Amairani Ramirez Juan Turrubiates Media Relations Manager Media Relations Intern RGV FC 956.225.7028 956.280.6580 GAME NOTES [email protected] [email protected] Head-to-Head 2019 Schedule and Results Date....................... Sat., May 25 Time...................... 7:30 p.m. CST Date Opponent Time/Result Venue.....................H-E-B Park Watch................... ESPN+ / Ch. 5.2 Mar 8 Tacoma Defiance L 1-0 All-Time Series....4-3-3 Mar. 16 Fresno FC L 0-2 Home Series.........2-2-1 Mar. 23 @ El Paso Locomotive D 2-2 3-4-4 Road Series...........2-1-2 3-5-3 Mar. 29 @ Tulsa Roughnecks FC L 1-2 13 pts. Apr. 6 New Mexico United D 0-0 12 pts. Apr. 13 OKC Energy FC W 2-1 Apr. 20 Las Vegas Lights FC W 5-2 EDINBURG, Texas (May 24, 2019) – Rio Grande Valley FC (3-4-4, 13 pts.) is anxious for a rivalry matchup Apr. 24 @ LA Galaxy ll D 4-4 against visiting San Antonio FC (3-5-3, 12 pts.). The Western Conference matchup will take place at H-E-B Park Apr. 30 @ Portland Timbers 2 W 2-1 (TICKETS) Kickoff will be at 7:30 P.M. CST on ESPN+. May 10 @ Phoenix Rising FC L 1-3 This is the first official meeting of the 2019 USL Championship season for the two sides. RGV FC is coming off May 18 LA Galaxy ll D 2-2 of a draw with LA Galaxy ll, a match which was equalized in stoppage time, 2-2, via the right foot of Ethan May 25 San Antonio FC 7:30 p.m Zubak. San Antonio FC also drew in their last match, 1-1, as they faced Tulsa Roughnecks FC at Toyota Field. Jun. 1 @ Orange County 9:00 p.m The Copa Tejas was introduced this season after the addition of two more Texas based teams to the USL Jun. 8 @ Real Monarchs 9:00 p.m Championship League; Austin Bold and El Paso Locomotive FC. Copa Tejas was formed by supporter groups of Jun. 15 Colorado Springs FC 7:30 p.m San Antonio FC, El Paso, Austin Bold and RGV FC. The award will be given at the end of the 2019 USL Jun. 22 Austin Bold FC 7:30 p.m Championship regular season to the Texas team with the best head-to-head record amongst the four clubs. Jul. 3 @ Reno 1868 FC 9:30 p.m The overall record between the two rivals stands at 4-3-3 slightly in favor of RGV FC by one win. At home, the Jul. 6 Tacoma Defiance 7:30 p.m Toros are ahead in the series, 2-2-1. The road schedule has been a tough one this season for San Antonio. They Jul. 13 Phoenix Rising FC 7:30 p.m have lost all four contests away from home, giving them a worrisome 0-4-0 record. Jul. 20 Sacramento Republic FC 7:30 p.m On the offensive attacking effort, SAFC has four players tied for goal scoring leader at three apiece. Brian Gomez Jul. 27 @ Las Vegas Lights FC 9:30 p.m headlines the pack with his three goals scored in just eight appearances. San Antonio has scored 14 goals total Aug. 3 Reno 1868 FC 7:30 p.m this season. According to the overall breakdown of field possession and distribution, SAFC pressures the most Aug. 10 @ Colorado Springs FC 7:00 p.m up front throughout a match with an average of 37.9% of their passing being forward presses. Aug. 17 @ San Antonio FC 7:30 p.m Jamaican national, Maalique Foster has grown to be a quiet but efficient attacking piece for the Toros. He has Aug. 24 El Paso Locomotive FC 7:30 p.m scored on three occasions this season and has provided an equal number of assists (3) to help his attacking Sep. 1 @ Austin Bold FC 7:30 p.m partners find the back of the net. In the midfield, Brownsville native Isidro “Chelin” Martinez has proven to be a Sep. 7 Tulsa Roughnecks FC 7:30 p.m versatile tool as well on the attack for RGV FC as has scored a lone goal and has assisted in three scoring plays. His ability to open up space for attackers and be a field general at midfield makes him standout as a key piece Sep. 15 @ Sacramento Republic FC 4:00 p.m heading into Saturday’s meeting with SAFC. Sep. 18 @ Fresno FC 9:30 p.m Sep. 21 Real Monarchs SLC 7:30 p.m Some familiar faces have made up the San Antonio roster in the past and the same continues this season as Kai Greene, who was a member of the RGV FC organization for