San Antonio FC Earns Crucial 3-1 Win at Home to OKC Energy FC
September 14, 2019 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
San Antonio FC News Release
SAN ANTONIO - San Antonio FC (10-11-7) beat OKC Energy FC (9-10-10) 3-1 at Toyota Field on Saturday night. Goals from Rafa Castillo, Frank Lopez, and an OKC own goal earned the club three important points at home amid their playoff push.
"Points are very valuable in every game, and we knew that," SAFC Head Coach Darren Powell said. "The way we approached the game, the intensity and purpose of what we wanted to do was there. We wanted to start the game on the front foot with intent and we did that, we got the first goal and kept pushing on to win the game."
SAFC opened the scoring in the 12th minute when midfielder Cristian Parano played a ball low across the box to find Castillo, who buried it into an open net to score his first goal of the season in his first USL Championship start since May 12, 2018.
The Alamo City club doubled its lead in the 26th minute after Parano fed Lopez in on goal with a through-ball, which the Cuban striker slotted past goalkeeper Cody Laurendi to score his sixth goal for the club and 12th of the season.
San Antonio tripled its lead just after the halftime break after Castillo whipped in a ball off a free kick, which defender Atiba Harris headed into his own net for an own goal to make it 3-0.
OKC pulled one back in the 78th minute after forward Deshorn Brown capitalized from the penalty spot to make it 3-1. The visitors came close to scoring a second just minutes later off a free kick, however Jonathan Brown's shot was denied by the woodwork.
San Antonio FC will return to USL Championship action on Friday, Sept. 20 as the team travels to face LA Galaxy II at 9 p.m. CT.
Scoring Summary:
SAFC: 1-0, Rafa Castillo (Cristian Parano assist) 12'
SAFC: 2-0, Frank Lopez (Cristian Parano assist) 26'
SAFC: 3-0, Own Goal (Atiba Harris) 48'
OKC: 3-1, Deshorn Brown (penalty) 78'
Disciplinary Summary:
OKC: Yellow Card (Jevaughn Watson) 36'
OKC: Yellow Card (Christian Ibeagha) 44'
OKC: Yellow Card (Omar Gordon) 78'
SAFC: Yellow Card (Pecka) 81'
Attendance: 6,759
SAFC Starting XI: GK: Matthew Cardone; D: Kai Greene, Eby Ackon, Joshua Yaro; M: Michael Lahoud, Pecka (c), Cristian Parano, Rafa Castillo (Ryan Roushandel 60'); F: Walter Restrepo, Frank Lopez (Tony Taylor 76'), Brian Gomez
Substitutions Not Used: Jonathan Viscosi, Johnny Fenwick, Pascal Eboussi, Ever Guzman
Postgame Notes:
San Antonio FC earned their second ever win against OKC Energy FC and first at home, scoring the most goals they have ever scored against the Oklahoma side (three)...SAFC improves their home record this season to 8-2-5
With their three goals tonight, SAFC takes their season tally to 48 total goals, which are the most the club have scored in a single season...the previous high was 45 which the club accomplished in both 2017 and 2018
San Antonio FC midfielder Cristian Parano earned SWBC Man of the Match honors after recording two assists in the victory...also added five key passes and two shots...Parano now has five assists on the season which are tied with teammate Walter Restrepo for the club lead in 2019
SAFC midfielder Rafa Castillo made his fourth league appearance of the season and first since 5/5 at New Mexico...scored his first goal of the season and first for the club since 6/30/18 at Colorado Springs...Castillo has now tallied 12 career SAFC goals and is the only player in team history to score in each of the club's four seasons
San Antonio FC forward Frank Lopez scored his 12th goal of the season, and sixth since joining San Antonio FC on loan...Lopez's 12 goals in a single-season are the most by an SAFC player
San Antonio FC player-coach Ryan Roushandel was added to the active roster prior to the match, and made his first appearance of the season...played 30 minutes and recorded a 92.3 passing accuracy...Roushandel joins Rafa Castillo and Matthew Cardone as the only SAFC players to appear in all four seasons with the club
SAFC forward Tony Taylor made his club debut in the win...Taylor recorded three shots, two on target and once chance created in 14 minutes of play
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