SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Sept. 20, 2026) – San Antonio FC secured a shutout and a point on the road Sunday night, playing Sacramento Republic FC to a 0-0 draw in the California capital.
The sides traded chances in a battle between two of the Western Conference’s top defenses, with neither team able to find a game-winner in 90 minutes of play.
Goalkeeper Joey Batrouni earned credit for his seventh clean sheet of the season, coming up with five saves on the night to keep Republic off the board.
Next Up
San Antonio FC returns home to host Eastern Conference leaders Tampa Bay Rowdies. 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:
- San Antonio moves to 9-6-10 on the season with 37 points, slotting into 4th place in the Western Conference standings.
- SAFC has now picked up results in 10 of its 13 matches on the road this season.
- Forward Cristian Parano made his 100th appearance across all competitions for SAFC.
- Forward Andres Paredes made his first appearance of the season and first for the club since July 2025, returning from a knee injury.
- Goalkeeper Joey Batrouni made five saves in the match and his seven shutouts this year are tied for eighth-most in the league.
- Head Coach Carlos Llamosa has made four changes to the starting XI, with Emil Cuello, Mitchell Taintor, Nicky Hernandez and Cristian Parano entering the lineup.
SAFC Starting XI: Joey Batrouni, Emil Cuello, Alex Crognale, Mitchell Taintor (Captain), Tiago Suarez, Akeem O’Connor-Ward, Mikey Maldonado, Nicky Hernandez (Christian Sorto 77’), Jorge Hernandez (Diogo Pacheco 54’), Cristian Parano (Lucio Berron 46’), Lilian Ricol (Andres Paredes 46’)
Substitutions Not Used: Danny Barbir, Nelson Flores Blanco, Daniel Namani
Disciplinary Summary:
SA: Yellow Card (Jorge Hernandez) 41’
SAC: Yellow Card (Danny Crisostomo) 44’
SA: Yellow Card (Diogo Pacheco) 83’
Quotes:
Head Coach Carlos Llamosa
(On the performance…)
“It was a tough game against a tough team. Sacramento’s a very good team. It’s not easy to get a shutout here on this field. They did really well, but I think for the most part, our guys defended really well. … I think for the most part, the behavior of the team was good. We were disciplined, and we’re going home with a huge point.”
(On the energy of the substitutes …)
“They did well. Diogo [Pacheco] is coming back from an injury almost a month out, then Andres [Paredes] had his first minutes on the field after his ACL injury from last year. I think they did well. They’re going to help us. They’re still catching up on their game, but I think in a few days, a few weeks, they’re going to be really sharp to help us up front.”
(On Joey Batrouni earning a clean sheet …)
“He did good, and I have to highlight the group defense. Everybody put the work in and defended, and it should be like that. We talked throughout the week that we need to make sure in a tough moment to stay in the game and not lose the game, especially when we’re playing away. Today, we were compact and we were solid, and we walk away with a point.”
Defender Tiago Suarez
(On the draw…)
“It was a huge fight from the guys. This game was really important for us, not only because the table is really tight, but because this is a playoff atmosphere. It was a battle out there today, and we’re happy with the point coming back home … our togetherness is what got us through that game. There were a few scary moments there, but at the end of the day, that’s footy. We have to continue to get shutouts and get points in the right direction.”
(On moving up to fourth in the standings…)
The table is so tight. Every point puts you two, three, four places in either direction, so every game is super important, and now more than ever, the team is coming together and now it’s that time for the playoff push.”
Goalkeeper Joey Batrouni
(On the shutout…)
“I thought it was a hard-fought effort. The boys came away after 90 minutes, I thought getting a point was really good. Hard-fought from the boys and good work on the road. It wasn’t easy, but I had four defenders that I really trust and am confident in. They really helped me a lot, and thankfully, I was able to back them up and help them out with a couple saves.”
