San Antonio FC blanks reigning League One champs on the road

San Antonio FC climbed to the top of Group 3 in the USL Cup Saturday night with a gritty 1-0 road win over One Knoxville SC.

Why it matters: San Antonio rotated its lineup heavily but still delivered one of its more complete performances of the tournament, getting contributions from both reserves and players returning from injury.

The game-changing moment: Defender Tiago Suarez buried the lone goal just before halftime, heading home an in-swinging corner kick for his first score with the club.

By the numbers:

• Goalkeeper Richard Sanchez recorded two saves and secured his fourth clean sheet across all competitions.
• It marked Sanchez’s second shutout in USL Cup play.
• San Antonio earned its second-round victory and now sits atop Group 3.

What they’re saying: Head coach Carlos Llamosa praised the squad’s depth after the win.

“We’re happy. That was a good performance from the team. We kept the goal on zeroes, and we created a lot of chances.”

Llamosa also highlighted the opportunity to evaluate rotation players and returning contributors, including Nicky Hernandez, who returned to the field after a five-month absence.

Defender Rece Buckmaster said the squad expected a difficult test against the defending USL League One champions.

“They’re a good team with winning League One last year, so we knew we were gonna get their best shot.”

Up next: San Antonio FC (4-1-5) returns home on May 23 to face Sacramento Republic FC (3-1-4) at 7:30 p.m. at Toyota Field.