three seasons, will enter battle against his old team. Sep. 28 Orange County SC 7:30 p.m Head coach Gerson Echeverry touched on the meaning of a rivalry game like this Saturday’s match; “For us it is Oct. 5 @ New Mexico United 8:30 p.m just natural, they are up the road from us so any time you are playing an inter-state game, for us, it is a Oct. 13 @ OKC Energy 6:00 p.m meaningful game not only because of the league but it is a Texas team so there is that extra. Obviously, they have Oct. 18 Portland Timbers FC 2 7:30 p.m Kai [Greene] who was here for three years and now he is over there so there is going to be a lot of scenarios that can happen. A lot of scenarios can take place of course and given that late equalizers that have derailed the Toros chances at three points at home before, a win is most definitely the thing they crave the most. Forward Carlos Small chimed in on the match and the true mentality in the locker room heading into this game; “It is a difficult opponent and we know that we have to face the challenges head on and earn those three points at home. It is more than a rivalry match, it feels like a final because those three points are very important to us.” - SAFC Kai Greene was a member of the 2018 Kyle Adams is another returning member of the Toros side and he provided his thoughts on the Tejas Cup RGV FC roster. He also played for Toros head meeting; “I would say it is a big game. It is a big game for the club and the for the community. You always want coach Gerson Echeverry at Seton Hall. to beat your rival and San Antonio, I think they are a much better team than what they stand to be as well as us.” There is no doubt that a different energy fills the stadium when it is derby time so there will be plenty of excitement and hard played soccer on Saturday at H-E-B Park as these two South Texas clubs face each other. # SOMOS TOROS # RGV FC GAME NOTES LAST MATCH RECAP EDINBURG, Texas (May 18, 2019) – Rio Grande Valley FC (3-4-4, 13 pts.) played LA Galaxy ll (4-4-3, 15 pts.) on Saturday night at H-E-B Park. Los Dos were able to score a late equalizer to escape LAST MATCH STATS with a 2-2 draw on the road. RGV FC was tested early on in the back third which resulted in the Galaxy ll attack finding the back of the net at the 15th minute mark. Omar Ontiveros tapped the ball into the lower left side of the goal following a corner kick pass which came from Brian Iloski. The Toros equalized shortly after when Romilio Hernandez placed a pass into the box and Maalique RGVFC LA2 Foster snuck past the defense and tapped a ball into the top left corner of the goal, stunning Los Dos. The goal came at the 34th minute. 2 G 2 Toros goalkeeper Nico Corti was tested at the 38-minute mark when a direct free kick shot lasered to 13 SH 9 the bottom right corner of the goal, which he deflected for the save. 4 SOG 4 Los Dos shot well in the first half, placing three shots on target. The Toros’ only shot on goal attempt 14 FC 14 of the half resulted in a goal. RGV FC retained possession for 60 percent of the first half. 0 OFF 0 Michael Salazar brought the crowd to their feet after scoring a goal following some nice footwork to clear the goalkeeper at the 57th minute. Foster provided the precise pass on the play to open up the 2 SV 2 opportunity to make it 2-1 in favor of RGV FC. 0 YC 3 On a breakaway opportunity, Foster crossed the ball into the box for Jesus Enriquez who then sent 0 RC 0 a one touch shot wide on the right side of the goal. This kind of attacking style remained constant throughout the match for RGV as they looked to pad the lead with quick strike offense. LA2 was not folding on offense, creating multiple close look chances. Nick DePuy sent a soft header dangerously close to the bottom left corner of the goal but missed in the 85th minute. In stoppage time at the 92nd minute, Ethan Zubak shocked the home crowd with an equalizing shot to the back of the net, 2-2, after a scramble for the ball with the Toros defense.