San Antonio FC (2-4-1) fell 2-3 to Real Monarchs SLC (3-2-2) at Zion Banks National Stadium on Saturday night. A brace by midfielder Brian Gomez was not enough to outweigh two penalties awarded to the home side in the second half.
“We have to focus,” said SAFC Head Coach Darren Powell. “In the first half we had a better performance and in the second half we got ourselves on the back foot and couldn’t recover from that. We are disappointed by the result and as a group we know we can perform better.”
SAFC opened the scoring just six minutes in when midfielder Brian Gomez picked a defender’s pocket in the hosts’ half and buried a shot past goalkeeper Evan Finney for the 1-0 lead. The goal marked Gomez’s first for the club since joining the club in late March.
Gomez doubled the Alamo City club’s lead in the 18th minute after midfielder Walter Restrepo found him in on goal with a through-ball, which the Argentine took and dribbled around the keeper to slot it into an open net. The brace marked the first this season for SAFC while the assist marked Restrepo’s first of the season.
The Monarchs equalized after being awarded two penalties 16 minutes into the second half, which were converted by Maikel Chang and Jack Blake. The hosts added a third in the 72nd minute when forward Kyle Coffee scored a header to gain the 3-2 lead.
SAFC goalkeeper Matthew Cardone recorded a season-high six saves on the night, while center-back Moises Hernandez led the team with five tackles and teammate Josh Yaro tallied six clearances in the defensive end.
San Antonio FC will return to USL Championship action as the team hosts Tacoma Defiance at Toyota Field on Friday, April 26 at 7:30 p.m. during Noche de Celebracion.
Scoring Summary:
SAFC: 1-0, Brian Gomez 6’
SAFC: 2-0, Brian Gomez (Walter Restrepo assist) 17’
Monarchs: 2-1, Maikel Chang (penalty) 48’
Monarchs: 2-2, Jack Blake (penalty) 56’
Monarchs 2-3, Kyle Coffee (Douglas Martinez assist) 72’
Disciplinary Summary:
SAFC: Yellow Card (Moises Hernandez) 47’
SAFC: Yellow Card (Michael Lahoud) 57’
SAFC: Yellow Card (Walter Restrepo) 58’
Monarchs: Yellow Card (Jordan Pena) 62’
Attendance: 1,711
SAFC Starting XI: GK: Matthew Cardone; D: Eby Ackon, Joshua Yaro, Moises Hernandez M: Michael Lahoud (c) (Rafa Castillo 86’), Kai Greene, Jack Barmby, Lance Laing (Cristian Parano 75’); F: Bradford Jamieson IV (Billy Forbes 60’), Walter Restrepo, Brian Gomez
Substitutions Not Used: Jonathan Viscosi, Leo Torres, Pascal Eboussi
San Antonio FC (2-4-1) fell 2-3 to Real Monarchs SLC (3-2-2) at Zion Banks National Stadium on Saturday night. A brace by midfielder Brian Gomez was not enough to outweigh two penalties awarded to the home side in the second half.
“We have to focus,” said SAFC Head Coach Darren Powell. “In the first half we had a better performance and in the second half we got ourselves on the back foot and couldn’t recover from that. We are disappointed by the result and as a group we know we can perform better.”
SAFC opened the scoring just six minutes in when midfielder Brian Gomez picked a defender’s pocket in the hosts’ half and buried a shot past goalkeeper Evan Finney for the 1-0 lead. The goal marked Gomez’s first for the club since joining the club in late March.
Gomez doubled the Alamo City club’s lead in the 18th minute after midfielder Walter Restrepo found him in on goal with a through-ball, which the Argentine took and dribbled around the keeper to slot it into an open net. The brace marked the first this season for SAFC while the assist marked Restrepo’s first of the season.
The Monarchs equalized after being awarded two penalties 16 minutes into the second half, which were converted by Maikel Chang and Jack Blake. The hosts added a third in the 72nd minute when forward Kyle Coffee scored a header to gain the 3-2 lead.
SAFC goalkeeper Matthew Cardone recorded a season-high six saves on the night, while center-back Moises Hernandez led the team with five tackles and teammate Josh Yaro tallied six clearances in the defensive end.
San Antonio FC will return to USL Championship action as the team hosts Tacoma Defiance at Toyota Field on Friday, April 26 at 7:30 p.m. during Noche de Celebracion.
Scoring Summary:
SAFC: 1-0, Brian Gomez 6’
SAFC: 2-0, Brian Gomez (Walter Restrepo assist) 17’
Monarchs: 2-1, Maikel Chang (penalty) 48’
Monarchs: 2-2, Jack Blake (penalty) 56’
Monarchs 2-3, Kyle Coffee (Douglas Martinez assist) 72’
Disciplinary Summary:
SAFC: Yellow Card (Moises Hernandez) 47’
SAFC: Yellow Card (Michael Lahoud) 57’
SAFC: Yellow Card (Walter Restrepo) 58’
Monarchs: Yellow Card (Jordan Pena) 62’
Attendance: 1,711
SAFC Starting XI: GK: Matthew Cardone; D: Eby Ackon, Joshua Yaro, Moises Hernandez M: Michael Lahoud (c) (Rafa Castillo 86’), Kai Greene, Jack Barmby, Lance Laing (Cristian Parano 75’); F: Bradford Jamieson IV (Billy Forbes 60’), Walter Restrepo, Brian Gomez
Substitutions Not Used: Jonathan Viscosi, Leo Torres, Pascal Eboussi
