San Diego Loyal host top-seeded San Antonio FC
San Diego Loyal vs SanĀ Antonio FC
Torero Stadium – University of San Diego
Saturday, August 6 at 7 p.m.
TV: ESPN+
This weekend’s matchup is a showcase between the Western Conference’s top squads.
The match the Loyal have been waiting for all season long is finally upon us. This goes back to last season when SA took down the Loyal in the first round of the 2021 playoffs.
Almost a year later, the Loyal host them for the very first time. This matchup will be as good as it gets for the USL Championship.
San Antonio leads the entire USL Championship with 50 points. They have been the top team in the league for a majority of the year and don’t seem to be slowing down. With a (16-3-2) record and a (+22) goal difference, this team is extremely hard to beat on both sides of the pitch.
SA has only allowed 15 total goals all year long. In comparison, SD has allowed 36. Scoring goals on SA goalkeeper Jordan Farr is not easy. Farr is in a three-way tie for the league lead with nine clean sheets on the season. Loyal keeper Koke Vegas has just three on the year.
The Loyal are right behind SA with 43 points and a (+13) goal difference. The Loyal lead the league in goals with 49, two more than the Tampa Bay Rowdies, who the Loyal defeated back on April 30. SA is tied for 8th with 37.
Last Time Out
San Diego is coming off of a huge win against Orange County SC on the road last weekend. Down 2-1, SD came back and won 3-2 late in the match, thanks to Evan Conway.
Conway broke away and launched a driller past the keeper to take the late advantage.
Koke ā”ļø Amang ā”ļø Conway ā”ļø W.
Ā» https://t.co/DgBDD31i8o pic.twitter.com/jYT9Hz7jI1
ā San Diego Loyal (@SanDiegoLoyal) August 1, 2022
This winner from Conway really shows the chemistry this team has built. Amang started it and felt the pressure and knew where Conway was going to be headed. A perfectly placed pass put the Loyal in a position to win, and that’s the type of play they will need to showcase this weekend.
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Scoring goals against SA will not be easy, so the Loyal must continue to control possession and find the weakness in the backline.
This is going to be a battle between the top offensive team in the league versus one of the tougher defensive squads in the USL. With a win this weekend for the Loyal, they would be just four points away from potentially surpassing SA as the regular reason winds down.
Chris is a graduate of the University of San Diego. He is the former Sports Editor for the USDVista newspaper. Chris has covered the San Diego Loyal, and now covers San Diego State Men’s Basketball. He also contributes regularly about the Padres. Chris is an athlete and is a huge fan of San Diego sports.
SA will be without CM Gila, YC accumulation, and CF Patino, RC. Also, MVP candidate CD Trainer is now one YC from suspension which might influence some of his aggressive play habits.
Thank you for this information!