u/TomasClark7

It's getting harder to find the motivation to write these, but here we go. SAFC heads back out on the road to take Oakland Roots. SAFC has been in a free fall for nearly 2 months now, and we badly need a win if we want to try to build any positive momentum for the playoffs (or even make the playoffs).

Starting XI

Crognale-Suarez-Taintor

O'Connor Ward-Maldonado-Berron-Cuello

Parano-Ricol-Sorto

I hate that we keep running the same lineup out there, but I'm not sure what else we can do. This team is dangerously thin, and we keep losing players. I'm assuming that Jorge, Paredes, and Nicky will all be out; if they aren't, they should probably start.

Opposition Analysis

The Roots are mid, but they are only 4 points behind us in the playoff race. Their attack is led by Peter Wilson, who has scored 13 league goals. Wilson scored the late winner against us at Toyota Field back in August. Wolfgang Prentice (what a name) leads the team with 7 assists. He mostly creates from the left wing, so Crognale and Akeem will need to be alert. Roots don't create a ton of chances, but they can be dangerous when they're able to get the ball into half-spaces and cross into the box.

Defensively, Roots are the typical nightmare pressing team that we struggle with. They are athletic and create quite a few mistakes. That has been our Kryptonite since Llamosa took over. Even when we don't turn the ball over, it disrupts our patient and predictable build-up. It gets even scarier when we have to play Berron in the middle next to Mikey, as he loves to hide from the ball.

Prediction

Nothing about this organization feels good at the moment. Fans have mostly checked out; the team looked like they were ready for the season to be over, and the FO seems to have realized this team was cooked. All that being said, there is no reason for this team to miss the playoffs. I think we get a 1-1 draw here (would be our first goal since 9/11). Then we'll win one of the last two games at home and sneak into the playoffs.

Yikes. The season is in complete free fall. The tactics are stale and predictable, injuries are stacking up, and to make it worse, the players looked disinterested last night. Low energy all over the field, as if this was just a preseason friendly. We don't deserve the postseason if we're able to sneak in.

Joey Batrouni- 7.5

Joey is probably one of the few guys who can hold his head high for this season. We've been asking him to stand on his head, and he did again last night. He made 6 saves to keep us in the game for as long as possible.

Alex Crognale- 6.5

We continue to ask a lot from our backline and GK because of how poor our midfield is. Alex did a lot of things really well, but we're asking him to do too much. When you allow teams to waltz into our attacking third the way we do, there are bound to be some gaps. His passing was solid, but with no midfield and an anemic attack, it doesn't really matter.

Tiago Suarez- 7

I thought Suarez was good again. He put out a ton of fires that probably kept this thing from being 2-0 at HT. You can tell he's still a young player, though, because he occasionally gets out of position, which is what happened on their goal. He was trying to help out that midfield and Vegas was able to play right down the middle without him there. Seemed like he assumed someone would cover, and that didn't happen.

Mitch Taintor- 7

Mitch continues to anchor our backline from that LCB spot. He is the only player we have capable of picking out a pass; meanwhile, he's having to lock down an entire flank by himself because his wingback is often nonexistent. I have a feeling the Taintor Era in San Antonio is coming to an end, and if it does, it sucks that we've let him down like this. He was slightly culpable for their goal, but only because he had to dive inside because our midfield just refuses to track anything or be alert on either side of the ball. Ideally, he wins that initial ball, but it's hard to be too angry about it. He looks exhausted as he's had to play every single minute possible.

Akeem O'Connor-Ward - 5.5

Not Akeem's best game. Part of the issue is we're asking too much of him in terms of having to drop back defensively and push forward. Like Mitch, he's been asked to play way more than he should, but his position is even more physically demanding. Akeem looks real leggy. You can see the effort is there, but it felt like he was running in sand at times last night.

Mikey Maldonado- 7.5

Mikey has been forced to carry the burden of creativity with Jorge out. He created a whopping 7 chances, including 3 big ones last night. I have lots anger about the midfield, but that shouldn't take away from Mikey basically Jon Snowing his way through these games as a one-man midfield all season. It is irresponsible that we put him in this position, and I'm not really sure who deserves blame, but it isn't him. He's doing what he can, but you can see the physical wall he hits in the 2nd half. He had an xA last night of 1.17 and, shockingly, we can't find anyone to put the ball in the back of the net consistently to help him out.

Lucio Berron- 4.5

Berron's limitations are well documented, so I won't keep harping on them, but it is a shame we keep running him out there knowing how it will work. Playing a two-man midfield with one of them being terrified of the ball completely unbalances the entire team because we have to drop an attacker in to help them. It's been a tactical issue all season, and we just refuse to fix it and keep playing him.

Emil Cuello- 3

Whoof. We're playing him at LWB, but he is consistently out of position; he doesn't create chances, he rarely gets free in the opposition box, he offers very little support in the midfield, and he hardly gets on the ball at all. He does occasionally put defenses on their heels with some dribbles, but he rarely makes the right decision when he does. He's basically playing as a LW but offers next to nothing. I'd rather just play another outright attacker if we're going to do that. He has also looked increasingly disinterested as the losses pile up. He was moved into the midfield to close the game and still managed to do very little, though I do think that is closer to where he should be playing, if at all.

Nicky Hernandez- 5

Nicky lasted just 25 minutes before having to come off for an injury. In those 25 minutes, he didn't have a chance to do much. He was playing in that advanced role. As I'm sure you can tell, I am very frustrated, but I am trying to be fair to decision-makers because there is no doubt these injuries have had an impact. Losing Nicky early hurt, but it still shouldn't have been as debilitating as it ended up being.

Christian Sorto- 4

Sorto got the start at CF but then shifted over to the left when Nicky came out, and Ricol came on. He did almost nothing in his 45 minutes. He did get on the ball more, but it wasn't really impactful. Most of his passes were backwards and unthreatening. He was unable to get a shot off either.

Cristian Parano- 5

Parano's effectiveness has dipped since teams have started making him receive the ball from deeper positions. It's even less effective when he has ineffective attackers around him and a midfield that is overwhelmed behind him. He has to drop deep because we need the extra body. Jorge had been doing that when he was healthy, but now it falls to Parano. The rating is probably harsh because I don't think he did anything bad; it's just not effective.

Lilian Ricol- 3.5

Ricol had me excited when we signed him, just because I thought he had to be an improvement. He has at least looked fit, but the production has not been an improvement. At this point, I think we have enough evidence to say that the tactics are the problem. Everyone we play at CF has the same problem. Ricol should have scored in the 79th, and that is the only chance he was able to get on the end of in 65 minutes. Not good.

Luis Paredes- N/A

Paredes came on at HT for Sorto. In true SAFC fashion, he was forced off just 7 minutes later with another injury. Not fair to rate him off that, but it is fair to question the people building the squad that someone coming off a serious knee injury became crucial to our team in just a few weeks' time.

Luke Haakenson- 5

Luke came on in the 53rd for Paredes. He played off the left-hand side and was hardly noticeable. He hustles but just isn't an effective attacker. It is unfortunate that we've had to play him as much as we've had to this season.

Nelson Flores-Blanco - 4

Nelson came on for Berron in the 70th. He mostly played as a true LW. He did create a chance off a dead ball but did nothing else. Shame he came on in that situation because I think he probably should be starting at LWB.

Diogo Pacheco- 4

Pacheco came on for Parano in the 70th minute. As has been a theme among our attackers, he did very little. No spark of creativity because that isn't his game. He played underneath Ricol and tried to replicate Parano, but he doesn't have that skill set either.

Takeaways

This is bad. I am going to hold off to see how the season ends before I say something I end up regretting. What I will say is this team looks broken right now. The last few weeks have seen some good performances against good teams, but the inability to score means they've ended as draws rather than wins. Last night was a clunker (that has become a consistent theme of the Llamosa/Ferruzzi Era).

We look tired and defeated, and we look like we're out of ideas tactically. Not making the playoffs is fully on the table at this point. Meanwhile, the team is also falling apart physically with all the injuries. Llamosa is either going to have to show some flexibility in tactics/formation, or we're going to need to start playing some Academy kids.

