San Antonio FC (8-7-5, 31 points) hosted Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (13-5-6, 44 points) in the first ever meeting between the two clubs at Toyota Field on Saturday night and very late into the match it looked like SAFC was going to take all 3 points. But the Riverhounds' Alex Dixon had other plans. His 90th minute header tied the game at 1-1 and left both teams with only one point. It was a battle of two teams on 3-match winning streaks, but Pittsburgh will feel better about the point. They rested several key players and were playing on the road and still battled to a draw.
For San Antonio FC's part, on the one hand Nathan scored his 8th goal in the last 9 games, and it came with some redepmtion. But that's b/c he missed a Penalty Kick earlier in the second half, skying his attempt way over the bar. That miss looms larger with the game ending in a tie. Despite the costly miss, Nathan continues to be SAFC's best scorer since Santiago Patino went down with an extended injury back in July.
Six of SAFC's seven Draws in 2021 have ended with a 1-1 score.
SAFC Manager Alen Marcina commented after the match, “Obviously, Pittsburgh is a very good team, but, I felt we were the better team. We showed it on the field. Yes, we should have done a better job managing the late minutes. Game management is something we take away as something to improve on. Credit to them their finish was a great finish.
After a slow first half that saw only 1 shot on goal for each team, things picked up in the second half. In the 47' a Penalty was conceded by Pittsburgh's Shane Wiedt with a hand ball in the penalty area. Nathan's attempt would go awry as he missed high. In the 64' Nathan would get his redepmtion when Marcus Epps delivered a sensational pass to the back post that Nathan buried with a header to give the hosts the 1-0 lead.
That would hold until the 90' when Pittsburgh's Louis Perez sent in an equally great cross to a wide open Alex Dixon in the Center of the SAFC box who came back the other way with his header into the near post and just like that a win became a draw for San Antonio FC.
Marcina was still pleased with how the three home matches over the last week played out. “We played two number one teams and collected seven points in the last three matches, and that’s pretty good."
Next up for San Antonio FC is a four-match road trip begnning with a Copa Tejas matchup in Austin against Bold FC on Tuesday night. SAFC returns home on Saturday September 25th when they will host New Mexico United.
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PHOTO: DARREN ABATE, INSTAGRAM: @PEAKACTION