SAN DIEGO – San Diego Loyal SC remained perfect on home turf as goals either side of halftime by Tumi Moshobane and Thomas Amang paved the way to a 3-2 victory against El Paso Locomotive FC on Sunday afternoon at Torero Stadium despite a late charge by the visitors to try and level.

SD Loyal had an early chance after Amang got in behind the El Paso back line but had his shot blocked behind by a recovering Matt Bahner. The hosts took the lead in the 21st minute, though, as Nick Moon made a sharp drive into the right side of the penalty past his marker, drawing Locomotive FC’s Evan Newton off his line, and centered to Kyle Vassell for a simple tap-in. Amang had another chance from the right side of the penalty area that was denied by Newton two minutes later, but in the 26th minute Locomotive FC leveled as Nick Hinds’ cross from the left was turned on target by Luis Solignac and denied by Koke Vegas, only for Harry Brockbank to crash in the rebound.

San Diego regained the lead five minutes before the halftime break, however, when Amang got into space on the right flank and delivered a deep cross for Evan Conway. The former Union Omaha standout cushioned a first-time pass back to Moshobane, whose first-time shot took a slight deflection on its way into the net. El Paso believed it could have been awarded a penalty kick early in the second half on a challenge on Sonupe on the right, but the visitors went close to leveling things up again just before the hour-mark when Hinds first had a shot saved by SD Loyal’s Koke Vegas. Sonupe’s follow-up effort was blocked by Moon, and then his second chance went wide of the left post.

That sequence proved crucial as Amang added a third for San Diego in the 66th minute as he outmuscled his marker on the left side in a 50-50 challenge and then cut into the penalty area before shooting low to the far corner for his second goal of the season. Moshobane then offered Vassell a chance to add a fourth for the hosts with 12 minutes to go, only for his shot to curl wide of the right post, before El Paso pulled within a goal 10 minutes later as Sonupe found Josue Aaron Gomez for a close-range finish to make it a one-goal game.

El Paso pushed for a late equalizer, and almost found one in the final minute when Gomez’s header back across goal after a deep cross from the left by Eder Borelli was volleyed on target by Sonupe, only for Vegas to make a crucial save. The visitors were unable to find a final decisive moment, however, as SD Loyal moved level on points with Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC for first place in the Western Conference with their fourth win of the season.

USLChampionship.com Player of the Match

Tumi Moshobane, San Diego Loyal SC – Moshobane scored the second goal of the contest for the hosts and ended the game with two shots, three key passes while completing 22 of 28 passes and three dribbles.

Scoring Summary
SD – Kyle Vassell (Nick Moon) 21’
ELP – Harry Brockbank 26’
SD – Tumi Moshobane (Evan Conway) 40’
SD – Thomas Amang 66’
ELP – Josue Aaron Gomez (Emmanuel Sonupe) 88’

Full Box Score