, the team was just announced. What did you think of the way the team was built?

JE: It’s a testament to the work that Spurs Sports & Entertainment has done here in a short space of time. This organization does everything at the top level. They’ve got big ambitions here and big goals. To achieve those, you’ve got to do everything at a top level on the field and off the field.

Were you expecting a reception like this?

JE: This is something we always knew would happen in San Antonio with this ownership group, and it’s great to see the fans raring to go.

To see this crowd, It’s a testament to the passion that the supporters and people of San Antonio have for the sport, and a testament to supporting local sports that they’re here in such great numbers.

What do you see for San Antonio for growth as a soccer city?

JE: It’s critical that the city engage with the team. That’s how they succeed and how we succeed. To see the mayor, judge and so many officials at this game, the fact that they were so committed to soccer and working with the Spurs organization to bring soccer here was critical. I certainly applaud their efforts and I know they have big plans for the future.

What is San Antonio’s MLS blueprint? How does it follow the path of Seattle and Orlando from USL to MLS?

JE: If San Antonio can continue to build the brand, build the fanbase and continue to have these kinds of crowds, they’re in great shape for the future.

It’s about having an owner with the vision . They have to be engaged in the community, and the community has to play their part. The fan base has to come and sell out the stadium. They have to create that authentic soccer atmosphere and make people look at San Antonio. The city as a whole has to get behind it.

Sometimes it takes five years, sometimes it’s 10 to 15 years. It’s happening quicker and quicker these days. But you have to have all the right pieces in place in San Antonio.

San Antonio FC Managing Director Tim Holt was USL President from 2009-15. What can you tell us about your predecessor?

JE: He doesn’t drink enough beer. He’s a health-conscious nut, so he runs too much and is way too fit. Tim is the consummate professional. It was my pleasure to work under him for a couple of years, and I learned a lot from him. He is a passionate, committed sports executive and is absolutely the right man for this job to take this team forward.

Fiesta doesn’t officially begin for another five days, but San Antonio started the party early at Toyota Field on Saturday for the inaugural home match of San Antonio FC.

A stadium-record crowd of 8,466, including San Antonio Mayor Ivy Taylor, Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff, USL President Jake Edwards and Spurs players Boris Diaw, Patty Mills and Boban Marjanovic watched SAFC rally back from an early deficit for a 1-1 draw against Swope Park Rangers.

Fans young and old, 7-foot-3 and shorter, from all parts of San Antonio and beyond came for the historic match as San Antonio FC stayed undefeated in the USL. The biggest raves were about the atmosphere, as the game sold out earlier this week and the fans were loud from kickoff to the final whistle. 

“We’ve thought for a while that soccer is a great fit for San Antonio,” Ivy Taylor said. “Soccer’s already an integral part of the community. So many kids in this city are in youth programs, and it’s going to be inspiring for them to see professionals representing their city.”

The tailgate got going at 2 p.m., as supporters groups The Crocketteers and Mission City 118 were joined by almost 1,000 soccer fans in the Toyota Field parking lots. Kids played pickup soccer games, chants began early and often, and a mariachi band topped off the facilities.

Michael Macias, a founder of the Crocketteers, said he was overwhelmed by the response to soccer from San Antonians.

“We’ve been waiting for something like this for a long time, and that’s obvious by the excitement,” Macias said. “I couldn’t even get enough tickets for my family.”

Ethan Ball, an 11-year-old club soccer player, said he always wants to play for SAFC someday. His father, Adam, said he’s excited to see how much soccer’s popularity grows in San Antonio with the addition of SAFC.

“We’ve been watching closely for the last few months,” Adam Ball said. “As soon as we can sign Ethan up for SAFC’s academy, we’re doing it.”

As Mission City 118 marched into the stadium, the noise exploded at Toyota Field for the first glimpse at the team playing on home turf.

They didn’t quiet down after a Swope Park Rangers goal in the second minute, and erupted when Danny Garcia tied the match in the 42nd minute, right in front of the two supporters sections.

Alvarez even gave the fans a priceless souvenir, launching the ball into the crowd after the goal.

“I’m so happy about the crowd,” Alvarez said. “The city came and supported us, hopefully we gave them a great show and they keep coming.”

The fans also broke out into chants for each of the three Spurs players who came to support a fellow Spurs Sports & Entertainment franchise.

“I really enjoyed this night,” Marjanovic said. “Everybody played soccer in our yards in Serbia, and this is great to see here. I’m really proud to be part of this family.”

It might be difficult for fan Cesar Gutierrez to make it to the next home match on April 30 against Tulsa. Gutierrez flew in from Buffalo, New York for the inaugural match on Saturday. He said his nephew was born in San Antonio a month ago, and he used his new godson as an excuse to fly 1,700 miles for the home opener.

