SAFC matches season-high win streak with fourth straight victory
SAN ANTONIO (July 12, 2025) – San Antonio FC soared into the highest spot of the Western Convention desk with a late aim to defeat Tampa Bay 1-0 Saturday at Toyota Subject.
The groups have been locked in a scoreless battle for greater than 90 minutes earlier than Andres Paredes surged previous a pair of defenders and delivered a clear ball within the field for Luke Haakenson to faucet within the game-winning aim within the last minute of play.
In his first USL Championship begin, goalkeeper Daniel Namani made two saves within the match to lock down his third shutout throughout all competitions.
Scoring Abstract:
SA: Luke Haakenson (Assisted by Andres Paredes) 90+5’
Subsequent Up
San Antonio FC has per week off earlier than returning to USL Jägermeister Cup play, internet hosting New Mexico United on Saturday, July 26. SAFC sits atop the Group 2 standings heading into the ultimate spherical of the group stage. Kickoff from Toyota Subject is ready for 8:00 p.m. CT, and the match will probably be broadcast on FanDuel Sports activities Community and ESPN+. The tenth anniversary season is offered by Toyota.
Postgame Notes:
SAFC improves to 8-5-3 on the season, taking up 1st place within the Western Convention standings with 27 factors.
San Antonio takes management of the all-time collection towards Tampa Bay with the primary win by both facet, now main 1-0-3.
Luke Haakenson scored his fourth aim of the season, good for second-most on the workforce, and his sixth all-time for the membership.
San Antonio has scored in its final 18 USL Championship residence video games.
Midfielder Andres Paredes turned the tenth SAFC participant to document an help this 12 months.
Goalkeeper Daniel Namani and Defender Shannon Gomez made their first begins in league play this season.
Namani stored his third clear sheet towards all competitions, making two saves within the match.
San Antonio’s six clear sheets are tied for second-most in USL Championship.
Defender Harvey Neville made his membership debut after becoming a member of on mortgage from Phoenix Rising final week, subbing on for the ultimate 18 minutes of play.
Attendance: 5,969
SAFC Beginning XI: Daniel Namani, Alex Crognale, Mitchell Taintor (Captain), Rece Buckmaster, Shannon Gomez (Harvey Neville 73’), Almir Soto, Nicky Hernandez (Alex Greive 79’), Lucio Berron, Luke Haakenson, Andres Paredes, Juan Agudelo (Jake LaCava 73’)
Substitutions Not Used: Joey Batrouni, Dmitrii Erofeev, Dyllan Mendoza, Abdi Salim, Alexis Souahy, Landry Walker
Disciplinary Abstract:
TB: Yellow Card (Forrest Lasso) 29’
SA: Yellow Card (Lucio Berron) 43’
TB: Yellow Card (Laurence Wyke) 51’
TB: Second Yellow Card (Forrest Lasso) 68’
TB: Yellow Card (Aaron Guillen) 83’
Quotes:
Head Coach Carlos Llamosa
(On the win…)
“To begin with, I’m glad that on the finish of the day, we bought the win. That was an enormous win tonight. As I stated on Thursday, we have to validate that recreation in El Paso by profitable at residence, and we fought for 90-plus minutes. We by no means gave up, and we bought the aim on the final minute principally, so actually glad for that, to get the three factors … Clearly mentally going to the break with a win helps rather a lot as a result of that provides you these 4 days to essentially calm down, get away from soccer, after which come again, reenergized to proceed working and compete within the second a part of the season.”
(On what impressed him about his workforce…)
“They by no means quit. At some extent, we seemed like we have been going for a scoreless recreation, however they stored combating. You realize, they are saying another minute, they’re going to have another minute, and so they proceed operating, taking part in, urgent, and we bought the aim, in order that impressed me about my workforce.
(On staying centered whereas taking part in up a person…)
“I believe we did effectively. We now have to present credit score as we speak to Tampa as effectively. They went to play 4-4-1 and be extra conservative on the again. I believe we created a few possibilities on the finish, and once you go a person up, an important factor is to not get determined, preserve calm, proceed shifting the ball facet to facet. Be sure we transfer these guys aside to search out the correct second to undergo, and I believe we did it very well in that half.
Midfielder Luke Haakenson
(On the win streak…)
“I’ve stated all of it 12 months. Particularly in American soccer, the place you will have a playoff format, it’s all about hitting on the proper time, since you don’t need to peak early. You don’t need to be hitting your stride too early, as a result of it’s an extended, lengthy 12 months, after which you will have a playoff format on the finish. In different leagues around the globe, it’s about staying constant and staying in that high spot to win the title, so for us, I’ve stated it earlier than, we don’t need to be at our greatest in March and April. We need to be at our greatest in November, and I believe the final 4 video games, I believe we’re persistently taking steps in the direction of being that workforce that we need to be in November.”
(On the game-winning aim…)
“All of the attackers, in case you have a look at us in coaching, we’re always working collectively after coaching, studying one another’s tendencies, and I do know there’s a number of consideration on Andres [Paredes] a number of the sport, simply because he’s extraordinarily quick and he can create a number of possibilities, which – credit score to him – as a result of that frees me up in a number of time and house simply to faucet it in, in order that’s form of what was going by my thoughts. If I’m watching Andres, I do know that the eye is there, which implies that there’s not rather a lot on me, so I simply bought to comply with the play.”
(On remaining composed on the finish of the match…)
“I might like to say that we’re composed. The fact is, once you don’t have a number of time left, and also you’re a person up, you understand that there’s factors up for grabs, and also you nearly don’t need to be composed, since you need to give that additional effort and push your physique once you’re actually drained, and there’s 60 seconds left, so I might say it was a bit of chaotic within the final three minutes, and it was finish to finish, however I really suppose it performed into our favor, as a result of we had the additional legs to push.”
Defender Shannon Gomez
(On the win…)
“We’re undoubtedly excited to be on high of the desk. I’m happy with the fellows for sticking it by to the tip, and having the ability to get a outcome at residence is essential for us. As we stated, house is our fortress, and we need to proceed defending our residence subject and selecting up factors, and it was essential going into the break to get three factors tonight.”
(On taking part in at residence in entrance of the followers…)
“Effectively, I believe it’s a blessing to do what we do and to have the ability to be cherished by a fan base like that is wonderful, however persevering with to place within the work, I by no means take it as a right. To whom a lot is given, a lot is anticipated, so simply gracing the sector once more, what I really feel is particular for me all the time. I believe each participant on the market you’ll be able to see is glad to play in entrance of a good looking crowd. San Antonio, particularly with what’s happening near us, our neighbors in Kerrville as effectively too, it’s a combating metropolis, and we need to proceed placing on for our followers, so being on the sector is gorgeous, and having the ability to combat for a metropolis that fights for the whole lot is vital to me, so I’m excited to play at residence in entrance of the house followers and looking out ahead to many extra, nevertheless it’s only a begin, and I’m glad to proceed doing that.”
(On what the workforce confirmed within the efficiency…)
“Character, grinding it out, making an attempt to choose up wins nonetheless we will scrape, combat, no matter it may be. In the event that they’re down 10 males or we’re right down to 10 males, it doesn’t matter. Three factors at finish of the day is what counts and what places you on high of the desk, so I’d say constructing character as a workforce, being savvy, having the ability to decide up factors so after we come again from the break, groups are like, ‘I don’t actually need to face SAFC’, as a result of it’s a workforce who finds methods to win, and I believe constructing character now could be what we’re constructing an identification of, and we’re solely getting stronger, so simply happy with the boys for persevering with and carrying on that mentality.”
