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GAMEDAY ROUNDUP: LouCity Claims First Win at Lynn Family Stadium

By USLChampionship.com Staff, 07/25/20, 9:19PM EDT

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Galaxy II, San Antonio earn victory on home tuft; Hartford’s Barrera notches two assists in 3-2 win vs. Union II

Louisville City FC earned its first victory at Lynn Family Stadium, the LA Galaxy II and San Antonio FC both earned wins on home turf, and Hartford Athletic picked up its third consecutive win to start the season and move to the top of Group F in Saturday night’s action in the Championship.

LOUISVILLE CITY FC (1), SPORTING KANSAS CITY II (0)

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Louisville City FC took its first victory at Lynn Family Stadium as Cameron Lancaster scored the only goal against Sporting Kansas City II on Saturday night.

Neither side was able to create much in the opening half, but Louisville’s Cameron Lancaster almost opened the second half with a bang as he sent a scissor kick from the top-right corner of the six-yard area just wide of the left post. Sporting Kansas City’s Enoch Mushagalusa then went close with a curling effort soon after that drifted high and wide from 20 yards.

Lancaster broke the deadlock five minutes after the break, however, as Niall McCabe delivered a teasing cross from the right side that the English forward rose to head home from inside the six-yard area for his second goal of the season. Brian Ownby almost doubled the lead for the hosts a minute later with a shot that went just wide of the left post from the edge of the penalty area, and SKC II goalkeeper Brooks Thompson produced an excellent save to deny Napo Matsos as LouCity came alive in attack.

Sporting had a chance to level just past the hour-mark as Wilson Harris played Jaret Townsend into space on a counterattack into the right channel, but LouCity goalkeeper Ben Lundt stood up well to the finish and punched it away. The hosts were able to keep SKC II from many clear looks at goal from there, however, and Jimmy Ockford almost iced the game in second-half stoppage time only to send a header high from a corner by McCabe. Louisville had other late chances to ice the game, too, but it proved academic as Lancaster’s tally proved enough to take victory.

USLChampionship.com Man of the Match

Cameron Lancaster, Louisville City FC – Lancaster’s first goal at his club’s new home proved the difference as he recorded four shots and one key pass for the hosts.

HARTFORD ATHLETIC (3), PHILADELPHIA UNION II (2)

HARTFORD, Conn. – The Athletic rallied from an early two-goal deficit to maintain their perfect start under Head Coach Radhi Jaidi as they sent the Union II to a third consecutive defeat on Saturday night at Dillon Stadium.

The Union II grabbed an early lead as a defensive mistake let in Yomi Scintu for a low finish to the left corner in the fourth minute. Hartford goalkeeper Parfait Mandanda then made a big save on a deflected shot by Issa Rayyan, but the Union II doubled their lead in the 16th minute when Luis Flores cut a low cross from the right back for Axel Picazo to finish first time into the left corner.

Hartford pulled level before halftime, however, with Danny Barrera’s chipped pass setting up Gabriel Torres for a powerful finish in the 39th minute to start the comeback. Five minutes later, a clearance from the Union II ran to Mads Jorgensen, who powered a shot from 30 yards that bent into the back of the net. The Athletic then took the lead eight minutes into the second half as Ever Guzman drove home a near-post finish from the right side of the penalty area for his second goal of the season on Barrera’s second assist of the night.

The Union II’s Paxten Aaronson almost pulled the visitors back level just past the hour-mark as he hit a turning shot that looped just wide of the right post from the top of the penalty area. Philadelphia also had a chance at an equalizer with 11 minutes to go when Flores met a low corner kick from the right to the near post with a clever backheel flick that slid wide of the left post. The Athletic held on to claim all three points, however, and continue their fine start to the season.

USLChampionship.com Man of the Match

Danny Barrera, Hartford Athletic – Barrera had two assists and four key passes as he pulled the strings for the Athletic to rally back for victory.

SAN ANTONIO FC (1), RIO GRANDE VALLEY FC (0)

SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio got a second half-goal from Gonzalo Di Renzo which proved enough to take victory against the Toros at Toyota Stadium in the second South Texas Derby of the season.

Chances were few in the first half, with a deflected shot by San Antonio’s Blake Smith that looped over the crossbar and a low shot by RGVFC’s Kevin Rodriguez in stoppage time that was saved by SAFC goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair the best opportunities for either side before the break.

Christian Lucatero had a chance for the Toros in the 58th minute that was blocked off by SAFC defender Connor Maloney as the game remained tight at both ends, but on the hour-mark the hosts finally broke through. A turnover in midfield put the ball at the feet of Cristian Parano, who released Di Renzo into the right side of the penalty area for a low shot that Toros goalkeeper Paul Blanchette couldn’t handle as it squeezed into the right corner of the net.

The Toros almost hit back as a cross by Garrett McLaughlin was headed wide of the right post by Rodriguez, while Parano almost added a goal to his earlier assist with a long-range shot that Blanchette was able to parry away. This time, though, there would be no late heroics for the Toros despite their efforts and San Antonio held on to take an important three points.

USLChampionship.com Man of the Match

Cristian Parano, San Antonio FC – Parano provided the assist on the game-winning goal, had four key passes and two shots on target of his own while completing 30 of 36 passes in a good win for SAFC.

LA GALAXY II (1), SACRAMENTO REPUBLIC FC (0)

CARSON, Calif. – The Galaxy II claimed their second consecutive victory as Augustine Williams scored the only goal against Republic FC at Dignity Health Sports Park on Saturday night.

With each side looking to add to victory last time out, Los Dos got the first look at goal in the sixth minute as Augustine Williams fired a low shot that was saved by Sacramento goalkeeper Adam Grinwis. Republic FC’s Villyan Bijev followed with a volleyed effort of his own that bounced wide of the left post, but in the 42nd minute the visitors produced the best chance of the half as Hayden Sargis’ header forced an outstanding save by Galaxy II goalkeeper Abraham Romero as the ball seemed pegged for the left corner.

Sacramento’s Dariusz Formella also had a good chance just before halftime but saw his low finish on a breakaway clip the outside of the left post, while Drew Skundrich shot had a shot deflected just wide of the left post 12 minutes into the second half. Then with 18 minutes to go, a free kick from the right for the Galaxy II was swung in by Jorge Hernandez, and a mishit clearance by Sacramento defender Tomas Hilliard-Arce served up a simple chance for Williams to put away.

Los Dos’ Isaac Bawa had a shot at doubling the lead for the hosts as he recovered possession after an initial pass had been blocked and cut in from the right to hit a curling shot toward the left corner that Grinwis punched clear. The Galaxy II’s Sebastian Nava then forced another good save from Grinwis less than a minute later as the hosts looked for an insurance goal, but Williams’ goal held up as the winner as Los Dos recorded its second consecutive shutout.

USLChampionship.com Man of the Match

Augustine Williams, LA Galaxy II – Williams recorded one goal on three shots, completed two of three dribbles and 20 of 28 passes to lead the attacking line for Los Dos.

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