We have just 3 games left to salvage something positive out of this season.

We were treated to an iconic battle of old NASL brands on Saturday. As has been the theme in these games against good teams, I once again thought SAFC played well. Certainly played better than the Rowdies, but unfortunately we can't find a way to convert playing well into goals. We once again dropped points at home and are still in a playoff race that should be embarrassing to the entire organization.

Joey Batrouni- 7

Joey didn't have to make any saves, but he defended his box well, and his distribution was outstanding in my opinion. 29/34, including 9/14 when he decided to go long. Our defense kept Tampa Bay hemmed in most of the night, but Joey was on top of anything loose in the box and made a couple of nice punches.

Alex Crognale- 7

Alex was excellent defensively. He closed down the box along our right flank as he anchored us at RCB. He was also good on the ball. He created one chance with a diagonal ball as he attempted more of them than usual. That is what we need. Mitch can not be the only CB who can stretch the field. Where I ding Alex is on set pieces. He had 3 chances in the box and failed to get any of them on frame. We have to be better in those situations considering how anemic our attack is right now.

Tiago Suarez- 7.5

Suarez continues to perform at that CCB spot. He's an outstanding player, and I can't believe he's in the USL. His passing was safe but it was efficient and helped us maintain control of the game. Where he's really made strides is as a defender. He's embraced the physicality required and owns his portion of the field.

Mitch Taintor- 8

Mitch continues to play like one of the best CBs in the league. He created 1 chance in the box and he completely locks down the left side of our defense on his own. Not much else you can say about him other than it's a shame we're not getting better results considering how well he's played at times this year.

Akeem O'Connor Ward- 6.5

Akeem played well. He is tireless on that right flank and helps out Crognale while also providing support in the midfield. What we really need is him to provide more support to our attack. That may seem unfair considering how much he does for us already. Later in the game, he got in the box, and good things happened. It just doesn't happen enough.

Mikey Maldonado- 7

Mikey dropped deep to help our build-up, which had been missing last week. He allowed Berron to handle the destroyer responsibilities, and it freed him up to play several good balls into our final 3rd. He also created 1 chance off a corner. Midfield has been a major problem this season, but it was good last night.

Lucio Berron- 6.5

Part of the reason that it was good is because of how good Berron was positionally. We all know he's not the most dynamic midfielder, but he was safe and efficient on the ball. What he's really good at is his out-of-possession work. He closed space that Tampa loves to exploit. He's obviously improving as a player, but he thrives in a 3-man midfield (Nicky was acting as the 3rd last night).

Emil Cuello- 6

Cuello got the start at LWB and provided his usual support in the midfield. He created two chances and had several runs into the box. Cuello is so close to being an excellent USL player but always seems to miss out on that final action that leads to a goal. It can be incredibly frustrating, but I see why Llamosa plays him as much as he does.

Nicky Hernandez- 6

Nicky played as the most advanced midfielder. He didn't do a ton on the ball, but his energy really helps balance out the team. He fills the right space in the attack and was close to pulling off some incredible actions. He was subbed out in the 69th minute for Luis Paredes.

Christian Sorto- 5

Sorto got the start at CF as we continue to search for any type of goalscoring form. It did not pay off as Sorto sinks when he has to lead the line. He was able to get one shot off, but it came off a corner. His best work comes when he drops deep to get on the ball (shock), but it just can't happen enough because he is never allowed to play with a real CF. He was subbed off in the 60th minute for Ricol.

Cristian Parano- 6.5

Parano was our most creative player today, and it was clear Tampa knew it. They did everything to keep his space limited, so we didn't get many of his runs but a few were effective. He did create 2 chances in the box. He came out in the 82nd for Pacheco.

Lilian Ricol- 5

Ricol came on in the 60th minute for Sorto. I thought there were some positives. The first being he's actually a CF who occupies the right space in the box. That is a low bar, but here we are. Our best chances came with him on the field because of it. He should have scored the winner twice in the final minutes. The one in the 87th minute forced a fantastic save from Waite. We need him to finish those chances, but just having a CF in those positions to begin with is an improvement.

Luis Paredes- 7

Paredes came on in the 69th minute for Nicky. He made an immediate impact as he created 3 chances, including what should have been the winner in the 87th minute that Ricol wasn't able to bury. He's a dynamic player and still working off the rust, but we need him on the field.

Diogo Pacheco- 5

Pacheco came on in the 82nd and was at least active. He got off two shots as we were all over them to close out the game. None of them were on frame. He also typically occupies the right space in the box, and that is a valuable tool to have late in games.

Takeaways

This has been a frustrating season. We've scored 1 goal in September, and that was a late consolation goal in a game we were losing. That is unserious for a team that has as much talent as we do on our books. We've won just two games (one of those was a USL Cup game) in August and September, and we've tumbled down the table. We currently sit 8th in the West with just a 5-point lead over Roots. Vegas is also only 5 points behind us, and they have a game in hand; we also play them next week. Lose that, and we're in real trouble.

SAFC is in this position because it threw away points against the worst teams in the league. Bigger picture, we've scored just 29 goals in 26 games. That is only 2 better than Monterrey Bay, who are last in the West (a team we failed to beat twice). It was a problem last year that eventually ended our season, and it is happening again. Last year we tumbled all the way to 6th and had to play on the road in Albuquerque. We've gone from 3rd to 8th.

The good news is we're only 2 points out of 3rd place, so a couple of good results in the next few weeks means we could salvage our seed. I'm not holding my breath, though. Our last four games are @ Lights, @ Roots, New Mexico United, and Orange County.

The thing about dropping points to all the bad teams on your schedule is that it puts a ton of pressure on these games with good teams. SAFC now has to welcome the best team in the East (and maybe the best team in the league) to Toyota Field in the midst of a tight playoff race. We have dropped back to 5th, but Sac Republic has a game in hand and is tied at 37 points. They have a tough game with New Mexico United tomorrow, so it could be a perfect opportunity to pick up some ground.

Starting XI

Batrouni

Crognale-Suarez-Taintor

Akeem O'Connor Ward-Maldonado-Nicky- Flores Blanco

Parano-Ricol-Jorge

I'm assuming Jorge is healthy after being subbed off last week. I haven't heard or seen anything but we need him to play. I was also tempted to start Paredes just because we need something, but I'd rather save him for the 2nd half.

Opposition Analysis

Imagine if you combined Charleston's attacking metrics with Sac Republic's defensive metrics. That gives you the 2026 Tampa Bay Rowdies. They have the most clean sheets in the league and have the 2nd most goals scored.

Attacking-wise, they are led by MD Meyers. He had been in a slump but got a hat trick last weekend against Birmingham. He has 12 goals this season with another 4 assists. Left back Charle Ostrem leads the team with 8 assists, and it gives you an idea of how they want to attack. Rowdies love to work the ball wide and pound the box with crosses. Fortunately, I think that matches up well with our strength. Akeem will need to be on his game, and we'll need the back 3 to clear out those balls into the box. It is part of the reason I've opted for Nelson at LWB because I think he's better defensively than Cuello.

Defensively, they are anchored by a rotating cast of CBs who are all really good. They limit shots, which has allowed Jamaican GK Jahmali Waite to have an excellent season statistically. They are also capable of controlling games with their midfield. Rowdies are the rare team that is comfortable dominating games with possession or allowing you to have the ball and hitting on the counter.

Prediction

SAFC tends to get big results when nobody expects them, especially at home. We need a big game atmosphere because I worry what a loss will do here. I'll say SAFC wins 2-1 and we start to build a little momentum.

Many of the same issues were prevalent last night, and it appears that Jorge has picked up an injury at the worst possible time. SAFC did at least secure a point, which may end up being valuable because it gives us the tiebreaker over Sacramento and is point closer to the playoffs.

Joey Batrouni- 8

Joey was forced into making at least 2 really good saves to preserve the point. I thought he was excellent in all phases of the game. He commanded his box, read the game, and was a big reason we walked away with a point.

