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San Antonio FC Opens Season With 1-0 Victory Over Detroit City FC

San Antonio FC (1-0-0, 3 points) opened their 2022 season on Saturday night at Toyota Field by defeating Detroit City FC (0-0-1, 0 points) by a score of 1-0. Newcomer Fabien Garcia scored the match winner for SAFC in the 68th minute.

Detroit City FC are playing their first season in USL Championship after spending the last 3 seasons in the National Independent Soccer Association (NISA) where they won two Championships. SAFC debuted their new all-black home kits in the match. The club switched kit affliations from Nike to Puma in the offseason.

There were no shortage of San Antonio connections on the Detroit side as former SAFC players Billy Forbes and Maxi Rodriguez now play for DCFC as does Forward Pato Botello Faz who played his college soccer in San Antonio. Faz scored 39 Goals for St Mary's University during his collegiate career. All three players appeared in the match. Faz and Rodriguez started for Detroit City while Forbes was a substitute late in the match.

For SAFC, Saturday was their first competitve match since losing in Penalty Kicks to eventual USL Cup Champions Orange County SC last November in the Western Conference Championship. As with every year there was much player shuffling in the short offseason. Notable departures from the club included star Midfielder Jose Gallegos who moved on to the Danish Superliga via transfer. Leading scorer Nathan Fogata also saw his loan with SAFC come to an end, while key contributors Marcus Epps and Cam Lindley moved to other USL Championship clubs.

SAFC did retain some key talent as well. Matt Cardone is back in Goal as he extends his time as SAFC's longest tenured player; the only SAFC player to be on the roster every year of their seven year history. Keeper Jordan Farr also returns to SAFC after being an emergency playoff addition for the team when Cardone went down with a season ending injury in the final game of the regular season. However, neither player appeared on Saturday night as starting Keeper duties went to Cristian Bonilla who pitched a clean sheet in his SAFC debut.

Midfielder PC is back for his third season with SAFC. Defender Mitchell Taintor officially returned to the club after transfering back to SAFC from Sacramento Republic following a loan stint in 2021. In total, eight players are back from the 2021 season, not including Midfielder Leo Torres who has been loaned to Real Monarchs for the 2022 season.

Manager Alen Marcina is back for his 3rd season leading SAFC.

San Antonio FC had the first great chance of the match in the 17th minute when they would earn a Penalty thanks to a hand ball in the box called against Detroit City Defender Deklan Wynne. Unfortunately PC would not score his penalty try as it was very well saved by Detroit Keeper Nathan Steinwascher, keeping the proceedings deadlocked at 0-0 through the first half.

In the second half, San Antonio would get their breakthrough when Justin Dhillon tried to finesse a shot over Steinwascher. The ball sailed over his head into the middle of the goal area where Fabien Garcia was able to manuever through the crowded area and nudge the ball into the goal from his chest for the 1-0 lead and the eventual match winner.

San Antonio FC was out possessed (55% - 45%) and outshot (10-9) but they had more shots on target than Detroit (6-2) and most importantly, had the game's only goal.

Next up for SAFC is their first road trip of the season. They'll embark on a two game road swing that will take them to LA to face Galaxy II followed by a return to Texas to face South Texas rivals RGV-FC. San Antonio FC returns home on Saturday April 2 when they will host Phoenix Rising FC.

IMAGES: SAN ANTONIO FC TWITTER, DETRIOT CITY FC TWITTER

PHOTO: DARREN ABATE / INSTAGRAM: @PEAKACTION


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