SAFC earns victory in entrance of largest residence opener crowd in membership historical past
SAN ANTONIO (March 8, 2025) – San Antonio FC entered its new period with a 1-0 win over Monterey Bay F.C. in entrance of a sellout crowd at Toyota Subject Saturday.
SAFC dominated the primary half offensively, placing up 11 pictures and 4 pictures on the right track to open the match. Mitchell Taintor redirected a free kick into the field for Diogo Pacheco to complete off for the rating within the fortieth minute, the latter scoring his first aim for the membership in his debut.
The SAFC protection held its first clear sheet of the season, holding Monterey Bay and not using a shot on the right track all the night time.
Scoring Abstract:
SAFC: Diogo Pacheco (Assisted by Mitchell Taintor) 40’
Subsequent Up
San Antonio FC hosts Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC Saturday, March 15 at Toyota Subject. Tickets are on sale now at SanAntonioFC.com or on the SAFC app. The tenth anniversary season is offered by Toyota.
Postgame Notes:
Defender Mitchell Taintor grew to become simply the twelfth participant in USL Championship historical past to surpass 20,000 common season minutes.
Diogo Pacheco scored his first membership aim of the common season, having scored two in preseason competitors.
San Antonio outshot Monterey Bay 15-6 on the night time, additionally main pictures on the right track 4-0.
SAFC has scored in its final 10 residence matches, courting again to final season.
San Antonio stays undefeated in residence openers, going 7-0-3 all-time in first matches at Toyota Subject, whereas outscoring opponents 22-7 with six clear sheets.
SAFC is undefeated within the final 33 USL Championship matches when main at halftime courting again to 2021.
Seven totally different gamers made their SAFC debut this match (Crognale, Medranda, Soto, Pacheco, Berron, Greive and Souahy)
Attendance: 8,164 (Sellout; Residence Opener File)
SAFC Beginning XI: Richard Sanchez, Mitchell Taintor, Alex Crognale, Jimmy Medranda, Rece Buckmaster (Luke Haakenson 77’), Almir Soto, Nicky Hernandez (Lucio Berron 90’), Jorge Hernandez, Diogo Pacheco (Alex Greive 88’), Jake LaCava, Juan Agudelo (Alexis Souahy 77’)
Substitutions Not Used: Daniel Namani, Shannon Gomez, Sebastian Seiterle, Dmitrii Erofeev
Disciplinary Abstract:
MB: Yellow Card (Xavi Gnaulati) 26’
SA: Yellow Card (Jimmy Medranda) 33’
SA: Yellow Card (Mitchell Taintor) 42’
MB: Yellow Card (Miles Lyons) 74’
SA: Yellow Card (Nicky Hernandez) 85’
Quotes:
Head Coach Carlos Llamosa
(On the win…)
“I really feel joyful and grateful. Because of my employees, my gamers, I feel they left every part on the sphere. Because of SAFC followers, the group tonight was unbelievable. You possibly can’t ask extra. , I feel the sensation the help of that crowd on the market offers an additional motivation to go there and get the win.”
(On what the workforce not permitting a shot on the right track…)
“I used to be very impressed with the best way the workforce behaved on the market. , they defended as a gaggle. As I mentioned from the start, it’s not solely the defenders. We defend as a unit, 10 guys dedicated in entrance of your goalkeeper. We’re going to be powerful defensively, in order that they did it tonight within the first sport, and I admire that from my gamers. Clearly, nonetheless room to enhance, extra work to do to get higher, however I’m glad and more than happy with the efficiency tonight.”
Goalkeeper Richard Sanchez
(On the workforce’s robust defensive efficiency…)
“It says so much about their defensive effort. Mitch, [Alex Crognale], Alexis and even the blokes in entrance of them, they held it down. They work exhausting to not let any shot on aim, or a minimum of any straightforward shot, however my job is to maintain the ball out of the online, and so I’m simply conscious and prepared for no matter comes contained in the field, so nice defensive effort by all people.”
(On enhancements to remove from the match…)
“There’s at all times room for enchancment, however, you realize, proper now, it’s the primary sport of the season, and we’re simply gonna concentrate on this, on the nice issues that we did nicely, after which, because the season goes on, we’re gonna assess the place we have to enhance internally. We all know that there are particular elements that we will nonetheless enhance on. One of many issues is clearly, with our model of play, it’s the precision within the passes and being intentional with the best way that we play, so maybe that’s one of many issues that we will enhance on, however once more, I believed that we confirmed an amazing character all through the sport, particularly given the wind issue. I believed we confirmed character and our model of play, and we executed it nicely.”
Ahead Diogo Pacheco
(On scoring the primary aim of the season…)
“It’s a really particular feeling. Loopy ambiance, all these followers right here, the stadium, the pitch, every part was excellent tonight. Because of all of the followers that confirmed up. It was magical and an ideal method to begin the yr.”
