Match Preview: Copa Tejas Final - 2023
August 29, 2023 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Rio Grande Valley FC Toros News Release
EDINBURG, Texas - Rio Grande Valley FC (7-9-10) and fellow Texas side San Antonio FC (13-4-9) are set to close out the 2023 series, currently led by San Antonio FC with a record of 1-0-0 after earning a decisive 1-2 home victory over Rio Grande Valley at Toyota Field just days ago, on August 16th.
Bragging rights and hardware are on the line for both sides as the South Texas Derby heats up and brings a Copa Tejas Final to H-E-B Park. This is the decisive match for both sides as they enter the midweek match in a deadlock for the supporter's cup trophy; Rio Grande Valley must win to claim its first Copa Tejas title, while San Antonio FC need a draw at minimum to reclaim their title as the best in Texas in the USL Championship ranks.
Copa Tejas is the two cup competitions and one shield between the Major League Soccer, USL Championship and NWSL teams of the state of Texas, awarded by independent supporters groups of the state's teams. It was initially founded in 2019 by supporters of San Antonio FC. It awards a Division 1 trophy for the top Major League Soccer team, a Division 2 trophy for the top USL Championship team, and the Copa Tejas Shield for the best team across all participants.
Despite the internal competition between the Texas sides, there is a bigger picture to focus on for Rio Grande Valley as they enter a set of must win games to keep their playoff hopes alive as they currently sit two games out of 8th place after dropping the crucial match against San Diego Loyal SC this past Saturday, August 26.
A win this Wednesday improves the Toros' chances at climbing the standings, while a draw or loss almost certainly plummet their chances due to external results across the league. If one thing is certain, RGV FC enjoy a nerve-wrecking ending to their seasons as they have qualified to the playoffs in the final eight matches of the season in the past and are willing to battle it out once more with the top dogs to prove their way in.
The defense must be sharp and not allow for space inside the box and shut down any shifty approaches by the speedy and agile San Antonio offense to stay in this match, as they did at Toyota Field. On the offensive end, sharp and precise passing, paired with effective shooting on target are key to earning a big result at home on Wednesday.
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