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USL San Antonio FC

San Antonio FC Wins Second Straight Match to Keep Playoff Hopes Alive

October 7, 2018 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
San Antonio FC News Release


SAN ANTONIO - San Antonio FC (14-12-7) beat Las Vegas Lights FC (7-18-7) 3-1 at Toyota Field on Saturday night. A brace from forward Ever Guzman and a goal from Lance Laing earned the club three points at home to keep their playoff hopes alive.

"You look at what's at stake and at this point of the year they're all meaningful games," SAFC Head Coach Darren Powell said. "Tonight we went down in the first ten minutes but the response from the players was fantastic. We knew we could come out in the second half and play better than we did in the first, which I think we did, and the goals were executed well by the team."

Las Vegas opened the scoring in the 12th minute of the match after forward Sammy Ochoa found himself in on goal following a counter attack and beat SAFC goalkeeper Matthew Cardone to make it 1-0.

The Alamo City club then found an equalizer in the 34th minute after Laing found Guzman inside the box with a low cross, from where the striker slotted it in. Guzman then gained the lead for SAFC just three minutes into the second half after midfielder Ethan Bryant found him in on goal with a chipped through-ball. The Mexico native cut the ball back and finished with his right foot to make it 2-1.

The goal marked Guzman's 10th goal of the season, which ties the SAFC single-season scoring record that was set by former SAFC midfielder Billy Forbes in 2017. The brace was the first for SAFC this season and Guzman's second since joining the club late last season. The assist marks Bryant's third of the 17-year-old's rookie year.

Laing capped off the night in the 80th minute after midfielder Omar Gordon sent a cross back-post near the top of the box, which he settled and buried low past goalkeeper Thomas Olsen to make it 3-1. The goal marks the fifth match in which Laing has scored a goal and tallied an assist this season. The Jamaican's five goals are now tied for second-most goals on the team, while his five assists are now tied for the most.

San Antonio FC will return to USL action on Saturday, Oct. 13 as they host in-state rivals RGV FC at Toyota Field in their final match of the regular season, which will be Fan Appreciation Night.

Scoring Summary:

Las Vegas: 0-1, Samuel Ochoa (Rafael Garcia assist) 12'

SAFC: 1-1, Ever Guzman (Lance Laing assist) 34'

SAFC: 2-1, Ever Guzman (Ethan Bryant assist) 48'

SAFC: 3-1, Lance Laing 80'

Disciplinary Summary:

Las Vegas: Yellow Card (Daigo Kobayashi 61')

Las Vegas: Yellow Card (Daniel Guzman 90')

Attendance: 6,471

SAFC Starting XI: GK: Matthew Cardone; D: Darnell King, Cyprian Hedrick, Moises Hernandez, Greg Cochrane (c); M: Pecka, Mikey Lopez, Jose Escalante (Omar Gordon 69'), Ethan Bryant (Rafa Castillo 77'), Lance Laing (Cesar Elizondo 87'); F: Ever Guzman

Substitutions Not Used: Armando Quezada, Mike Seth, Maxi Rodriguez, Charlie Ward

Postgame Notes:

San Antonio FC recorded their 10th home win of the season with a 3-1 victory over Las Vegas Lights...marks the most home wins in team history for SAFC in the USL regular season...marked the sixth time in the 2018 USL season that the club has recorded at least three goals in a match

SAFC completed the season-sweep of the Las Vegas Lights, recording two 3-1 wins - one home and one away in 2018...Forward Ever Guzman scored three goals against the Lights this season

In the 77th minute, SAFC midfielder Rafa Castillo replaced teammate Ethan Bryant, which represented the club's oldest player in team history (Castillo - 38) coming on for the team's youngest player in team history (Bryant - 17)

San Antonio FC forward and SWBC Man of the Match Ever Guzman recorded the first brace for SAFC this season, scoring his ninth and 10th goals of the year in USL play...Guzman's 10 goals are tied with former midfielder Billy Forbes for the single-season record...the striker now has 15 career SAFC goals, which is the most in team history

For the fifth time this season since joining the club in August, midfielder Lance Laing recorded a goal and an assist in a single match...his fifth goal of the season for San Antonio is tied for second on the club with Omar Gordon while his fifth assist is tied for first along with Darnell King

San Antonio natives Ethan Bryant recorded his third assist of the season...Bryant is now tied for the third most assists on the squad in USL play

On his 30th birthday, SAFC defender Cyprian Hedrick helped limit Las Vegas to one goal while recording a team-high eight clearances and five interceptions to go along with two tackles...Hedrick won 81.8 percent of his duels and 75 percent of his aerial duels on the night

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