SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio and Austin don’t just battle over which city has the best tacos, they also battle on the soccer pitch and the Alamo City boys finally beat their rivals in more ways than one.
San Antonio FC blanked Austin Bold FC 3-0 in front of 7,514 fans at Toyota Field on Wedensday in a special Fourth of July holiday match that featured post game fireworks.
The win gives SAFC their first win in league play since June 8 and extends their unbeaten streak at home to nine games overall.
“I’m proud of the players,” SAFC Head Coach Darren Powell said. “Over the past few weeks their commitment, dedication and passion to play for this club (has been great), and it was in due time to see a performance like tonight.”
SAFC came out aggressive and struck first in the eighth minute when an own goal from Austin’s Amobi Okugo put the home side up a goal. San Antonio would continue to use their attack effectively as they had several scoring chances in the first half but could not punch the ball home past Austin goalkeeper Diego Restrepo.
The second half saw the home side add to their lead as Billy Forbes netted his second goal of the season in the 49th minute, putting SAFC up two goals. 19-year-old Cristian Parano closed out the scoring with his second goal of the season but first at home.
Here’s are three standout players: Billy Forbes, Matt Cardone, and Cristian Parano.
Three Standout Players:
Billy Forbes
The striker had his best match of the 2019 season and it couldn’t have come at a better time. His aggressive attack gave his team a spark and provided several scoring chances for the club. After several missed chances, he finally got on the board with a goal in the second half.
The mark gives Forbes his second of the season and his helper on Parano’s tally was his second of the 2019 campaign.
“I think it was a great performance from the guys and everyone stepped up,” Forbes said. “We wanted to end the first half of the season with a win and we did that, which was big for the coaching staff and players.”
Matt Cardone
The “Bearded One” recorded another clean sheet, making it his fifth of the season. Cardone made several key stops to not only keep his team in front but also did not give Austin any momentum.
Cardone made four big saves and kept Austin from gaining any real momentum in the game.
“It was a much-needed win and I think we’re starting to build some momentum,” Cardone said. “We still have half the season to play for and get into the playoffs, and hopefully this momentum carries us through the rest of the season.”
Cristian Parano
The youngster tallied his second goal of the season but his first at home. His combination of speed and scoring ability will likely make him a very dangerous player in the near future.
But now the key for SAFC is gaining momentum going into the second half of the season.
“It was a true team performance and everyone played their role going forward, defending, and in transition moments,” Cardone added. “It was a quality team night.”
UP NEXT:
San Antonio FC is now 5-8-5 (20 points) on the season and will return to the pitch on July 13 for an international friendly against English Premier League club Cardiff City FC at 7:30 pm at Toyota Field.
