SAFC hosted Las Vegas Lights FC Saturday night at Toyota Field hoping to reclaim the top of the table in the west. Las Vegas proved to be an unlikely foil.
San Antonio came out on the front foot in the match. In the 6th minute, working off a set piece throw-in, SAFC midfielder Jorge Hernandez found defender Emil Cuello just outside the six. Cuello collected Herandez’ precision pass, chipped it up with his right foot and blasted a point blank shot with his left past Vegas goalkeeper Charlie Lanphier into the back of the net for his first goal of the season. SAFC struck first blood, and led 1-nil.
SAFC would create more chances in the first half, but failed to convert. The most consequential of these being Akeem O’Connor-Ward’s shot attempt in the 42nd minute. Ward had a wide open look and failed to bury the golden opportunity by neglecting the wide open space to his left, and instead, fired a shot directly at Lanphier, who blocked it away to safety for Las Vegas. This would be indicative of the rest of the match for San Antonio.
“I missed an opportunity, which is absolutely, really frustrating for me now looking back at it,” Ward said. “Came out at the half and got punched in the mouth, which shouldn’t be happening at home.”
The second half would belong to the Lights. The SAFC defense allowed Lights forward Oalex Anderson to fly up the left wing uncontested and he sent a low cross past three San Antonio defenders to Las Vegas forward Johnny Rodriguez, who scored a sliding, one-touch, backdoor goal with his right foot past SAFC goalkeeper Joey Batrouni for the equalizer in the 47th minute. The goal was the result of an uncharacteristic defensive lapse by SAFC due in part to captain and defender Mitch Taintor being ineligible for the match due to the red card he was issued in the previous league match against Monterey Bay on July 4.
“We cannot allow a cross on the ground to the guy on the far post to score a goal,” SAFC head coach Carlos Llamosa said. “The ball crossed the entire box on the ground and we should do a better job defending that cross.”
“Throughout the second half, we allowed them to dictate the game and have a little bit too much possession, and they punished us with those two goals,” SAFC defender Tiago Suarez said.
The nail in the coffin came in the 79th minute. Lights forward Cristian Pinzón sent a cross into the box from the left side. SAFC defender Mikey Maldonado deflected the cross directly to Las Vegas midfielder Abraham Okyere, who stabbed a quick left foot shot that was blocked by a diving Batrouni. Still on the ground, Batrouni valiantly deflected Okyere’s follow up shot, but the ball bounced high in the air and over the goalline as the San Antonio backline stood idly by and Las Vegas went ahead, 2-1.
“It was a result of a bad game from the entire team, to be honest,” Llamosa said. “How do we put that behind? I start with a conversation, I tell them, ‘that was embarrassing, for our fans, our family, losing here at home 2-1. Obviously, it’s not the last game of the season – it’s not over. We’re halfway through the season and that was a bad loss, but we’re still in competition for the top of the table.”
In extra time, at 90’ + 3’, SAFC forward Santiago Patiño was booked for a red card during a Las Vegas corner kick. The video replay did not reveal a blatant foul or action by Patiño worthy of a red card. In a previous match, on July 4, against Monterey Bay, SAFC goalkeeper Joey Batrouni was issued a red card and an independent review board rescinded it the following week, allowing Batrouni to be on the pitch for the match against Las Vegas.
“The official told me the reason for the red card was that Santi (Patiño) pulled the player’s hair during that corner kick,” Llamosa said. “I didn’t see it, so I have to go over the video to see if that happened or not.”
With the 2-1 loss to Las Vegas FC, SAFC – with 25 points – held on to second place in the west. SAFC will travel to New York on Saturday July 25 to play Brooklyn FC at Maimonides Park.