San Antonio FC suffers second half collapse in home loss to Las Vegas
Cuello scores first goal since 2021, but second half comeback hands SAFC its first regular-season home defeat.
San Antonio FC saw its unbeaten regular season home record come to an end Saturday night, blowing a first half lead in a 2-1 loss to Las Vegas Lights FC at Toyota Field.
Why it matters: The defeat marks SAFC's first home loss of the USL Championship regular season, though the club remains second in the Western Conference with 25 points and a 6-3-7 record.
By the numbers:
- Defender Emil Cuello opened the scoring in the sixth minute, finishing a pass from Jorge Hernandez into the top corner for his first goal with San Antonio FC since July 2021.
- Las Vegas responded just after halftime to level the match before capitalizing on a loose ball in the penalty area in the 79th minute for the game-winning goal.
- SAFC was unable to find a late equalizer despite pushing numbers forward in the closing minutes.
What they're saying: Defender Akeem O'Connor-Ward said the club lost control after its fast start.
"We ended up getting a good goal, but kind of felt like we took our foot off the gas a little bit and then from there invited more and more pressure," O'Connor-Ward said. "We came out of half, kind of got punched in the mouth, which shouldn't be happening at home... We just couldn't get it done tonight."
Between the lines: Head coach Carlos Llamosa pointed to a shift in possession after the opening stages, saying San Antonio abandoned the wide switches that helped create early opportunities while Las Vegas dictated play through midfield.
"For moments early in the first half, we were switching the ball... but then we stopped doing that," Llamosa said. "Credit to Las Vegas. They forced us to play short passes... We had to defend narrow centrally and force the ball outside, but for some reason we didn't."
The big picture: Despite the setback, San Antonio remains in second place in the Western Conference. The club has now dropped valuable home points after entering the match unbeaten in league play at Toyota Field this season.
What's next: San Antonio FC heads east next Saturday to face expansion side Brooklyn FC. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT on July 25.
