Manley Scores Winner, SAFC Clinches Home-Field Advantage Throughout Playoffs
PITTSBURGH (October 1, 2022) – San Antonio FC topped Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC tonight 1-0, moving the club to 23-5-4 with 73 points. The point total secures the best record in the USL Championship, guaranteeing home-field advantage for SAFC throughout the playoffs.
The lone goal came in the 86th minute, with Carter Manley scoring off of an assist from Nicky Hernandez. Manley’s goal was his first in USL Championship play with SAFC, having scored the match-winning goal in the US Open Cup win over Austin FC in April.
The clean sheet was the team’s 17th of the season, and Jordan Farr’s 15th, with both tied for league records. SAFC has now held their opponent scoreless in three-straight matches, and five of the last six matches.
SAFC is on the road again next weekend, traveling to Alabama to take on Birmingham Legion FC at 4:00 p.m. CT on Sunday, October 9. The match will be streamed on ESPN+.
Scoring Summary:
SAFC: 1-0, Carter Manley (Assisted by Nicky Hernandez) 86’
Disciplinary Summary:
SAFC: Yellow Card (Jordy Delem) 18’
PIT: Yellow Card (Arturo Osuna) 90+3’
Attendance: 3,045
SAFC Starting XI: GK: Jordan Farr; D: Saad Abdul-Salaam, Carter Manley, Fabien Garcia, Jordy Delem, Connor Maloney; M: PC (captain), Cristian Parano (David Loera 64’), Mohammed Abu (Nicky Hernandez 45’); F: Samuel Adeniran (Elliot Collier 90’), Jack Lynn (Ignacio Bailone 64’)
Substitutions not used: Grant Makela, Ates Diouf
Postgame Notes:
- SAFC moves to 23-5-4 on the season with 73 points, leading the USL Championship.
- SAFC’s 73 points on the season secure the best record in the league and top overall seed in the 2022 USL Championship playoffs.
- Carter Manley’s goal in the 86th minute was his first of the season in USL Championship play.
- The shutout was SAFC’s 17th of the season, tied for the most in a single season in league history.
- Jordan Farr’s 15th clean sheet of the season ties a league record for individual shutouts in a season.
- The win is the 12th of the season for SAFC on the road, one shy of the single-season league record.
- Jack Lynn earned his first start with SAFC, and first start in the USL Championship.
- SAFC moves to 21-0-1 when scoring first this season, and 23-0-4 when scoring.
Quotes:
Head Coach Alen Marcina
(On the win…)
“Incredibly proud of the collective. Regular season champions. First in club history. Guys have broken a number of different records over the course of the season. Incredibly proud of all of them. We had a number of guys that haven’t gotten many minutes that stepped up big. Yes, we can be honest with ourselves – it wasn’t our best performance, but you have to find ways to win and the guys did tonight.”
(On home-field advantage…)
“Obviously we still have to take it one game at a time. But if we can take care of business in each playoff game we’ll be able to host the championship final. Which is another first in club history. And again, we’ve got to take it one game at a time.”
Defender Carter Manley
(On the team’s defense…)
“It comes from the whole team. From the forwards to the midfield to the backline. It’s a team effort to keep that clean sheet not just the backline. We’re doing great, everyone’s firing. Everything’s great.”