Grades: San Antonio FC’s Lackluster Effort Costs Them In 1-0 Loss To Orange County
Defense holds firm until stoppage time, but playoff positioning tightens with two matches to go
San Antonio FC looked set to grind out a point on the road Wednesday night, but a stoppage-time strike from Ousmane Sylla gave Orange County SC a 1-0 win as SAFC’s winless streak hit three matches.
Why it matters: Despite solid defending for most of the match, San Antonio couldn’t find enough in the attack to secure a victory and clinch a playoff berth.
“We’re disappointed. It was a crucial match,” San Antonio Head Coach Carlos Llamosa said. “We need to be smarter. We need to know when to get results. This was a six-point game we were playing tonight, and at the last minute, we gave up the three points.”
Here are three grades for the club following their loss to Orange County:
Defense: B
For 90 minutes, San Antonio’s back line was composed and organized. Alexis Souahy and Noah Dollenmayer anchored the middle well, with fullbacks Harvey Neville and Rece Buckmaster working well together and making key tackles, forcing Orange County to give the ball away on the attack. Goalkeeper Richard Sanchez was sharp again, finishing with four saves, parrying the ball away on several crosses.
All that was undone in second half stoppage time when Sanchez came out to play the ball, forcing Sylla to go around him and put the ball into the empty net.
This is the story of SAFC’s season: Mental breakdowns have haunted them late in matches this season.
