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USL Rio Grande Valley FC Toros

Bird's Lone Goal Earns Toros Three Points at Home against Locomotive

August 24, 2019 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Rio Grande Valley FC Toros News Release


EDINBURG, Texas - Rio Grande Valley FC (7-11-7, 28 pts.) defeat El Paso Locomotive FC (8-8-8, 32 pts.) at H-E-B Park on Saturday night, 1-0. Deshane Beckford debuted tonight for the club.

The RGV FC kicked off the match with a right footed shot from Carlos Small in the 5th minute when he took Locomotive's defensive line and shot to the right but missed. Two minutes later, El Paso tested the Toros when Edson Partida took a left footed shot from the center of the box but was blocked by Jesus Enriquez.

In the 13th minute, defender Andrew Samuels sent a cross inside the box, but Small's shot was blocked by goalkeeper Logan Ketterer. Kevin Rodriguez sent a shot from the left side of the box but was sent too high.

The Locomotive FC tested Nico Corti when Sebastian Velasquez took the Toros defensive line then shot a left footed shot from the center of the box but sent it too high in the 34th minute. Two minutes later, Isidro Martinez sent a long shot from outside the box but missed to the top right corner.

Corti was tested back-to-back from the Locomotive when both Velasquez and Partida shot but Corti saved both shots in the 41st and 42nd minute. Houston Dynamo loanee, Michael Salazar, sent a shot to the top center of the goal but Ketterer deflected the shot out.

Last attempt from the Toros before the half was when Small sent a right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom right corner during a free kick but keeper saved it.

In the second half, the Dynamo loanee, Eric Bird, shot a right footed shot from the center of the box to the top left corner of the goal past Ketterer, 1-0, in the 46th minute. Locomotive's Andrew Fox sent a left footed shot from the center of the box but sent it too high in the 68th minute.

In the 85th minute, Sebastian Contreras took a long dangerous shot from the right side but missed to the left side of the goal. During stoppage time, the new Toros acquisition, Beckford, took a right footed shot from the right side of the box but was saved in the center of the goal.

Beckford debuted tonight for the Toros totaling four minutes with two shots and one at goal. Both Salazar and Small totaled four shots each with one on target. Bird totaled three shots with one on target and totaled three key passes. Enriquez had four key passes and one assist.

Defensively, Robert Castellanos totaled nine clearances, one interception and added one total shot. He also led the squad with 44 total passes and 90.9 passing accuracy.

Bird contributed seven tackles, three interceptions and ended the night with 87.2 percent passing accuracy. Samuels totaled three tackles, four interceptions and had one key pass. Corti ended the night with two saves.

The Toros squad overall totaled 17 shots, four on target with 84.6 percent passing accuracy. RGV FC has now scored 26 goals of their 39 goals in the second half. The Locomotive totaled nine shots and 90.4 percent passing accuracy.

San Antonio FC and RGV FC are now tied for first place in the Copa Tejas standings with eight points each. Austin Bold FC has seven points and El Paso has earned three points.

RGV FC will head on the road to Austin Bold FC on Sunday, September 1 for the last Copa Tejas showdown. Kickoff will be at 7:30 p.m. CT. The match will be available on ESPN+.

Updates on the match will be provided via Twitter at @RGVFC or by following #SomosToros. To see more matchday information, visit www.rgvfc.com.

Attendance: 4275

Scoring Summary: RGV FC - Bird 46' (Assist by Enriquez).

Misconduct Summary: ELP - Ryan 56' YC, Ryan 91' RC (2x YC).

ELP - Ketterer, Fox, Kiffe, Monsalvez, Beckie, Ryan, Salgado, Herrera, Velasquez, Partida, Kiesewetter.

Subs: Makinde, Gomez, Diaz, Fordah, Contreras.

Stats: Shots: 9 Shots on Goal: 1 Saves: 3 Fouls: 8 Corner Kicks: 5 Offsides: 0.

RGV FC - Corti, Samuels, Junqua, Donovan, Castellanos, Bird, Small, Enriquez, Rodriguez, Martinez, Salazar.

Subs: Beckford, Willis, Lemoine, Coronado, Arcila, Hernandez, Adams.

Stats: Shots: 17 Shots on Goal: 4 Saves: 2 Fouls: 9 Corner Kicks: 7 Offsides: 1.

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