“I’m moving back to San Antonio when we get MLS,” Gutierrez said. “I don’t care what my wife says, that’s going to happen.”

For city and county leaders, Saturday’s crowd signified a step into the direction of pushing for an MLS club. As SAFC prepares for the next home game, Wolff said he hopes the crowd is just as loud in a few weeks.

“Soccer is the up and coming sport in the United States,” Wolff said. “We’re joining the world with soccer and the growth of this sport is evolving in San Antonio. Hopefully with trying to get Major League Soccer here in the future, you see the excitement growing.”

Fiesta doesn’t officially begin for another five days, but San Antonio started the party early at Toyota Field on Saturday for the inaugural home match of San Antonio FC.

A stadium-record crowd of 8,466, including San Antonio Mayor Ivy Taylor, Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff, USL President Jake Edwards and Spurs players Boris Diaw, Patty Mills and Boban Marjanovic watched SAFC rally back from an early deficit for a 1-1 draw against Swope Park Rangers.

Fans young and old, 7-foot-3 and shorter, from all parts of San Antonio and beyond came for the historic match as San Antonio FC stayed undefeated in the USL. The biggest raves were about the atmosphere, as the game sold out earlier this week and the fans were loud from kickoff to the final whistle. 

“We’ve thought for a while that soccer is a great fit for San Antonio,” Ivy Taylor said. “Soccer’s already an integral part of the community. So many kids in this city are in youth programs, and it’s going to be inspiring for them to see professionals representing their city.”

The tailgate got going at 2 p.m., as supporters groups The Crocketteers and Mission City 118 were joined by almost 1,000 soccer fans in the Toyota Field parking lots. Kids played pickup soccer games, chants began early and often, and a mariachi band topped off the facilities.

Michael Macias, a founder of the Crocketteers, said he was overwhelmed by the response to soccer from San Antonians.

“We’ve been waiting for something like this for a long time, and that’s obvious by the excitement,” Macias said. “I couldn’t even get enough tickets for my family.”

Ethan Ball, an 11-year-old club soccer player, said he always wants to play for SAFC someday. His father, Adam, said he’s excited to see how much soccer’s popularity grows in San Antonio with the addition of SAFC.

“We’ve been watching closely for the last few months,” Adam Ball said. “As soon as we can sign Ethan up for SAFC’s academy, we’re doing it.”

As Mission City 118 marched into the stadium, the noise exploded at Toyota Field for the first glimpse at the team playing on home turf.

They didn’t quiet down after a Swope Park Rangers goal in the second minute, and erupted when Danny Garcia tied the match in the 42nd minute, right in front of the two supporters sections.

Alvarez even gave the fans a priceless souvenir, launching the ball into the crowd after the goal.

“I’m so happy about the crowd,” Alvarez said. “The city came and supported us, hopefully we gave them a great show and they keep coming.”

The fans also broke out into chants for each of the three Spurs players who came to support a fellow Spurs Sports & Entertainment franchise.

“I really enjoyed this night,” Marjanovic said. “Everybody played soccer in our yards in Serbia, and this is great to see here. I’m really proud to be part of this family.”

It might be difficult for fan Cesar Gutierrez to make it to the next home match on April 30 against Tulsa. Gutierrez flew in from Buffalo, New York for the inaugural match on Saturday. He said his nephew was born in San Antonio a month ago, and he used his new godson as an excuse to fly 1,700 miles for the home opener.

“I’m moving back to San Antonio when we get MLS,” Gutierrez said. “I don’t care what my wife says, that’s going to happen.”

For city and county leaders, Saturday’s crowd signified a step into the direction of pushing for an MLS club. As SAFC prepares for the next home game, Wolff said he hopes the crowd is just as loud in a few weeks.

“Soccer is the up and coming sport in the United States,” Wolff said. “We’re joining the world with soccer and the growth of this sport is evolving in San Antonio. Hopefully with trying to get Major League Soccer here in the future, you see the excitement growing.”

Swope Park Rangers forward Daniel Sallo scored in the second minute of the match, giving the visitors an early lead. The forward capitalized after chaos in the home team’s box led to a loose ball right in front of goal.

San Antonio found their rhythm at around the ten-minute mark, and took control of the half thereafter with quality possession. The home side managed to get the equalizer in the 42nd minute when forward Danny Garcia found himself one-on-one with the visitors’ goalkeeper and slotted the ball into the net. The move came after midfielder Carlos Alvarez found the former FC Dallas man with a slick through-ball.

“Carlos turned, and as soon as I saw him turn I just went,” Garcia said. “Carlos has great vision, so he just played me through and I took a touch and put it in the back of the net.”

The second half was a possession battle that saw back and forth attacks from both squads, but neither team was able to find the winning goal by the final whistle.

