San Antonio FC downs Indy Eleven 3-1 behind Parano brace

San Antonio FC continued its strong run of form Friday night, defeating Indy Eleven 3-1 at Toyota Field behind two second-half goals from Cristian Parano.

The big picture: San Antonio controlled the tempo from the opening whistle, patiently working through Indy's defensive shape before breaking through in the 25th minute. Christian Sorto delivered the setup for Emil Cuello, who calmly finished to give the hosts a deserved 1-0 lead.

• Mikey Maldonado danced along the endline before cutting the ball back to Parano, who buried the chance for his second goal in as many matches.
• The Argentine struck again in the 70th minute, meeting a ball in the box with a flying finish to extend San Antonio's advantage to three.

What they're saying: Head coach Carlos Llamosa praised his team's composure and ability to control the match through possession.

"Tonight I think guys did a great performance controlling the possession of the ball. When we control the ball, we basically control the game, and that was the case tonight from kickoff to the final whistle," Llamosa said. "I think the guys did pretty well being patient with the ball. When sometimes Indy sat back with numbers, and the spaces weren't there, we were patient rotating the ball from side-to-side until we found gaps to go forward, but overall, very pleased with the performance."

• Defender Mitch Taintor said the club is building momentum at the right time.

"I think we're moving in the right direction. Four wins out of the last six is pretty good. I'd sign that every day of the week to go four out of six, especially with some away games," Taintor said. "Obviously, there's things we can always work on, but for where we are in the season, I think we're in a good spot."

By the numbers:

• Emil Cuello opened the scoring with his first-half goal.
• Cristian Parano scored twice, giving him goals in consecutive matches.
• Mikey Maldonado recorded an assist after creating Parano's first goal with a run to the endline.
• San Antonio earned its first victory over Indy Eleven in club history.

Why it matters: The win continues San Antonio FC's recent surge, with four victories in its last six matches. The result strengthens the club's momentum as it continues its push toward the postseason while showcasing an attack that is beginning to find consistent production.

What's next: San Antonio FC will look to carry its winning form into its next league match on the road against Louisville.