Nobody remembers the beginning of a good streak because there’s no way to know what’s coming next. Cal Ripken’s first of 2,632 games was like any other Sunday. When UCLA’s basketball team lost a game in 1971, no expectation was that the next loss would be in 1975.
When San Antonio FC’s 672-minute shutout streak began on April 28 against Portland, it would go almost two months until June 17 without giving up another goal in a USL game.
Defender Sebastien Ibeagha said nobody expected a run like that, but players were well aware that SAFC’s defense could be something special.
The shutout streak helped SAFC have the best defense in the USL, allowing 24 goals all season. Ibeagha was the backbone of the backline, leading the league with 190 clearances.
Now, Ibeagha is the USL’s 2017 Defender of the Year.
Nobody remembers the beginning of a good streak because there’s no way to know what’s coming next. Cal Ripken’s first of 2,632 games was like any other Sunday. When UCLA’s basketball team lost a game in 1971, no expectation was that the next loss would be in 1975.
When San Antonio FC’s 672-minute shutout streak began on April 28 against Portland, it would go almost two months until June 17 without giving up another goal in a USL game.
Defender Sebastien Ibeagha said nobody expected a run like that, but players were well aware that SAFC’s defense could be something special.
The shutout streak helped SAFC have the best defense in the USL, allowing 24 goals all season. Ibeagha was the backbone of the backline, leading the league with 190 clearances.
Now, Ibeagha is the USL’s 2017 Defender of the Year.
“It’s a big honor that I hope our whole team can share together,” Ibeagha said. "Defending isn’t like scoring goals, because it’s always a collective act. There was great communication between the back line and (goalkeeper) Diego Restrepo and we all knew each other’s’ tendencies. It made us hard to break down.”
Ibeagha signed with SAFC in the offseason after spending 2016 with the MLS’ Houston Dynamo.
His impact was immediate with ever-changing hairstyles for added effect, as he was named to the USL Team of the Week after a 1-0 season-opening win over RGV.
Then came the shutout streak and SAFC’s 14-game unbeaten streak to start the season, the fourth-longest such streak in USL history.
“You notice a shutout streak like that around the third game,” Ibeagha said. “You almost have this feeling of invincibility during a run like that, like every game is going to either be a win or a 0-0 tie.”
“It’s a big honor that I hope our whole team can share together,” Ibeagha said. “Defending isn’t like scoring goals, because it’s always a collective act. There was great communication between the back line and (goalkeeper) Diego Restrepo and we all knew each other’s’ tendencies. It made us hard to break down.”
Ibeagha signed with SAFC in the offseason after spending 2016 with the MLS’ Houston Dynamo.
His impact was immediate with ever-changing hairstyles for added effect, as he was named to the USL Team of the Week after a 1-0 season-opening win over RGV.
Then came the shutout streak and SAFC’s 14-game unbeaten streak to start the season, the fourth-longest such streak in USL history.
“You notice a shutout streak like that around the third game,” Ibeagha said. “You almost have this feeling of invincibility during a run like that, like every game is going to either be a win or a 0-0 tie.”
Even though SAFC had an unbeaten streak, it was with plenty of adversity attached. Starting defender Cyprian Hedrick suffered a knee injury in the season opener and missed almost three months. In the fifth game, starting goalkeeper Matt Cardone suffered what would become a season-ending injury and was replaced by Restrepo.
The team persevered, leading the USL in defense with just 24 goals allowed all season. SAFC recorded 15 clean sheets for the season, most in the league.
Much of that was behind the leadership of Ibeagha, who also led the team in interceptions (55), blocks (20) and won 61.4 percent of duels.
“You could tell from the first day of training what a special player Sebastien could be this season,” SAFC Managing Director Tim Holt said. “He set high expectations for himself, and that rubbed off on everybody around him. Our defense became the strength of this team, and Sebastien was really the leader of that.”
Even though SAFC had an unbeaten streak, it was with plenty of adversity attached. Starting defender Cyprian Hedrick suffered a knee injury in the season opener and missed almost three months. In the fifth game, starting goalkeeper Matt Cardone suffered what would become a season-ending injury and was replaced by Restrepo.
The team persevered, leading the USL in defense with just 24 goals allowed all season. SAFC recorded 15 clean sheets for the season, most in the league.
Much of that was behind the leadership of Ibeagha, who also led the team in interceptions (55), blocks (20) and won 61.4 percent of duels.
“You could tell from the first day of training what a special player Sebastien could be this season,” SAFC Managing Director Tim Holt said. “He set high expectations for himself, and that rubbed off on everybody around him. Our defense became the strength of this team, and Sebastien was really the leader of that.”
Ibeagha said a major reason he came to SAFC was a chance to build a foundation for a club in its second year. He helped the team go from missing the playoffs in 2016 to finishing second in the Western Conference in 2017.
“Soccer is all about legacy and what you leave the fans,” Ibeagha said. “That first playoff game was one of the loudest things I’ve seen, and it’s one of those moments you cherish as an athlete. Our fans had our backs the whole year.”
Ibeagha said a major reason he came to SAFC was a chance to build a foundation for a club in its second year. He helped the team go from missing the playoffs in 2016 to finishing second in the Western Conference in 2017.
“Soccer is all about legacy and what you leave the fans,” Ibeagha said. “That first playoff game was one of the loudest things I’ve seen, and it’s one of those moments you cherish as an athlete. Our fans had our backs the whole year.”
