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USL San Antonio FC

San Antonio FC Wins 3-0 at New Mexico United

August 13, 2023 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
San Antonio FC News Release


ALBUQUERQUE - San Antonio FC defeated New Mexico United 3-0 tonight, behind a first-half brace by Rida Zouhir and the team's fifth clean sheet of the season. The win puts SAFC at

Rida Zouhir opened the scoring early, firing a rocket from the edge of the box after a New Mexico clearance to make it 1-0 in only second minute.

Zouhir picked up a second unassisted strike in the 29th minute, ripping a free kick from just outside the box to make it a 2-0 match and give him his second brace of the season.

Santiago Patiño would make it 3-0 in the 40th minute, scoring on assist from Ismaila Jome. The reigning USL Championship Final MVP was making his 2023 debut, after rejoining SAFC last week.

SAFC put in a dominant defensive effort in the second half, holding New Mexico to just one shot on target to keep the clean sheet. The shutout is San Antonio's fifth of the year and first since July 7.

Next Up

San Antonio FC returns home for a midweek Copa Tejas clash, hosting Rio Grande Valley FC on Wednesday. Kickoff is set for 8:00 p.m. CT, with tickets still available at SanAntonioFC.com, or the SAFC app. The match will also be carried nationally on ESPN2.

Postgame Notes:

San Antonio FC moves to 12-4-7 (43 points) on the season to remain second in the USL Championship Western Conference.

SAFC now trails Sacramento Republic FC by just two points with a match in hand.

Forward Santiago Patiño and defender Tulu each made their first starts of the season.

Midfielder Rida Zouhir's goal in the 2nd minute was his fifth of the season.

Zouhir's goal marked the first time since July 7 that SAFC scored first in a match.

SAFC moves to 33-0-3 since the start of 2022, and 9-0-2 this season, when scoring first.

Zouhir's goal in the 29th minute was his second of the season, after scoring his first professional goal on May 27th.

Zouhir's brace moves him into second on the team in goals with six, behind forward Tani Oluwaseyi's 14.

Patiño's goal in the 40th minute gave him a score in his 2023 debut with SAFC after signing with the squad last week.

Goalkeeper Jordan Farr kept his fifth clean sheet of the season, and first since July 7.

San Antonio has now won four-straight road matches, and five of the last six overall in USL Championship play.

Statistics

Full individual and team stats from the match can be found here.

Media assets

Game highlights, interviews and photos can be found here.

Attendance: 9,740

Quotes:

Head Coach Alen Marcina

(On the win...)

"It was a great way to start the first game of three games in eight days, so to come in a very very difficult place to play, difficult environment - start the game on the front foot, score early, our pressing actions in particular in the first half were outstanding. Our counterpress, what we've been stressing all week, was fantastic. The players' commitment to counterpress - which is a difficult task to do. And then keeping a clean sheet. It's been a while, so proud of the guys, I think we only faced one shot on target so the guys put their bodies on the line and did a fantastic job defending and creating."

(On starting fast...)

"It's a great feeling when you go up three in the first half, the guys earned and deserved it. Again the pressing actions were fantastic, made New Mexico very very uncomfortable, we won the ball in some great areas, could've had maybe a couple more over the course of the game. But overall proud of the guys."

Forward Santiago Patiño

(On the win...)

"I'm very happy to be back here, this team is full of competitors. And we know that evert game, we want to go out there and win the game. We started off well ... three nil and clean sheet, we got the job done. And now we move on to the next game"

(On scoring in his first match back with the team...)

"I think for strikers, for me, when I score one I can score two, three, four in a row. Very happy to help the team, now I'm gonna keep preparing myself for the next game to help the team, and we're gonna work and get the three points at home."

Midfielder Rida Zouhir

(On the win...)

"Today we fought. We fought like [we do] every time. That's SAFC."

(On how scoring early changes his game...)

"No it stays the same. It's not like, because every game I don't score by the fifth minute I'm not focused. ... It came like that today, and hopefully it comes like that every time."

(On a career-best scoring season...)

"I just feel comfortable, I feel good. When a player feels good and in a good environment, with coaches that trust him, it can only be good yeah? So that's what's happened."

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