Despite the draw, Head Coach Darren Powell expressed pride in his team for coming back from an early deficit.

“It was our first home game and it wasn’t the great start we were hoping for,” Powell said. “But that happens and I can’t say enough how proud I am of the guys for coming back and responding well, and putting themselves in a position to win it. The most important thing you look for is the response of the players, and tonight I thought the response was good.”

San Antonio FC will return to action next week when they play LA Galaxy II at Stub Hub Center on Wednesday. Coverage for the game will be found on www.sanantoniofc.com and uslsoccer.com.

Scoring Summary:

SPR: 0-1, Daniel Salloi ‘2

SAFC: 1-1, Danny Garcia ’42 (Carlos Alvarez assist)

SAFC Starting XI: GK: Josh Ford (c); D: Milton Palacios, Stephen McCarthy, Sam McBride, Greg Cochrane; M: Michael Reed, Rafa Castillo, Carlos Alvarez (Victor Araujo ’90); F: Bobby Moseley (Manolo Sanchez ’67), Danny Garcia (Carlos Alvarez ’55), Jason Johnson

Substitutions Not Used: Matt Cardone, Miguel Salazar, Sebastien Thuriere, Fejiro Okiomah

Postgame Notes:

• The match at San Antonio marked the largest crowd in Toyota Field history with 8,466 fans coming out to the match…the previous record was 8,313 set in 2014
• SAFC midfielder Danny Garcia scored his first goal for the club, playing in an advanced position on the wing…Garcia played in four games with FC Dallas of MLS in his career without scoring a professional goal
• Midfielder Carlos Alvarez recorded his first assist of the year when his through ball found Danny Garcia for the equalizer in the first half…Alvarez recorded two goals and four assists while on loan to the Charlotte Independence (USL) from the Colorado Rapids (MLS) last year
• Seven of the 10 outfield players for SAFC recorded at least one shot…Rafa Castillo led the way, taking four shots and hitting the target twice…SAFC outshot Swope Park Rangers 17-7

Swope Park Rangers forward Daniel Sallo scored in the second minute of the match, giving the visitors an early lead. The forward capitalized after chaos in the home team’s box led to a loose ball right in front of goal.

San Antonio found their rhythm at around the ten-minute mark, and took control of the half thereafter with quality possession. The home side managed to get the equalizer in the 42nd minute when forward Danny Garcia found himself one-on-one with the visitors’ goalkeeper and slotted the ball into the net. The move came after midfielder Carlos Alvarez found the former FC Dallas man with a slick through-ball.

“Carlos turned, and as soon as I saw him turn I just went,” Garcia said. “Carlos has great vision, so he just played me through and I took a touch and put it in the back of the net.”

The second half was a possession battle that saw back and forth attacks from both squads, but neither team was able to find the winning goal by the final whistle.

Despite the draw, Head Coach Darren Powell expressed pride in his team for coming back from an early deficit.

“It was our first home game and it wasn’t the great start we were hoping for,” Powell said. “But that happens and I can’t say enough how proud I am of the guys for coming back and responding well, and putting themselves in a position to win it. The most important thing you look for is the response of the players, and tonight I thought the response was good.”

San Antonio FC will return to action next week when they play LA Galaxy II at Stub Hub Center on Wednesday. Coverage for the game will be found on www.sanantoniofc.com and uslsoccer.com.

Scoring Summary:

SPR: 0-1, Daniel Salloi ‘2

SAFC: 1-1, Danny Garcia ’42 (Carlos Alvarez assist)

SAFC Starting XI: GK: Josh Ford (c); D: Milton Palacios, Stephen McCarthy, Sam McBride, Greg Cochrane; M: Michael Reed, Rafa Castillo, Carlos Alvarez (Victor Araujo ’90); F: Bobby Moseley (Manolo Sanchez ’67), Danny Garcia (Carlos Alvarez ’55), Jason Johnson

Substitutions Not Used: Matt Cardone, Miguel Salazar, Sebastien Thuriere, Fejiro Okiomah

Postgame Notes:

• The match at San Antonio marked the largest crowd in Toyota Field history with 8,466 fans coming out to the match…the previous record was 8,313 set in 2014
• SAFC midfielder Danny Garcia scored his first goal for the club, playing in an advanced position on the wing…Garcia played in four games with FC Dallas of MLS in his career without scoring a professional goal
• Midfielder Carlos Alvarez recorded his first assist of the year when his through ball found Danny Garcia for the equalizer in the first half…Alvarez recorded two goals and four assists while on loan to the Charlotte Independence (USL) from the Colorado Rapids (MLS) last year
• Seven of the 10 outfield players for SAFC recorded at least one shot…Rafa Castillo led the way, taking four shots and hitting the target twice…SAFC outshot Swope Park Rangers 17-7