The first heavy rainfall in San Antonio in months was not enough to dampen the proceedings at Toyota Field on Tuesday night, although it looked like it might for awhile. SAFC fans had to wait an extra hour for the match to get going but they stuck around to see San Antonio FC (12-1-3, 37 points) earn a 2-1 comeback win over FC Tulsa (5-3-10, 18 points). Ignacio Bailone and Samuel Adeniren scored a minute apart in the second half for SAFC to flip a 1-0 halftime deficit into a 2-1 win. It was the second straight win for San Antonio FC and their 4th victory in the last six games overall.
With the win San Antonio FC increased their lead at the top of the USL Western Conference to four points. Second place Colorado suffered a shock 2-0 defeat to a Hartford team who won for only the 4th time all season on Tuesday night.
SAFC Defender Mitchell Taintor noted after the win, “Obviously we really wanted to get a shutout, but I thought overall we dominated the game. We deserved to win. And we probably should’ve three or four more goals, especially in the second half."
It was the first of three straight home games for SAFC who will be playing their first set of consecutive home games in league play all season long on Saturday night. San Antonio spent six straight weeks in May and June without a single league home match. It bodes well for SAFC that they have weathered the storm of so many road games, having lost only twice away from home thus far. The schedule will break in their favor during the stretch run of the season. They'll play three straight homes games again in August and four straight homes games in September.
FC Tulsa took the early lead in this one in the 36' when a J.J. Williams header beat San Antonio FC Keeper Jordan Farr for the 1-0 lead. This despite the fact that San Antonio held a majority of the first half possession in the match.
Ignacio Bailone would make an instant impact with his second half substitution. He entered the match in the 54' and just one minute later he equalized the match. A sensational cross from SAFC Forward Justin Dhillon found Bailone in the box and he was able to drive a header past FC Tulsa Keeper Austin Wormell to tie the game. Bailone played for SAFC in 2020 and just returned to the Club in May. It was his first Goal in a San Antonio uniform since September 2020 when he scored against Texas rivals RGV-FC.
One minute later another SAFC newcomer from the last few weeks, Samuel Adeniran on loan from Seattle in MLS, scored his second Goal in three matches. He dribbed the ball himself down the left wing and created enough space to get off a shot that would turn out to be the match winner. Adeniran has made a huge impact in San Antonio in his short time with the Club. After just four games he is already tied for 4th on the team in Goals scored for the entire season.
It looked like San Antonio had a third goal in the 77' when Mitchell Taintor put the ball in the net but the Goal was ultimately waived off for an Offside call. Nonethless, SAFC held on for the victory and all three points.
More from Taintor, "I think we built into the game really well. But really happy with the three points. It’s not always going to be pretty, or a three or four zero score, but three points is three points.”
Next up for San Antonio FC is a home match against Charleston Battery on Saturday night. It will be the first ever meeting between the two inter-conference clubs. It has not been a good season for the Battery who have only won twice in fifteen matches. The match will kickoff at 8pm.
IMAGES - SAN ANTONIO FC TWITTER
PHOTO - DARREN ABATE / INSTAGRAM: @PEAKACTION