Alex Crognale- 7.5

Alex was a monster in the box, and we needed it. He won headers, cleared the ball, and generally shut down space. Sacramento doesn't wow anyone with their athleticism, but Alex sitting deeper as they played possession ball in front of him played right into his hands.

Tiago Suarez- 7.5

Suarez was also immense in the box. He also attempted to give us some control in the game with his passing, but his midfield hung him out to dry. He still ended up creating a chance.

Mitch Taintor- 8

Taintor was incredible, and we've let him down this season. His defending remains best in the league, and his ability to stretch the field is invaluable. Heroic defending in the box, and leading while Sacramento had us pinned back.

Akeem O'Connor Ward- 7

Akeem almost got us all three points. He created three chances from his RWB spot and defended well. He was really the only one getting forward who looked prepared for the game. He also helped out defensively to shut down that wing and give Crognale freedom to control the box.

Mikey Maldonado- 4.5

Mikey seems to be fading, and it looks all physical. He still created a chance but he looks tired as teams are making him work even harder to get some space. Because he can't get free, our system breaks down. When he gets on the ball, it's still mostly positive; it is just way too easy to mark him out of games. If you remember, this was a problem last year with guys like Soto.

Nicky Hernandez- 4.5

Nicky paired with Mikey, and that partnership had been positive, but it didn't work last night. It got even worse when we added Berron to the midfield to give us the extra body. Nicky had some nice moments and even created a chance, but we can't lose the midfield battle like that. He came out in the 78th minute for Sorto.

Emil Cuello- 6

Cuello is not known as a defensive LWB, but I thought he did a good job. He is a smart player and reads the game pretty well. He also pushed centrally to help out our midfield; it just didn't work.

Cristian Parano- 4

Woof. Parano was about as invisible as I can ever remember him being. Just 10 total touches in 45 minutes, with all of his passes going backwards. Sacramento did a great job not allowing him to run wild. We really only have one trick when it comes to our build-up, so once that was stopped, we looked dysfunctional. Parano came out for Berron at HT.

Lilian Ricol- 4

Ricol got the start, and we saw many of the same issues that have plagued our CFs for the last 2 years plague him. He did at least try to be involved, but none of it was dangerous. He came off at HT for Paredes.

Jorge Hernandez- 5

Jorge was also kept quiet. Sacramento is a well-coached team, and they clearly know how to slow us down. Jorge was forced to drop a lot deeper than normal to keep us from being overrun. He eventually went down with an injury in the 54th minute. That would be a catastrophe if it's something serious.

Luis Paredes- 5

Paredes made his season debut, coming on at HT. He was obviously rusty but did at least look motivated to make something happen. It didn't really work, but we're going to need him, so I hope he keeps getting minutes.

Lucio Berron- 4

Berron came on at HT, and I would argue he made us worse. We added the extra body and lost even more control of the game. Berron did defend his space fairly well, so at least we have that going for us.

Diogo Pacheco- 5

Pacheco came on for the injured Jorge in the 54th minute. We ended up defending really deep, so Pacheco didn't have a ton of chances to do much going forward. He did at least get a shot off; it was not on target.

Christian Sorto- 4

Sorto came on in the 78th minute and got just 1 touch in 12 minutes. That isn't all his fault, so I won't punish him for that, but it does speak to how poorly we were in the final half hour.

Takeaways

The point actually pushes us back up to 4th, but both Sacramento and Tulsa have a game in hand on us. It isn't all bad, but we're playing with fire. This team has had the same major tactical issues for the last 2 years. We had a discussion on Twitter about who is to blame for that: Llamosa or Ferruzzi? I think it's probably both, but I've seen nothing from Ferruzzi to justify him returning for another season. Llamosa clearly has tactical issues, but he's been let down, in my opinion.

Joey, Mitch, Alex, Tiago, and Akeem should all hold their heads high. They delivered valiant performances on the road. That kind of spirit can get us a couple of home games in the postseason if we can find a few goals. It doesn't get any easier as the best team in the league comes to San Antonio next week.

The tough tests keep coming for SAFC as they head out West to take on Sacramento. This is another pivotal game when it comes to postseason seeding. SAFC really can't afford to drop points here.

Starting XI

Batrouni

Crognale-Suarez-Taintor

O'Connor Ward-Maldonado-Nicky-Cuello

Parano-Ricol-Jorge

I'd love for us to freshen things up a bit, but we just don't have the bodies to do that. That midfield is really light, and our attack is floundering. We're going to have to hope that Parano finds his scoring boots again.

Opposition Analysis

Sac Republic has an identity, and they've leaned into it heavily lately. They've conceded just 20 goals this season, which is 2nd best in the league (1 behind Detroit City). It starts with their midfield. They can control games and force opponents to play at their pace. Mark-Anthony Kaye has been hurt since early August, but that hasn't stopped Sac Republic. Danny Vitiello and Jack Gurr are still annoyingly effective. Republic did lose a talented loanee in CB Chibuike Ukaegbu, who was sold to Dynamo 2 in August. Lee Desmond and Jared Timmer have been the CB pairing most of the year, and they are veteran and frustratingly consistent.

Attacking-wise, Sac Republic has struggled. Kyle Edwards leads the way with 6 goals but has become a squad player as they've added USL star Cal Jennings. Memo Rodriguez pulls the strings and is still a very good USL AM. They don't score a lot of goals, but usually find a way to get one, which almost ensures they get a result since they don't concede.

Prediction

SAFC usually always finds a way to get a result when you least expect it, so it wouldn't shock me to see us steal 3 points. That being said, I think a 2-0 loss feels about right. We haven't won in Sacramento since 2021, after a late Kortne Ford winner. We did get a 0-0 draw there last season, and that feels like the best result possible at the moment.

A bad week got even worse on Friday night. Circumstances did not favor SAFC this week, but it doesn't excuse how thin we are nor does it excuse our own goofs that made this week so important. If we beat bad teams losing in Colorado wouldn't be that big of a deal at all, instead it opens the door for catastrophe.

Joey Batrouni- 6.5

Joey wasn't at fault for the two goals and made at least two decent saves. His distribution has gotten better over the year, but we struggle to win the ball when having to go long.

Alex Crognale- 6

Crognale was fine**.** The backline really misses Mitch when he has to be rotated out, but outside of 5 minutes, they held up today. Alex was fine on the ball, but his physical limitations are noticeable when he's against athletic and fast forwards. He also had a hand in the 2nd goal because he didn't win the header in the box that allowed Switchbacks to break with all of our CBs pushed up. Still shouldn't have been a goal, but we need our tall CB to win the header there.

Tiago Suarez- 6.5

Suarez looked good even without Mitch next to him on his left. His passing was often safe and sideways. Defensively, he kept Bennett quiet for most of the game. Unfortunately, he couldn't also defend a counter, which allowed Bennett to score from our own set piece in the opposite box.

Dani Barbir- 5.5

I don't want to be too harsh because I do think he played well midweek against Louisville, but he's at fault for far too many goals. His positioning is all over the place and teams exploit it. He takes a horrible angle on the first goal. He does at least force a great finish, but cautious defending gets you nothing. His passing wasn't bad, and he gets credit for the assist on Cuello's shot, but we can't be that shaky in the back against playoff teams.

Akeem O'Connor-Ward- 5

Akeem has played way too many minutes, and it showed on Friday night. The problem is we have to play him this much because we've left Llamosa really thin. Akeem fought hard and had some moments, but was unable to recover several times, especially for Switchback's 2nd goal.

Lucio Berron- 4.5

Berron got the start in midfield, and that just isn't the profile of player you need. Even more so when his partner is exhausted. Berron made little impact on the ball. He was good out of possession as Switchbacks only had two big chances, which were on counters, but if we're going to play a possession style while only playing two midfielders, we need more. He came out for Nicky in the 71st minute.

Mike Maldonado- 5

Mikey looked exhausted. Switchbacks were aggressively marking him in the midfield, and he could not shake free. When he got on the ball, it was good, but just 25 pass attempts isn't what we want. It is irresponsible that we've not gone and gotten some depth. He was subbed out in the 79th for Patino.

