SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio FC earned a third consecutive victory as it defeated Real Monarchs SLC on Wednesday night thanks to goals by Jose Gallegos, Kortne Ford and Marcus Epps at Toyota Field which sent the side into third place in the USL Championship’s Mountain Division at the end of the night.

Looking to build on their late win on Saturday night, San Antonio applied pressure early but were limited in their clear looks on goal by the Monarchs as both Epps and Nathan Fogaca had close-range efforts blocked before a move in transition saw Gallegos open up a chance for Fogaca to shoot but send his effort off target from the top of the penalty area in the 22nd minute.

SAFC’s Gallegos had a chance from the right side of the penalty area flash just wide of goal four minutes later, but in the 27th minute the Homegrown playmaker put San Antonio in front as he was picked out by a low cross from Chris Lema in the center of the penalty area, and after cutting past a defender’s challenge he slid home a left-footed finish into the right corner of the net.

The 20-year-old threatened to add a second four minutes before halftime as he controlled in a crowd on the left and then eluded four Monarchs defenders as he moved before his shot to the right corner was parried wide by Real goalkeeper Blake Kelly. A minute later Epps had a low shot from the right side of the box that Kelly produced a good kick-save to keep out as the visitors got to halftime only trailing by a goal.

Fogaca went close to doubling San Antonio’s lead early in the second half as he cut centrally from the right channel for a shot that was saved, but in the 57th minute the Monarchs leveled as Ibrahim Bance cut first to his right and then back onto his left foot 20 yards from goal to curl a shot to the bottom-left corner of the net. San Antonio quickly got back on the front foot and four minutes later Epps flashed a shot just wide of the left post from the top-right edge of the penalty area. Then with 18 minutes to go a free kick by Cam Lindley curled into the left side of the penalty area was headed back to the right corner by Justin Dhillon, forcing a scrambling save by Real’s Jimmy Slayton, brought on as a halftime substitute.

Dhillon had another chance a minute later that was blocked by Monarchs defender Kyle Adams, but with 15 minutes to go Ford put the hosts back on top as after an angled ball into the penalty area from the left by Lema caused a scramble at the top of the six-yard area the Colorado Rapids loanee slotted home a cool finish.

San Antonio added an insurance goal four minutes later when Epps added his name to the scoresheet, cutting back onto his left foot past his marker after running onto a through-ball by Fogaca into the right channel before seeing his shot deflect off a recovering challenge and loop into the net.

The Monarchs pulled a goal back in second-half stoppage time as off a free kick from the top-left edge of the penalty area SAFC player Mitchell Taintor redirected a header into the net for an own goal, but moments later the final whistle to hand San Antonio all three points.

USLChampionship.com Man of the Match

Jose Gallegos, San Antonio FC – Gallegos scored the opening goal for the hosts and had three shots and three key passes overall while completing 8 of 11 dribbles and 17 of 21 passes in the win.

Scoring Summary
SA – Jose Gallegos (Chris Lema) 27’
SLC – Ibrahim Bance (Malik Johnson) 57’
SA – Kortne Ford 75’
SA – Marcus Epps (Nathan Fogaca) 79’
SLC – Mitchell Taintor (Own Goal) 90+4’

Full Box Score