It took withstanding a barrage of attacks late, but San Antonio FC got the job done, winning 2-1 over Austin FC after extra-time in front of a sold-out and loud Toyota Field in the Third Round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.
Austin broke the scoreless deadlock in the 47th minute. Diego Fagundez was played in by Sebastian Driussi, and despite a tight angle, placed his strike carefully past Jordan Farr to give the Major League Soccer side the lead in the club’s Open Cup debut.
San Antonio FC sent the match to extra-time in the 83rd minute. A perfect cross from Justin Dhillon found Elliot Collier who was able to continue his vein of goalscoring form and bury it at the near post.
In the 96th minute an unexpected source found the goal to put the USL Championship side ahead. Carter Manley placed a perfect header past the keeper to score his first goal for San Antonio FC after a great cross from Mitchell Taintor.
For the first time in San Antonio FC history it felt like a derby, with the capacity crowd lifting the roof off the media side of the stadium in what was not only the club’s first-ever win over an MLS opponent, it was San Antonio’s first-ever win over a professional opponent (NOTE: San Antonio’s PK win over Colorado Springs in 2018 is officially listed as a draw, per US Open Cup rules)
San Antonio looked to capitalize early, perhaps knowing that the MLS side’s fitness would be better in the stretch. That led to plenty of shots early but mostly from distance as a disciplined Austin defense kept the hosts from getting into the box.
A night to remember. #Defend210 pic.twitter.com/ovyxJB80XT
— San Antonio FC (@SanAntonioFC) April 22, 2022
It was mistake after mistake in the 27th minute when Austin should have hit the lead. A mishit ball bounced off the post and into Diego Fagundez who couldn’t control it enough. The ball was loose in close range before the SAFC defense managed to clear it off the line.
It should have been a San Antonio lead in the 34th minute when a good run from Deshane Beckford saw him able to cut the ball back. But he got no help from his teammates only being able to put it across the face of goal.
Being a goal down, San Antonio FC had to open up for the rest of the second half which created an end-to-end match but the end-product from the hosts just didn’t match up.
This night won’t soon be forgotten? Thank you for showing out San Antonio that’s for everyone that’s been with this club since the beginning y’all deserve it.
Now full focus on the weekend and progressing every further! https://t.co/9u69UlzYSB— Jordan Farr (@jordanfarr0) April 22, 2022
In the 67th minute, Santiago Patino worked magic on the wing to get clear to send a ball square. Unfortunately his teammates weren’t on the same page, keeping them off the scoreboard.
San Antonio had the ball in the back of the net in the 76th minute but it was only after the whistle had already gone as Patino was pinned for offside.
Austin woke up after going behind and were only denied from a winner at the death by a clearance off the line by Dhillon who had run the length of the field.
At the very end of stoppage time a fracas broke out in the San Antonio right corner but ultimately the officials thought nothing of it.
Jordan Farr rescued his team in the 94th minute when Rodney Reyes was played through on goal but Farr’s quick thinking was enough to get the save and allow his team to clear.
At the very end of the first half of extra-time a corner perfectly found Patino but his volley bounced into the pitch which was too hard and sent it over the bar keeping Austin in the match.
The woodwork denied Austin in the 110th minute as the packed San Antonio FC defense couldn’t cover every angle and Felipe Martinez got on the end of a Jon Gallagher cross but could only find the bar.
Promise kept. ??
Mic’d up with one of our ball boys, Brayden! ?#Defend210 pic.twitter.com/4HKLulkDnC
— San Antonio FC (@SanAntonioFC) April 22, 2022
Farr was at his best again with four minutes to play as Hector Jimenez hit a ball along the ground, with pace but Farr got his body behind it to send his side through.
In what proved to be the last attack of the game, five minutes into stoppage time, there was chaos in the box as Farr could only punch clear but San Antonio scrambled. Austin then fired a shot from just outside the box which took a deflection in front and fell into the path of Austin’s Felipe Martins at the edge of the six-yard box. Martins slid to the ground to try to get a touch to it but Farr came out to meet him and the two met at the ball and it deflected away from goal, but only a few yards away. Austin’s Rodney Renes pounced on the loose ball with the goalkeeper and Martins still on the ground after their encounter just a few seconds ago. Renes immediately shot the ball on frame, but despite having nearly the entire goal to choose from, his quick reaction shot saw him send the ball directly at Farr, who was sitting on his backside in front of goal.
Moments later, the whistle blew, which triggered jubilation among the San Antonio players and their fans.