With San Antonio FC and OKC Energy FC playing to draws in five out of six all-time matchups, there is no doubt Saturday’s contest will be another nail biter of a match.
So with two evenly matched clubs, could Toyota Field be the difference maker?
I know, I know. OKC Energy beat Reno 1868 FC on the road last week, with Reno having the league’s best offense and got shut out. But OKC coming into Toyota Field will be no easy task.
When Ever Guzman’s penalty kick went into the net in stoppage time in SAFC’s 2-1 win last weekend, the crowd of 7,019 erupted as you’d never heard it before. That just might be the difference for SAFC coming into the matchup against a team they’ve never beaten in their two year history.
“Tonight was one of the best nights in this stadium since I’ve been here,” SAFC Head Coach Darren Powell said after Saturday’s match. “When you get a result like that, you can take in the noise and the joy it brings to a lot of people, and for us as a coaching staff, to see the joy on people’s faces when we’ve won and advanced this week (gives us) extra pride, and that’s why we do the job.”
Man of the Match Stephen McCarthy told SAFC reporter Anja Rosales that the crowd was the difference maker following the win. He added he’d need them to come back out and be just as loud, if not louder, on Saturday.
Year two for SAFC at Toyota Field saw attendance climb and fans show their love for the club. T-shirts, magnets, flags, and signs can be seen all over the Alamo City and with the team making a run to their first USL Cup, the passion is growing.
“I think we have the best atmosphere in the USL and I’m so proud of the fans,” SAFC’s Cesar Elizondo said. “I’ve been here for several years and every year and each game it gets better, and today wasn’t an exception and I know that the semifinals are going to be huge here [at Toyota Field].”
If last Saturday was any indication, OKC might want to bring some ear plugs to Toyota Field this weekend.
