SAFC overcomes three-goal deficit behind Christian Sorto brace
JACKSONVILLE, Fl. (May 27, 2026) – San Antonio FC used a second-half barrage to extend its unbeaten streak to six straight with a riveting 4-4 draw at Sporting Club Jacksonville Wednesday night.
It was a tale of two halves in the sides’ first-ever meeting, with SAFC conceding the opening strike and two penalty kicks to the expansion side in the first 45 minutes of play.
San Antonio’s offensive onslaught began in the 48th minute, with Dmitrii Erofeev continuing his strong run of form as he pounced on a free ball after Nelson Flores Blanco won possession in the hosts’ penalty area. Christian Sorto cut into the deficit further with a curling top-post finish just three minutes later for his second goal in as many matches. Halftime substitute Akeem O’Connor-Ward slipped in a shot between a pair of defenders to level in the 54th minute, completing San Antonio’s nine-minute comeback out of the break.
Sorto struck again in the 76th minute to post his second brace across all competitions and give SAFC the lead, but Jacksonville was able to save a point with a late goal at the end of regular time.
Scoring Summary
JAX: Emil Jääskeläinen (Assisted by Rafferty Pedder) 6’
JAX: Kieran Sadlier (Penalty) 22’
JAX: Kieran Sadlier (Penalty) 44’
SA: Dmitrii Erofeev (Assisted by Nelson Flores Blanco) 48’
SA: Christian Sorto (Assisted by Emil Cuello) 51’
SA: Akeem O’Connor-Ward (Assisted by Jorge Hernandez) 54’
SA: Christian Sorto (Assisted by Nelson Flores Blanco) 76’
JAX: Rafferty Pedder (Assisted by Dida Armstrong) 89’
Next Up
San Antonio FC has the week off before returning to play in the Prinx Tires USL Cup, facing FC Tulsa for the sides’ third fixture across all competitions on Saturday, June 6. SAFC sits in first place of Group 3 through the first two rounds. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. CT, and the match will be broadcast on ESPN+. The 2026 season is presented by Toyota.
Postgame Notes:
- SAFC moves to 5-1-6 on the season with 21 points, sitting atop the Western Conference standings in first place.
- San Antonio put up a season-high four goals, all coming in the second half.
- San Antonio recorded four goals in a second half for the second time in club history, last having done so on Sept. 13, 2025 against Loudoun United FC.
- Forward Christian Sorto recorded his second brace across all competitions this year, finding the back of the net in back-to-back matches.
- Midfielder Dmitrii Erofeev scored his fourth goal of the campaign, tallying his fifth goal contribution in four matches with three goals and two assists.
- Defender Akeem O’Connor-Ward bagged his first goal for the club, becoming San Antonio’s 11th different scorer in 2026.
- San Antonio extends its scoring streak to five straight matches, while its six-match unbeaten streak is the longest since 2023.
- SAFC moves into a three-way tie for most-goals scored in the league with 18, while ranking second in shots and first in passes.
- Defender Nelson Flores Blanco recorded the second multi-assist game for an SAFC player since Cristian Parano did so on March 7 to open the season.
- Jorge Hernandez assisted his third goal of the year, with Emil Cuello assisting his second.
- SAFC finishes its May slate at 2-0-3 for its second unblemished month of the early season.
SAFC Starting XI: Richard Sanchez, Rece Buckmaster (Akeem O’Connor-Ward 46’), Danny Barbir, Mitchell Taintor (Captain), Alex Crognale (Alexis Souahy 78’), Nelson Flores Blanco, Curt Calov (Emil Cuello 46’), Mikey Maldonado, Dmitrii Erofeev (Luke Haakenson 78’), Jorge Hernandez, Christian Sorto (Lucio Berron 78’)
Substitutions Not Used: Santiago Patiño, Victor Velazquez
Disciplinary Summary:
SA: Yellow Card (Richard Sanchez) 43’
JAX: Yellow Card (Jordan Rossiter) 64’
JAX: Yellow Card (Antonio Gomez) 85’
SA: Yellow Card (Nelson Flores Blanco) 90+3’
Quotes:
Head Coach Carlos Llamosa
(On the result…)
“We’re disappointed because we wasted the first 45 minutes. We didn’t play well. We gave up a lot of chances. I didn’t see the team that has been playing this year, this season, so being 3-0 down at halftime, that was disappointing in the first half. In the second half, I have to give credit to my players, my team. It’s not easy with a 3-0 deficit. We come back and go 4-3 on top of the game … and once again, last couple minutes of the game, we fall asleep. We have a lot of numbers behind the ball and we allow those guys to tie the game, so that’s something that we need to fix, how to close the game, especially when we had the lead.”
(On the team’s adjustments at halftime…)
“It was that we should be more dynamic and play with more intensity. We were flat, losing every second ball and every challenge. They were better than us in every aspect of the game … Those guys sat in a mid-block with a high line, and that’s an indication we have to play the long balls behind the line to stretch them. In the second half, we started making those runs. [Christian] Sorto was really good. We created the chances, and we scored the goals by simply doing that. They drop, and then we have the game connecting through the middle.”
(On Christian Sorto and Dmitrii Erofeev’s recent goal contributions…)
“If I had to take some positives about this game, obviously it’s the 3-0 comeback. As I said, a lot of credit to the guys. They ran, they fought to get the goals early in the second half, and also, one aspect that we’ve struggled in the last couple games is scoring goals, but Dmitrii, Sorto, back-to-back games scoring goals, and also a contribution for Akeem [O’Connor-Ward], playing as a wing back, is huge for us because that’s something we try to do. We try to incorporate those wing backs into attack and I think we were good with him. Nelson [Flores Blanco] had a chance also in the second half, so we need to be more consistent doing that and not allow the PKs and easy goals in the first half.”
Defender Akeem O’Connor-Ward
(On the draw…)
“The takeaway is that we didn’t lose. We got a point. I would say we lost two [points]. A lot of work went into coming back 3-0 down, a lot of things to work on, but ultimately, a lot of resilience from the guys. It still feels like we lost two points, and hopefully that’s not the deciding stuff when it comes to November, but we learn from it. Like I said, it was a good result to come back, but we were up at some point, so I think that’s something to take away, that we need to close games and start figuring that out.”
(On the team’s mood and response at halftime…)
“I was warming up, but I went in there for a little bit and kind of just saw the guys with heads down, which is to be expected. No one anticipated three-nil down. We didn’t take the opponent lightly, but there were mistakes that were made and things that don’t go your way, but while I was in there, there were a few guys in there like ‘The game’s not over, keep your head in it,’ and then I think as soon as we came out at half, the body language was better, and I was happy to be a part of coming back and doing that and then we got the momentum and, once again, went up and ended up with a draw, but that’s just a testament to how we train, the coaching staff, and ultimately the players. It was good to know that we can come back from that deficit, but obviously we don’t want to be in that position.
(On scoring his first goal for the club…)
“It was good. I think I didn’t really take it in too much. That was the third one, that gave us 3-3, so my mindset was like ‘Let’s go get more, let’s go finish it,’ but it was good to score for the club and it be my first one. Hopefully, God-willing, many more to come, and hopefully under different circumstances as well, but it was good to get my first goal under my belt. I feel like that’s always the hardest one, and hopefully more to come from there.”
Forward Christian Sorto
(On the result…)
“For starters, I think to come back from a 3-0 deficit and to be able to end up getting a 4-3 lead is a big step forward, but obviously, giving up a goal in the last couple minutes is tough. There’s a lot of good things to take away and a lot of things we could learn from. “
