SAN ANTONIO – Jose Gallegos scored in second-half stoppage time to grab a 1-1 draw for San Antonio FC against Austin Bold FC at Toyota Field as the hosts maintained their undefeated start to the 2020 season in dramatic fashion.

Trailing to Xavier Baez’s strike in the first half for Austin, time was ticking away for the hosts as the game entered second-half stoppage time. Enter Gallegos. A low corner kick from the right by Cristian Parano was deflected out at the near post, but set up perfectly for the San Antonio native to fire a first-time finish through a crowd of bodies into the bottom-left corner of the net, earning his side another valuable point over its Texas rival.

San Antonio had threatened early as a corner kick from the right by Parano was flicked on at the near post by Luis Solignac, punched out by Austin goalkeeper Diego Restrepo and ultimately headed just over by SAFC defender Kai Greene.

Both teams then had half-chances as San Antonio goalkeeper Matt Cardone made a pair of comfortable saves on shot by Austin’s Alasanne Ates Diouf and Omar Ciss, while Gallegos sent in a long-range effort that was gathered by Restrepo. Bold FC threatened a little more in the 27th minute when first Ema Twumasi had a shot blocked, and after the visitors recycled possession Ish Jome’s cross allowed Baez to fire a volley on target that was saved by Cardone.

The game began to heat up a bit more after that chance, and San Antonio’s PC had a curling free kick from right of center turned wide of the near post by Restrepo on the half-hour mark. Making his return to Toyota Field, Austin’s Billy Forbes tested former teammate Cardone with a low shot from the left side of the penalty area that the SAFC shot-stopper kept out five minutes later.

The breakthrough for the visitors arrived six minutes before halftime, however, and Forbes was inevitably involved. Gathering possession on the right side after a corner kick from the left, Forbes’ cross from the right deflected high in the air off a defender and dropped perfectly for Baez on the opposite side of the penalty area, where he volleyed home sweetly into the right corner.

San Antonio almost responded just past the hour-mark as Parano found space on the left side of the penalty and fired a shot that Restrepo saved and his defense eventually cleared to safety. Coming on as a second-half substitute, Austin’s Sean McFarlane almost doubled the visitor’s lead in the 65th minute as he cut past his marker on the right and drove into the penalty area only to shoot high of the target.

More importantly for the visitors, though, they appeared to be holding firm defensively into the closing stages. A corner kick by Gallegos with five minutes to go was headed over by Gonzalo Di Renzo for the hosts, but then Gallegos’ stoppage time strike found the back of the net to maintain SAFC’s undefeated start and leave Austin with only a point.

USLChampionship.com Man of the Match

Xavier Baez, Austin Bold FC – Baez produced an outstanding finish for Bold FC’s goal and was good in midfield throughout, completing 30 of 35 passes, winning 3 of 3 tackles and making eight recoveries.