San Antonio FC falls 0-1 to Cardiff City FC

Three SAFC Academy players make club debut in match

SAN ANTONIO

San Antonio FC narrowly fell to Cardiff City FC 0-1 in an international exhibition match at Toyota Field on Saturday night. A converted penalty gave the visitors the win during a night in which four SAFC Pro Academy players made their professional debut in front of 7,723 fans.

 

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“I just want to thank Cardiff City FC, the gaffer Neil Warnock, Kevin Blackwell and all their staff for choosing to come to San Antonio as part of their preseason...” SAFC Head Coach Darren Powell said. “I’m really proud of our players. Every single one of them came out tonight with intensity and represented this club and city to the best of their ability, and they delivered a very good performance against quality opposition.”

 

The lone goal of the match came in the 57th minute after midfielder Josh Murphy converted a penalty to give the Bluebirds the lead. SAFC created a handful of chances throughout the match, but was ultimately unable to find the equalizer.

 

Four SAFC Pro Academy players made their professional debut on the night. Midfielders Rocky Perez and Abraham Lincon (2004 birth year) came off the bench in the second half, as well as Elite Training Program players Angel Bacho and Joey Batrouni.

 

Overall, SAFC fielded eight teenagers on the night, with regulars Cristian Parano, Ethan Bryant, and Jose Gallegos featuring alongside the debutants.

 

San Antonio FC will return to USL Championship action as they travel to take on El Paso Locomotive FC on Wednesday, July 17 at 8 p.m. and Orange County SC on Saturday, July 20 at 9 p.m. CT.

 

Scoring Summary:

CCFC: 0-1, Josh Murphy (Penalty) 57’

 

Disciplinary Summary:

CCFC: Yellow Card (Josh Murphy) 71’

SAFC: Yellow Card (Rafa Castillo) 76’

 

Attendance: 7,723

 

SAFC First Half Starting XI: GK: Jonathan Viscosi; D: Kai Greene, Eby Ackon, Joshua Yaro; M: Pecka (c), Jack Barmby (Jose Gallegos 43’), Cristian Parano, Ethan Bryant F: Ever Guzman, Billy Forbes, Brian Gomez

 

SAFC Second Half Starting XI: GK: Jonathan Viscosi (Joey Batrouni 81’); D: Eby Ackon, Johnny Fenwick, Pascal Eboussi; M: Michael Lahoud (c), Rafa Castillo, Angel Bacho* (Abraham Lincon* 81’), Carson Price F: Walter Restrepo, Rocky Perez*, Jose Gallegos

 

*SAFC Pro Academy Player

 

Postgame Notes:

 

  • San Antonio FC fell 0-1 to Cardiff City FC…marked the first current or former Premier League team to play in San Antonio…SAFC is now 1-1-1 in international club exhibition matches after defeating and drawing Santos Laguna (Liga MX) in 2018 and 2017

 

  • Toyota Field welcomed 7,723 fans to watch San Antonio FC vs. Cardiff City, marking the second-highest attendance of the season and the second-highest in SAFC club exhibition matches (highest: 8,007 vs. Santos Laguna – 7/8/17)

 

  • Four SAFC players made their club debuts with SAFC Pro Academy products Angel Bacho, Joey Batrouni, Rocky Perez and Abraham Lincon all earning minutes in tonight’s match vs. Cardiff City

 

  • San Antonio FC fielded eight players aged 19 or younger…Cristian Parano, Carson Price, Jose Gallegos, Ethan Bryant, Joey Batrouni, Rocky Perez, Angel Bacho and Abraham Lincon all saw minutes for SAFC tonight