SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio FC continued its undefeated start to start the season and brought to an end that of FC Tulsa as goals late in either half earned a 2-0 victory at Toyota Field on Saturday night.

In a meeting of the top two sides in Group D entering the night, San Antonio thought it had drawn first blood in the 14th minute when Cristian Parano slipped Luis Solignac into the right side of the penalty area for a low finish to the opposite corner, but the offside flag was raised to deny the finish. Two minutes later Solignac did get in behind the Tulsa defense on another good through-ball by Parano, but his effort was denied as Tulsa goalkeeper Sean Lewis came off his line well and stood up to block the shot away to safety.

Tulsa’s first real look on goal arrived in the 19th minute as a good piece of build-up across the field from the right ended up at the feet of Lebo Moloto, but his curling shot aimed to the right corner went just wide of the right post. Solignac then threatened again for the hosts just past the half-hour mark only for Lewis to again come up big to deny him after a good pass forward by PC had sent the veteran forward in with a chance at goal.

San Antonio’s Jose Gallegos also went close in the 39th minute as Solignac’s touch to bring down a looping cross from the fight set up nicely for the youngster to hit a first-time shot, but he pulled the effort wide of the left post. Three minutes before halftime, however, a cross by SAFC’s Connor Maloney on the right redirected off the hand of Moloto and saw the hosts awarded a penalty kick that Solignac dispatched into the left corner of the net.

Tulsa almost hit back on the hour-mark as San Antonio failed to properly deal with a corner kick from the left, allowing the ball to drop to Marlon in the center of the penalty area for a strike that SAFC goalkeeper Matt Cardone just kept out with a superb low save. Gallegos then fired a shot wide of the right post two minutes later as the curl kept it drifting away from the corner of the net, and following that twice more forced saves from Lewis as the hosts looked for an insurance goal.

SAFC’s Blake Smith also forced a good save from Lewis with five minutes to go, but then the visitors were reduced to 10 men with two minutes remaining as Fabian Bastidas was sent off in the closing stages. Less than a minute later San Antonio wrapped up the victory as a long ball forward was controlled by Ignacio Bailone as he tapped past a defender and then finished low into the left side of the net.

Tulsa almost pulled back a goal in second-half stoppage time, only for a header by Bradley Bourgeois to go off the right post and then rebound off teammate Callum Chapman-Page and behind for a goal kick, but the hosts saw out the remaining minutes from there to earn Cardone a shutout and move the side past 20 points for the season.

USLChampionship.com Man of the Match

PC, San Antonio FC – The Brazilian put in a strong midfield display, completing 49 of 54 passes overall and recording two key passes while winning 7 of 9 duels and 5 of 5 tackles and recording 18 recoveries.