Nelson Flores-Blanco- 5

Nelson struggled to keep up with Switchbacks' pace, but he worked hard. He created one chance out of that LWB spot, but his inability to drive at defenders is a problem. There is space to exploit there, but Nelson just couldn't get into it consistently. Cuello came on and did almost immediately.

Luke Haakenson- 4

I like Luke, but someone is going to have to explain to me why we keep trotting him out there. Luke is a great guy who works his tail off, but he has very little impact. I'd rather see Urrutia in that spot, and I don't really understand what the thought process is. A late-game winner against Tulsa a few months ago can not be the reason we're still trying this. The limited stuff Luke can do was fine, but it doesn't happen enough to justify having him on the roster, let alone starting and playing him for 60 minutes.

Lillian Ricol- 5

Ricol got his first start and was fine. It is very clear now that Llamosa has a tactical issue in trying to involve his CFs. Ricol had some nice moments, especially when he drifted wide. He was able to create a chance from the right. It wasn't a dazzling performance because we need goals, but after watching this for 2 yearrs I don't think it is fair to our CFs to keep talking about their deficiencies. We have major tactical issues.

Jorge Hernandez- 5

Jorge is racking up big minutes, and it shows. Maybe his quietest game of the season. It's also embarrassing that the league allows him to be targeted the way he is off the ball by opponents. He's one of the best players in the league, and they're allowing him to be kicked by scrubs. That being said, we mis-evaluated several guys and are carrying guys who can't stay healthy, which forces us to overplay Jorge. That isn't on the league

Cristian Parano- 5

Parano came on in the 59th minute for Haakenson. It was an immediate upgrade, but Parano also struggled to get on the ball. Just 10 touches in 31 minutes isn't what we want.

Emil Cuello- 6

Cuello came on in the 70th for Nelson. He was able to get in those pockets of space that Nelson couldn't. It led to a goal where he put a great shot on frame. Cuello came into the game with us needing a goal so he was looking to play quick and forward. We need more of that from him when he starts. We aren't good enough to score goals playing slow.

Nicky Hernandez- 5.5

Nicky came on for Berron in the 71st. He looked far more comfortable on the ball, and the game tilted in our favor. Some of that is game state with Switchbacks up 2-0, but it's also our own personnel. Having someone not actively hiding in possession is a major win if it's just a marginal upgrade.

Christian Sorto- 5

Sorto came on for Ricol in the 71st. His movement was a nice change of pace. It really worked when Patino came on a few minutes later. Not being able to see Sorto play with a true CF this season has been a real shame. Wish we could have risked starting him instead of Luke.

Santiago Patino- 5

Patino came on in the 79th minute for Mikey. He played a little deeper at times to help close off the middle. He tried hard but had very little impact.

Takeaways

SAFC has now fallen to 7th in the West and, despite spending a lot of money and having two of the best players in the league, is in a playoff battle. This should lead to multiple people being fired this offseason, and I don't think Llamosa should be one of them (certainly shouldn't be the first one fired). I was willing to give some grace after underperforming last season, but it's now happened again. There has to be accountability.

We were also shafted by the league. Going forward, it makes no sense for us to treat the League Cup seriously. Give away tickets for free and play Academy kids. If the reward for going all out is that you have to travel on 2 days rest and play on a Friday night in a pivotal playoff impacting game then we need to act accordingly. Never mind the fact that we were already having to play a playoff rival for the 3rd time due to an unbalanced schedule. The 2nd time on their home field, after we already earned what should have been the playoff tiebreaker with a 5-4 aggregate advantage in the season matchups. Mickey Mouse stuff from the USL.

SAFC will play its 3rd game in 6 days tomorrow as we go on the road to take on Switchbacks. Why are we playing this game Friday night? During HS football season? Two days after playing in a league-mandated tournament? Only the USL can answer that question, but here we are. To make it even sillier, this will be the 3rd league game. Why? I don't know. Even sillier, Switchbacks get 2 out of the 3 at home.

Starting XI

Batrouni

Guevera-Suarez-Barbir

Buckmaster-Berron-Calov-Nelson

Sorto-Ricol-Jorge

I hate rotating this much for a league game, but I don't see much of a choice. We went full-strength two games in a row, and I think we have to keep guys healthy for the postseason.

Suarez was suspended midweek, so he should slot back in. I opted to start the SAFC Academy defender Brian Guevara over Souahy. We just lost one of our best prospects to an MLSNP grift; this is an opportunity to back your own organization. Take it over playing a 30-year-old USL backup.

I'm assuming Calov is healthy enough to start here and give us at least 50 minutes. I'm not a fan of him and Berron in midfield, but I don't see another option given SAFC's reluctance to address the most important position.

I am very worried about overplaying Jorge, but I don't see much of a choice unless we want a chance at a result. I'd love it if Urrutia got a runout, but I still think he'd need to play with Jorge. It is time for Ricol to get a start at CF. It might not work, but it can't be much worse than what we're doing.

Opposition Analysis

Switchbacks love to attack, especially at home on their mini-plastic field. They are top 10 in the league in chances created and shots, while being top 5 in possession. They lead the league in touches in the opposition box and in drawing penalties (must be nice not to have stone-cold penalties waved away). They are led by Jamaican CF, Khori Bennett. He has 13 league goals (1 of them against us in the 2nd meeting in June). Rotating that back line makes me very nervous.

Defensively, Switchbacks love to press aggressively. It is how they control games, and as we all know, it gives us fits. Even more so with a makeshift midfield and rotated backline. They are aggressive and annoying when they get it going, and it almost always happens to us when we play there. They somehow get away with it too.

That being said, they aren't exactly defensively sound. There is space to exploit if we can get on the ball long enough and move into that space. They've conceded 36 goals (which is more than everyone but Monterrey Bay in the West).

Prediction

We have owned Switchbacks. We've lost just 4 times since we joined the league in 2016. That being said, this is a huge game. SAFC sits in 5th still, with Switchbacks right behind us in 6th. Ridiculous that the league uses an unbalanced schedule like this when they tout the playoffs. SAFC should have the season tiebreaker with a 5-4 aggregate advantage, but instead a tight playoff race is impacted by crappy scheduling.

It is hard to envision how SAFC gets a win here unless Llamosa risks going full-strength for the 3rd time in a week. I'll say it ends 2-2, and we escape with a point and hold on to the tiebreaker, but I don't feel great about it.

The League Cup Dream dies at the hand of Louisville City after a frustrating 0-0 draw and an 8-7 loss in penalties. SAFC once again played well enough, but couldn't find a way to get the decisive goal. This has become a theme for the season, and we're quickly approaching the point where we admit it isn't going to be fixed.

Joey Batrouni- 7.5

Louisville only mustered 1 shot on target in the 90 minutes, and Joey saved it fairly easily. In the penalty shoot-out, he guessed the right way several times but couldn't quite get to the one SAFC needed him to. He did have one save wiped out on USL's crappy version of VAR (what a horrible idea, by the way; USL refs don't need more chances to screw up a game). Distribution wise I thought Joey made the right decisions even if the execution wasn't always there.

Alex Crognale- 7

Another game where Crognale had multiple chances in the box on a set-piece and failed to capitalize. Our best chances consistently come from dead balls, so we have to figure out a way to finish more of these (right now we finish none of them). Defensively, Crognale was good again. He closed down in the box and kept Louisville at arm's length most of the evening. He also made his penalty.

Mitch Taintor- 7.5

With Suarez suspended, Mitch had to step in at CCB and did a fine job. I thought he was really good and composed. He is so good in so many roles that it often goes under the radar. 88% passing accuracy and helped us control the game for nearly the entire 90 minutes. He also had three chances in the box on dead balls and got only one on target. He also missed his penalty, but I don't hold that against him.

Daniel Barbir- 6.5

I was very nervous about Barbir coming back into the team considering how much he had struggled lately, but I thought he did fine. It helped that Louisville wasn't even really trying to play the same sport as us for most of the 90 minutes. He was good on the ball and cleaned up what he needed to. He also missed a chance in the 6-yard box but did make his penalty.

