Saint Louis FC Back In Texas This Weekend To Face San Antonio FC

After opening the 2018 United Soccer League season last weekend with a draw in Texas, the club is back in the state this weekend for a match at San Antonio FC on Saturday.

Saturday’s match, set to kick off at 7:30 pm CT, is the home opener for San Antonio at Toyota Field. It can be streamed for free on YouTube and seen on KPLR 11 in the St. Louis viewing area.

Saint Louis FC is 0-0-1 on the after the season-opening draw with Rio Grande Valley FC. San Antonio FC is  0-10, falling the Sacramento Republic FC 2-1 last weekend.

Scroll down for more on Saturday’s match, including how to watch it on YouTube at home or where to join some fellow soccer fans for watch parties.

San Antonio FC Lost In Sacramento Last Week

SAFC fell 2-1 last week in front of 11,569 fans at Papa Murphy’s Park in Sacramento. The visitors allowed goals in first half stoppage time and minutes into the second half. Mike Lopez scored San Antonio’s lone goal in the 68th minute.

STLFC Plays To A Draw With Rio Grande Valley

Saint Louis FC opened the 2018 season with a 1-1 draw on the road at Rio Grande Valley FC. Tony Walls scored the lone goal for the visitors.

Jake Fenlason played the full 90 minutes in goal with Tomas Gomez sidelined. The 25-year old made four saves in the match and was named to the USL Team of the Week for his performance.

Aedan Stanley To Miss Saturday’s Match

Anthony Pulis will be without Aedan Stanley for Saturday’s match. The youngster played a full 90 minutes last weekend and was named the Pleats Man of the Match. 

It was announced last Friday that Stanley had been called into the U.S. Men’s National Team U-20 Camp in Spain. He is scheduled to be with Tab Ramos’ squad until March 28.

Stanley will be leaving Saint Louis FC this summer to play his college soccer at Duke for coach John Kerr. He is expected to be one of the top freshmen in the Atlantic Coast Conference this fall.

San Antonio FC Led USL With 15 Shutouts In 2017

The 2018 season is San Antonio FC’s third in the USL. In 2017, SAFC led the league in shutouts with 15. Gone from that squad with Sebastien Ibeagha, the 2017 USL Defender of the Year. Ibeagha was signed by New York City FC of Major League Soccer, which SAFC has served as an affiliate for. Ibeagha has played in two games this season for NYCFC, starting one.

2017 Goalkeeper of the Year Deigo Restrepo is back in goal, however. Restrepo made 4 saves in the loss to Sacramento. He also was issued a yellow card in the fifth minute for this play. 

Defender Greg Cochrane started in the back against Sacramento and played 83 minutes before being subbed off. He is expected to start on Saturday as well. Cochrane played in found matches for STLFC during the 2015 season on loan from the Chicago Fire.

The SAFC roster is significantly older than that of STLFC. Seven San Antonio players are 30 years of age are older, including 37-year old midfielder Rafael Castillo.

Tony Walls and Kyle Greig are the oldest players on the Saint Louis roster at 28 years of age.

Darren Powell is in his third season coaching SAFC. He and STLFC manager Anthony Pulis worked together in the Orlando City SC organization.

Pulis talked about the upcoming match in this Blue Chip Bugging The Coaches segment

 

Listen to what the boss has to say about tomorrow’s match against @SanAntonioFC, then go back to work. pic.twitter.com/1YTqsyUXoc

— Saint Louis FC (@SaintLouisFC) March 23, 2018

Scouting Toyota Field In San Antonio

San Antonio FC lost just one match last season at Toyota Field. That’s Toyota Field, not Toyota Stadium at St. Louis Soccer Park.

Gordon Hartman originally built the soccer complex as a home for his San Antonio Scorpions franchise in 2012. The now-defunct club competed in the North American Soccer League from 2012-15 and donated the net profits from its operations to the Morgan’s Wonderland, a theme park dedicated to children with special needs. across the street from Toyota Field.

In 2015, Toyota Field and the adjacent S.T.A.R. Soccer Complex were purchased by the city of San Antonio and Bexar County. At that time plans were announced for Spurs Sports and Entertainment, owners of the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs, to lease Toyota Field and operate a USL franchise.

SAFC averaged 7,153 fans per match at the 8,400-seat Toyota Field last season.

Tickets for Saturday’s match range from $10 for a seat in the Bud Light Bunker to $62 for a seat behind the home team’s bench. Season tickets packages range in price from $180 – $810 with parking for each match included.

For this Saturday’s home opener, the first 1,000 fans will receive a H-E-B pop socket and those 21 years of age an older will receive a Bud Light magnet schedule after the match. Concession stands will also be offering sodas and Bud Light for just $1.

Here’s Anja Rosales, the Content Specialist and On-Camera Reporter for the club, previewing  the match between SAFC and STLFC.

Missouri & Illinois Watch Parties On Tap Saturday

The St. Louligans will again host a watch part for Saturday night’s match at Kirkwood Station Brewing Station on the Missouri side of the river. There will also be a watch party over on the Illinois side this week. Hurricanes Bar and Grill in Collinsville will be the site for that.

 

You know the drill. Every away game we’ll be at @KirkwoodStation to watch @SaintLouisFC. Saturday night, 7:30pm. Bring a friend. #AwayDaysAtKSB #SiLLyWatchParty pic.twitter.com/qhPaHbvkYS

— St.Louligans ☠ (@StLouligans) March 23, 2018

P.S. As always, remember to check out the St. Louligans and the This Is Silly! podcast. Click over to the Louligans game preview for this week as well.

Toyota Stadium Home Opener Set For March 31

Saint Louis FC returns to Toyota Stadium at St. Louis Soccer Park next weekend for a match with the Colorado Springs Switchbacks. A limited number or tickets still remain for that contest, which kicks off at 4:00 pm. Tickets can be purchased online at SaintLouisFC.com or by calling 636-680-0997.

2018 Saint Louis FC season ticket packages are also available starting at $204. Other special ticket packages are also available.

Stream On YouTube Or Watch On KPLR 11 In St. Louis

All USL matches this season will be streamed for free on YouTube. 11 STLFC away matches will also be shown locally on KPLR 11. This weekend’s match against San Antonio FC is again one of those matches.

So, you’ll find the YouTube link for the stream below and remember to tune every television in your house, as well as your neighbor’s to KPLR 11 on Saturday night.

Saint Louis FC vs San Antonio FC

 

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