Akeem O'Connor Ward- 6.5

Akeem had another great display at RWB. We controlled so much of the game that he was able to get forward on that right flank and cause a lot of problems for Louisville. He created one chance but had good movement overall. He also made his penalty.

Mikey Maldonado- 7.5

Mikey pulled the strings all night. 93% passing with 3 chances created. On top of that, he carried out of the midfield when the situation called for it. He's been an unreal player since joining, and it's a shame we don't have the attacking punch to really take advantage of him. He also made his penalty.

Nicky Hernandez- 6

Nicky sat in the midfield next to Mikey, as he has for the last few games. I thought he was fine and was a little surprised we subbed him out. He played a little deeper than he had been, which I thought was a nice wrinkle. It provided the control we needed by having the extra body to play off of. He didn't do anything spectacular, but a solid performance.

Emil Cuello- 5

Cuello got the start at LWB and was a little too safe. We struggled in the final third, and Cuello has the ability to unlock a defense, but he consistently played back. We need him to be a little more assertive once he gets the ball on the left wing in an advanced role. Defensively, he appeared to work hard, though. He also made his penalty.

Cristian Parano- 7

Parano drifted from the right to those central spaces, and he created 4 chances. Louisville did a good job of not allowing him space to carry the ball, but he's still such a dangerous player to have. His penalty was saved in the shootout.

Christian Sorto- 5

Sorto got the start at CF and reverted to his old performances. He works hard, and he was able to get 4 shots off, but none of them were especially close. He did create a chance as well. He was subbed out in the 63rd for Ricol. I don't blame Sorto for this at all; in fact, I appreciate his willingness to play out of position because the team needs it.

Jorge Hernandez- 7

Jorge did his usual thing with 3 created chances as he floated centrally from the left. We do need him to be more of a goal-scorer since we're not getting it from the CF spot. He had 3 good chances, and we need him to finish one of them at least. I know we're asking a lot from Jorge, and he shouldn't have to be responsible for creating and scoring, but we need it.

Lilian Ricol- 5

Ricol came on in the 63rd minute for Sorto. He played a lot deeper than I would have liked, but I think he has some good qualities. His movement is ok but he was unable to get a shot off. He did finish his penalty in the shootout.

Luke Haakenson- 3

Luke came on in the 82nd minute, and I have to say I don't understand that decision. I like Luke a lot, and I think he offers a lot of energy, but he doesn't provide much on the field. He also wasn't even among the first 5 penalty takers before eventually missing the one he had to take. A baffling sub from Llamosa.

Takeaways

We once again outplayed a team but have nothing to show for it. Feels like that will be the thing that eventually ends this team's season.

Even more worrying was how Llamosa handled the end of the game. We used just the two subs and keep relying on a guy who offers next to nothing on the field. Not bringing on Patino for penalties is a super strange decision for me. He's lost a lot of the physical stuff, but I'll take him on a penalty over others.

We have also refused to address the midfield. We're dangerously thin, and we've now lost our promising HG kid to a MLSNP team. The roster has been badly mismanaged, in my opinion. From the very beginning, Llamosa was trying to turn Erofeev into a CM (he's an AM) because of how few options he had. You can't afford to go cheap on the most important position.

If SAFC is content with being a playoff team that could get lucky in the postseason, they've done a great job. We're probably 2 pieces away from being the runaway favorite in the West. That is frustrating to watch and break down. Even more frustrating when we won't even be cheap by trying to develop our own HG kids. We'd apparently rather loan an MLS team's HG kids to be our depth.

We have advanced to the semifinals of the USL League Cup and will take on Louisville City at Toyota Field. Both teams have had some struggles this season, but both are capable of playing at a really high level. Not sure what kind of crowd we'll get, but I hope it's a good one; never stick up our noses at a chance to win a trophy.

Starting XI

Batrouni

Crognale-Taintor-Barbir

O'Connor Ward-Maldonado-Nicky-Cuello

Parano-Patino-Jorge

I went full strength, but I have no idea if that is what Llamosa will do. Because the USL hates us, we are scheduled to play Friday night in Colorado Springs. Absolutely ridiculous that the USL has foisted this competition on everyone and then allows a scheduling quirk like that to take place. I would assume that Llamosa is going to wait to rotate on Friday night, but we'll see.

Nelson and Berron are guys that I think could step in. Barbir or Souahy will have to step in since Suarez is suspended from the red he got against Miami. That makes me very nervous. Ricol or Sorto could start at CF but I'm once again banking that Patino is up for a big game. At minimum he can get us through 50-60 minutes before we can bring on another option.

Opposition Preview

I said it in the preview a month ago, but this is not the Louisville City we're all used to. Their struggles have continued into this month. They did stfile a very good Rowdies team on the road in the QF (won on penalties) to get here and then followed it up by winning 3-2 at Orange County in the league, but have gone right back to struggling. They will also have to deal with significant travel. They played Saturday night at Rhode Island (a 1-1 draw).

Louisville is a very good attacking team. They create quite a few shots and big chances (top 3 in the league in both categories). Jansen Wilson and Taylor Davila are both very good USL attackers in terms of creating (Davila) and finishing (Jansen). They have struggled at the CF spot at times but Chris Donovan is a big body and he has managd 9 goals and 4 assists in all competitions. He's not very mobile and our back 3 kept him locked him up most of the night. Personally I think Tola Showunmi (who started Saturday) would be more of a matchup problem for us.

Where Louisville struggles is when they lose control of games. It happens almost consistently every game. They did it against us a month ago and Parano punished them. Old friend Kevon Lambert has some part to play in that. He's had moments this season where he looks like his old self and he dominates the middle of the field. Louisville usually wins when he does that. He's struggled with injuries and at times looks well off the pace or can't play at all. Louisville struggles to replace him. He did play 56 minutes against Rhode Island on Saturday and it was his first game back in 5 weeks. I assume he won't start on short rest but will be available as a 2nd half sub.

Louisville has also struggled at GK and have been switching back and forth. Faundez was subbed out on Saturday for an injury so I suspect we'll see Hugo Fauroux again.

Prediction

2-2 with SAFC winning on penalties. Why not get a little crazy with it.

SAFC put together a fine performance last night; unfortunately, it wasn't enough to get all three points. Tulsa is one of the more frustrating teams in the league to play against, and last night was no different. They racked up 6 yellow cards despite getting away with at least 3 others. They had more yellow cards than shots last night. We probably don't hate Tulsa enough.

Joey Batrouni- 7

Joey had very little to do, as Tulsa did not even get a shot on target last night. He was alert in the 6-yard box and closed down well enough anytime they did have space. His distribution was fine for the most part. I thought he went long at the right times, knowing that Tulsa's only path to a goal was if we turned it over trying to play through them.

Alex Crognale- 7

I thought all of our CBs had a good game, but Alex had some big moments. He had a big block late in the game on Tulsa's best chance, but he defended well the entire game. He also created a chance with his passing. I dropped him to a 7 because he had 6 shots and failed to get one of them on target. It really frustrates me because we have a bunch of tall guys who can win headers and one of the best set-piece takers in the USL, yet still can't score from a corner or FK.

Tiago Suarez- 7.5

I thought Suarez was sensational. His best game since returning from the injury. He controlled the middle of the field and kept Tulsa pinned back. His passing was a little too sideways for my liking, but he moved it quickly. I think he's a really good player, and I'm a little stunned he's not with his MLS team. Suarez also had a couple of chances off our set pieces. Unlike Alex, he was able to get one of his two shots on target, but we have to be better considering how many shots we're generating week to week.

Mitch Taintor- 7

Mr. Consistent. Mitch owns that LCB spot, and his performance rarely dips. Good defending, solid passing range, and leadership. He also had a chance in the box on a corner but wasn't able to get it on target.

Akeem O'Connor-Ward- 7

We don't see it consistently, but O'Connor-Ward is an excellent attacking WB. He created 2 chances last night while misplacing only 1 pass (35/36). It wasn't just offensive either; Akeem controlled the wing defensively too, to avoid Alex being isolated in space.

Mikey Maldonado- 7

I thought Mikey was really good again. We controlled the game, and Mikey's play helped us avoid bad giveaways. That really limited Tulsa's chances. Mikey also created two chances from corners (that should have been goals).

Nicky Hernandez- 6.5

Nicky played the more advanced midfield role, and I like him there. He provides a good balance with Mikey. He also created two chances and got a shot off at the top of the box. He played 78 minutes before coming off for Berron.

Emil Cuello- 6

Cuello got the start at LWB. He played really high up the field due to Tulsa sitting back. He was efficient on the ball and mostly made good decisions. It does feel like things fall apart in the final third (which isn't just a Cuello problem). Feels like Cuello is constantly one pass or touch away from something impactful, and it just never came off. Still, it was a good performance.

Cristian Parano- 7

Parano started on the left but drifted centrally to get on the ball. He put the Tulsa backline under constant pressure and created tons of space for others, which helped him create 1 chance. Tulsa did a good job of closing down his space in the box, so he wasn't able to get very many shots off. The best shot he had came off a FK that forced a really good save. He came off in the 78th minute for Luke Haakenson.

Christian Sorto- 6

Sorto was active, so I give him a ton of credit for that. He got off 4 shots, including 2 great chances that needed to be goals. He drifted out left as Parano came central, and I thought it worked pretty well. Sorto isn't a CF, and I think we saw the best of him when he gets isolated out wide. He consistently broke down defenders and created danger (1 chance overall but could have been more). I wish we could see Sorto come into games with a recognized CF because I think he could have ended up being a very productive player for us. He came out in the 73rd minute for Ricol.

Jorge Hernandez- 8

Jorge was all over the field. He created 5 chances (just 1 off a corner) and ran the entire game. He ran circles around Tulsa, and it's a shame we couldn't get all three points. His performance deserved it. We are lucky that we get to watch the best player in the USL every week. Unfortunately, he came off late with what looked like a knock. Hopefully it was a precaution.

Lilian Ricol- 5

Ricol came in; I thought he had some positive moments. He got into good space and had one carry that probably should have ended in a goal. Low bar, but considering the current output we're getting from our CF, I was encouraged. If he keeps that up, the goals will come.

Luke Haakenson- 5

Luke came on in the 78th minute for Parano. I didn't like the sub at the time because of how well Parano was playing. Luke is just not as impactful anymore. Love his mentality, but we badly need better options to come in at that moment.

Lucio Berron- 5.5

Berron came on in the 78th for Nicky. He sat deeper than Mikey, and that played into Tulsa's hands. He was fine on the ball, but we lost that attacking punch in the spaces that Nicky was operating in. Not his fault because he's just not that kind of player.

Santiago Patiño- N/A

Santi came on late for Jorge. He didn't have a whole lot of chances to do anything. He didn't even touch the ball.

Takeaways

That is really frustrating because it is at least the third time we've outplayed Tulsa in our 4 meetings this year. We've won just once. On the surface, the result isn't bad, but when you have as many dropped points as we do, we need to win games when we play well.

This team has enough talent to make a run, but margins are thin in this league, and we're not maximizing our advantages. We should lead the league in goals from set pieces, but we don't. There is no way we should be conceding as much as we do, but we keep turning the ball over and creating transitions. If we had league average play from our CF position, we'd probably be first place in the West.

That being said, I think this team can still make a run. We have a chance to win a trophy midweek with a home game against Louisville. I know midweek games are hard in terms of attendance but hopefully we get a good crowd to create an atmosphere.

After a big win on the road, SAFC returns home to take on Tulsa for the fourth time this season. This is a huge game for playoff seeding; we're both tied at 35 points (along with Orange County), so the tiebreaker is up for grabs. The first league meeting in Tulsa was a 0-0 draw, so we'll need to win to hold on to that tiebreaker.

Starting XI

Batrouni

Crognale-Suarez-Taintor

O'Connor Ward-Maldonado-Nicky-Cuello

Parano-Patino-Jorge

SAFC has a midweek cup game to think about, but I'm going full strength here and will deal with the cup game when it comes. We have added some new pieces to our front line, but have not addressed the midfield as of yet. We are dangerously thin, in my opinion.

Front 3 is still a work in progress. Paredes has been added, but he's coming off a long injury layoff. We have no idea how impactful he can be. Ricol has yet to make a start, and I have to think it will come at some point.

Opposition Analysis

At this point, we're all familiar with Tulsa and their style. Tulsa is going to press us high and look to play direct and fast. They have one of the best defenses in the league, led by old friend Lamar Batista. They are going to be aggressive and will foul a ton as they look to win the ball and/or force mistakes in possession.

Unfortunately, that style has been our kryptonite. I do think the previous three meetings could provide some insight. In the 0-0 league game, we actually let Tulsa have 51% of the possession. Part of the reason they had so much of the ball is that we struggled to build up. Our pass completion was just 66% (which was still higher than Tulsa's). The 2nd meeting was probably our best performance of the three, and of course we lost it. We controlled the game, but a questionable red card and a bad giveaway gifted Tulsa a win in ET. The third meeting was a mix of both, and we stole the win in the League Cup.

Tulsa have some dynamic attackers who can punish a mistake or take advantage of a sliver of space. Remi Cabral, Logan Dorsey, and Arquimides Ordonez all have moments where they look like outstanding USL attackers. Midfielder Jamie Webber usually makes the right decision and transitions Tulsa quickly into the attack.

Prediction

This feels like a 1-1 draw, but SAFC really needs to win this one. We've dropped so many points to bad teams that we need multiple results in unlikely places. We got it in Louisville and Albuquerque, and we've already gotten a result in Tulsa. At home, we need to win this. I'll say we find a way to get a 2-1 win.

After a lengthy weather delay, SAFC rolled in to Albuquerque and pulled out a 2-1 win. The win is obviously huge, as we needed to stop the losing streak, but it also clinches the tiebreaker against New Mexico.

Joey Batrouni- 6.5

Joey did a pretty good job navigating the miniature field. He probably could have come out earlier on the New Mexico goal, but it's hard to adjust. Otherwise, he only had to make 1 other save on the night.

Alex Crognale- 6

Alex had a tough assignment, but he held up most of the night. Harris was able to get in between (and behind) him and Ward for the goal. Alex defended the box well. We went away from our possession game, so Alex didn't have a ton to do on the ball, but there were no glaring goofs.

Tiago Suarez- 7

I thought Suarez held up well. He defended the middle of the field well; New Mexico only had 2 shots on target the whole night. Distribution-wise, he created a chance, and we seemed to be organized.

Mitch Taintor- 6.5

Mitch kept it simple, and it worked. He defended well and kept New Mexico at bay. We didn't see as much of his long-range passing because of the adjustment in game plan. Getting the early lead meant we didn't have to take very many risks, and Mitch marshalled the defense well in that 2nd half to hold on.

Akeem O'Connor Ward- 7

Akeem started at RWB and did most of his work out of possession. He attempted just 5 passes and a few dribbles. Defensively, he worked hard, but he seemed to fall asleep to start of the 2nd half. Though I think he was trying to run an offside trap, but Crognale (and Mitch) kept him on.

Mikey Maldonado- 7

Mikey played an outstanding game out of possession. New Mexico usually creates a ton of chances at home, but we shut down the middle of the field. On the ball, he created two chances in limited opportunities, including the game-winner with a beautiful ball over the top. I'm not sure why the stats sites haven't given him credit for that assist; as far as I can tell, it didn't take a deflection on the way through, and it was certainly intentional.

Nicky Hernandez- 7.5

How about that. Nicky returns to his former team and provided a ton of energy in the midfield and, of course, scored the game-winner. It was a beautiful run and a really difficult finish. Unfortunately, it also looks like he may have injured himself. We badly need midfield reinforcements because we're dangerously thin.

Emil Cuello- 6

Cuello technically created the first goal, though I believe it shouldn't have been dealt with so easily. He provided a ton of support to the midfield last night, and that might be his role going forward if Calov and Nicky are both out for a couple of weeks.

Cristian Parano- 6

Parano had a quiet game by his recent standards, but was still impactful. He got off a couple of shots from the left-hand side and created a chance from a corner. The tiny field doesn't really help his game because there is less space to attack, but he's still a critical tactical weapon.

Santiago Patino- 5.5

Patino is still struggling to make an impact, but he does look fitter the last few weeks. Maybe competition has been good for him. He was really active in the first half and should have gotten an assist. He also got off two shots during that stretch. A positive step forward, in my opinion, but that is only because of how low the bar is. We need goals from our CF.

Jorge Hernandez- 6

Jorge attempted just 13 passes, and we somehow won. That is remarkable in itself, but it's a testament to Jorge's mindset that he was being kicked and marked out of the game but still worked his tail off. We're very fortunate to have a player of his caliber work as hard as he does.

Nelson Flores Blanco- 5.5

Nelson came on for the injured Nicky and played as an advanced midfielder. He pressed well and had carries that helped us slow New Mexico down as they pushed for an equalizer. Personally, I think Nelson should be playing more than he does, but we'll see what happens now that the injuries are piling up.

Christian Sorto- 5

Sorto came on for Patino in the 62nd minute for Patino. He played as the CF and didn't do much, as we had decided to defend what we had (a good decision from Llamosa). He worked hard.

Luke Haakenson- 5

Luke came on in the 83rd for Parano. He worked hard and brought some toughness.

Takeaways

This team never lets you relax. Just when you think they've figured things out, they lose. When you think the season is close to spiraling with injuries, suspensions, and a losing streak, they go on the road and get a great result.

Make no mistake, winning in Albuquerque is a great result. They don't lose there often, and they had been rolling. We have added some offensive firepower by bringing back Paredes, but that isn't enough (he's going to take some time to get going, I think). We need midfield help badly, and we need Richol to get his chance.

After two straight home losses, SAFC heads out on the road to take on the hottest team in the league. New Mexico has not lost a game since a 1-0 home loss to the Tampa Bay Rowdies on May 20th. To make it worse, SAFC has fared horribly in Albuquerque, winning just twice since New Mexico joined the league.

Starting XI

Batrouni

Crognale-Suarez-Taintor

O'Connor Ward-Maldonado-Nicky-Cuello

Parano-Ricol-Jorge

I've been asking for Llamosa to change things up, but I don't think it's happening. Backline picks itself up with how badly Barbir and Souahy have struggled. Berron is suspended for this one due to the red card, so I've opted for Nicky over Calov. Not ideal, but Calov has clearly struggled and fallen down the pecking order. I'd prefer Nelson to start at LWB tonight, but I don't think Llamosa is going to do it.

Front 3 has to be Jorge/Parano if they're healthy, and then I'm starting Ricol. With Pacheco likely out and Patino struggling, I think we need to try something different. We paid extra money to get him mid-year, so I think we have to play him.

Opposition Analysis

Let me get this out of the way, I'd be stunned if New Mexico won the league. Nothing about them suggests they are one of the better teams in the league. Despite that, they won't stop getting results. I suspect that once they lose momentum, they have a bad run, but it hasn't happened yet.

What they do have is an outstanding GK in Kristopher Shakes. He is athletic and has been responsible for several results during this run. He is helped by the fact that New Mexico gets to play half their games on a mini-field where teams can not spread the field.

Attacking-wise, they are not special, but they find ways to eke out goals. Greg Hurst leads the way with 6 league goals. Hurst has scored 4 career goals in 9 games against SAFC (2 of them were when he was playing for Rising in 2022). The real threat, in my opinion, is winger Dayonn Harris. He creates a ton of danger, and our right side is going to have their hands full. He has 6 assists this season (with 3 goals), so Crognale and O'Connor Ward will need to be on it.

More importantly, these small fields have been Llamosa's kryptonite. He wants to spread the field and play through teams, but that just isn't possible when you're on a baseball field. Typically, we get pressed into even more mistakes than usual.

Prediction

This is tough. I have no real confidence about getting a result, but typically SAFC responds when they hit a rough patch. I'll say a 1-1 draw.

Welp. More dropped points at home against a bad team. This has clearly become a mental block. We didn't really play poorly for 75 minutes, but then imploded in the final 15 minutes with a 2nd yellow and a soul-crushingly dumb decision to shove a player in the box.

Joey Batrouni- 4

Oof. The signs of frustration had been brewing early in the 2nd half. Per usual, SAFC was struggling to play through pressure, and Joey started hoofing the ball more and more. He also picked up a yellow for shoving a player on a corner kick (had the ball been in play, that would have been a penalty too). Despite that, Oakland really had no big shots on goal until Peter Wilson came into the game. Joey made the 1 save, but then, confusingly, rushed out and just shoved the Roots attacker. There was no need to do it at all. The ball was likely going out of play, and even if it didn't, there was no immediate danger. I have no idea what Joey was thinking other than he was just frustrated and lashed out.

Alex Crognale- 5

Alex was ponderous on the ball, which has become a theme. He didn't have any major giveaways, but everything is so slow. Defensively, he didn't play poorly at all. Roots had very few chances and didn't look like they'd score a goal until our GK decided to shove an attacker in the box.

Tiago Suarez- 5

Too much passing sideways. Part of that is our set-up and midfield personnel, but Mitch can not be the only CB on the back line willing to play the ball forward. Roots aren't really good at pressing, but we made it easy for them by constantly playing side to side. Suarez didn't have a bad overall performance, but the margins are thin.

Mitch Taintor- 6.5

Mitch is the only CB who looks to play the ball quickly. He's also left on an island defensively with his LWB constantly vacating space. He is still playing at a super-high level.

Akeem O'Connor Ward- 4

Akeem struggled with the press, and that is unfortunate because we really needed him. He consistently found himself in space off the right-hand side, but he struggled to find his feet going forward and often opted to go backwards. There were some moments of solid ball-carrying, and he was fine defensively.

Mikey Maldonado- 4

This was probably Mikey's worst game for us. Part of it is that teams have figured out we have one midfielder who can get on the ball. As a result, they are marking Mikey out of the game. Teams did something similar with Amir Soto last season. Mikey was having to drop so deep to help out that he provided none of his usual progressive passes into the final 3rd. He also looks a little tired, which makes sense because we're playing him big minutes. That midfield is dangerously thin, and it got even worse when he came off in the 69th minute.

Lucio Berron- 4

Berron is what he is. He's an all-action midfielder who isn't playing because of his impact on the ball. The issue is that when you play with 3 CBs and just 1 other CM, teams take advantage. Berron broke up play, but that leads to fouls. Yellows lead to reds and suspensions. The 2nd yellow is very soft, as I think Berron accidentally ran into the Roots player, but he's got a reputation now. His passing was almost exclusively backwards, and he has so many loose touches. Berron (and Mikey) need a 3rd midfielder to play with them.

Emil Cuello- 4.5

Cuello was at least trying, so I give him credit for that. He was getting in good positions and looked for the forward pass. When it wasn't there, he looked to drive forward with the ball. The problem was none of it led to anything. That isn't really Cuello's fault, to be fair to him.

Cristian Parano- 6

Parano played off the right-hand side and had some good moments. He created one chance and seemed to have a good connection with Patino. His ability to drive from deep was the lone bright spot against an aggressive Roots team. He also had a goal ruled out because Suarez jumped for a ball while offside.

Diogo Pacheco- 4

Pacheco again started at CF, and it was about the same as it's been all season for the 25 minutes he was on. He should have scored in the 7th minute, but his shot was saved. Unfortunately, it looks like he picked up another injury.

Jorge Hernandez- 6

Jorge won't get credit for it, but I don't think he's playing at a really high level. Unfortunately, he can't finish his own balls and can't make the right runs. He created 2 chances and basically covered an entire side of the field.

Santiago Patino- 5

Patino came on in the 25th minute, and he at least looked fit when he tried to run. Unfortunately, he failed to get off a shot in 65 minutes.

Nicky Hernandez- 5

Nicky came on in the 69th minute and had very little impact. He replaced Maldonado, and we immediately lost any semblance of control in the game (which ultimately led to Berron's 2nd yellow). That isn't Nicky's fault, we have a personnel and tactical problem that USL teams can exploit.

Lillian Richol- N/A

Making his SAFC debut, Richol came on as a late sub. He replaced Suarez as we desperately searched for a goal.

Takeaways

This is frustrating. I was viscerally angry on Saturday night, and I'm sure you were too. We've 18 possible points against some of the worst teams/franchises in the USL, and we've picked up just 4. That includes two losses at home to these teams. That is likely going to cost at least 2 spots in the standings.

For me, it seems like this team has a mental block against teams they know they should beat. You could almost see it on their face as the game progressed. Things don't get easier as this team heads to the hottest team in the league (and a place we've only won twice in 7 years) in New Mexico.

SAFC meets Oakland for the first time this season. Fresh off the disaster to El Paso, SAFC has fallen to 3rd in the West (New Mexico will not lose and still has 3 games in hand). We do have some team news with SAFC loaning out CF EJ Johnson to Corpus Christi FC.

Starting XI

Batrouni

Crognale-Suarez-Taintor

O'Connor Ward-Maldonado-Berron-Cuello

Parano-Ricol-Jorge

Back 3 has to stay the same considering how out of form Souahy/Barbir are. I'd like to see a change in tactics with the midfield but no matter what I think we have to have Mikey/Berron in there. Front 3 is where I got a little dramatic. I'd throw Ricol in there and see what happens, assuming he's trained this week of course. It can't be any worse than what we've had at that position the last few weeks.

Opposition Analysis

This is the first meeting with Roots (kind of odd that it's late-August and we're still playing new teams). I don't mean to alarm you, but Roots are awful. Normally that sentence would bring some relief as SAFC could use a nice "get right" game after last week, but considering we turn the worst USL teams into 2010 Barcelona, I'm nervous. They have not won a game since June 20th and have scored just 4 goals during these 2 months.

Despite their poor results, Oakland does do some things that could scare us. They have a ton of possession and create quite a few chances (5th in the league). They really struggle to finish those chances. They do have a double-figure goal scorer in Peter Wilson but after a hot start he has cooled signficantly. Oakland are going to want the ball, and they are going to pass it around to get in good positions.

Defensively, they leave themselves wide open with their style of play. Stop me if you've heard this before though, they love to press high. We have struggled with that all season, especially when the opposition has an athletic advantage. They do have old friend Kendall McIntosh at GK so I expect him to have his best game of the season as well.

Prediction

This should be a straightforward 2-0 win, but we know things are rarely ever that easy. Parano and Jorge should find plenty of space and as long as we avoid giving them gifts with goofs at the back I think we win. It will just be a lot closer than any of us want. I'll say we win 2-1.

Yikes. SAFC finally had some momentum and had used the Spurs to garner some attention in and around the city, but they promptly fell flat on their face. I don't think it was as bad as the scoreline indicated, but a lot of the same issues came roaring back. Combine that with some really poor officiating and being ruthlessly punished for individual mistakes in a poor 25-minute stretch, and you get a 3-0 loss at home.

Batrouni- 5.5

Probably a bit harsh on Joey without me having all the information. The first goal probably should have been saved. He was too far off his line, and the shot itself was saveable. He even got a hand on it, but because he was caught so far out, he couldn't keep it out. The 2nd goal was a miscommunication, as I think Tiago thought Joey had stepped up to help in the build-up (like he had been doing). I don't know their specific triggers and reads, so I won't blame Joey entirely. 3rd goal: he did what he could to force a great finish. Joey also made a couple of nice saves to keep it from really being embarrassing.

Alexis Souahy- 4

Earlier in the year, I said that I thought SAFC had one of the best CB groups in the league. I was wrong. Both Barbir and Souahy have fallen off a cliff. Whether that's from lack of game time or they are both just not good system fits is open for debate, but at this point I'd rather see Angel Mercado get some minutes than either of those two. Souahy was lost on several occasions as he tried to defend and offered very little other than the safest of passes as we tried to navigate their press. He came out in the 71st minute as we changed formations in a desperate attempt to find a goal.

Tiago Suarez- 4.5

Back-to-back games for Tiago where he had a big goof. The red card over the weekend is forgivable, as I'm not sure it's a red, but last night he gifted El Paso a goal. I believe he thought Joey had stepped up in the build-up, and maybe he should have, but regardless, you can't let that ball leave your foot without knowing your surroundings. He's a young player, so mistakes like that are going to happen when you play with the ball as much as we do, but it is disappointing that it came in such a big moment. The goof really seemed to mess with his confidence, as he didn't look like the same player (also might be a residual impact from the red card). We'll need him to bounce back.

Mitch Taintor- 6.5

Mitch did what he could. He probably should have stepped up to stop the ball on the first goal, but he was marking two players because our midfield fell asleep. Ideally, Mitch just steps up and takes out Mendez at the beginning, but it is hard to blame him when his positioning is what forced a 35-yard shot. That should never be a goal. The 2nd, there is nothing he could do. On the third he's being asked to mark 2 guys in the 6-yard box, which is diabolical defending. Maybe he could have done better, but it's an outrageous situation to put a CB in. His passing was a net positive, as he routinely played over the press. Shame we couldn't do anything with it.

Rece Buckmaster- 4

Woof. Rece hadn't played in a long-time and I think we saw why. We really missed Akeem's energy and positioning at RWB. Rece just isn't that level of player nor is he a good enough athlete to cover a flank the way Akeem does. He also provided nothing but safe passing, either.

Mikey Maldonado- 5.5

Mikey struggled to mark the midfield as he was basically being asked to be a 1-man midfield. Getting that balance right has been a struggle for Llamosa all season. Mikey was excellent on the ball, though. He created 3 chances. He also flashed some carrying since El Paso was man-marking across the field in the press.

Curt Calov- 4

For the life of me, I can't understand where Calov was supposed to be playing. There were times his positioning suggested he was trying to play as an attacker. Whatever he was doing, it was all wrong. He attempted just 11 passes, which is far too passive for a midfielder in this tactical set-up. Berron is usually not great on the ball, but he provides the OOP work to carry the load for Mikey; Calov did none of that. Llamosa made the right decision to sub him at HT.

Nelson Flores Blanco- 5

I don't think Nelson was bad as he created 2 chances on the night, but it wasn't impactful. I wish we could combine Nelson and Cuello into one player; together they'd make a hell of a LWB. As it stands though we have two solid but unspectacular players out there at that spot.
Which is fine as long as the team doesn't implode around them; unfortunately, we did for 25 minutes last night.

Nicky Hernandez- 4

I assume Nicky was supposed to be in the Parano role as one of those AM spots. We've seen him there before and do well. It didn't work last night. I'm not sure if that is because Calov was so out of place that the entire midfield was destabilized, but Nicky is a veteran midfielder. He can't let the struggles of one young player make him that invisible. He refused to track any runners from the midfield. He made next to no impact on the ball. He was subbed out at HT for Berron.

Santiago Patiño- 5

Patiño obviously didn't score, but I thought it was a step forward for him. He got off 5 shots, which had been a real struggle. His carrying didn't work, but seeing him at least try was progress. It is a sad state of affairs that the bar is that low, and it's why SAFC has brought in another forward. Ricol is probably going to walk straight into the lineup and get his chance.

Jorge Hernandez- 6

Jorge had been in sensational form. Unfortunately, a trend has been brewing for a while, and that is USL defenders flat-out targeting Jorge when he's on the ball and when he's off it. In the first 20 minutes of the game, El Paso was allowed to blatantly foul Jorge without making a play on the ball. Miami did it too, and had it not been for the coaches' VAR, would have gotten away with it too. El Paso should have gotten at least 4 yellows in that first 20 minutes. Does it change the game? I don't know, but considering we really only played poorly for 25 minutes, I think it's fair to say it at least had an impact. Llamosa and SAFC need to be more vocal about this; Jorge is a remarkable player and allowing the league to tee off on him for a full season is outrageous. I have no problem with hard fouls and sending a message, but they should be met with yellows as soon as it happens. You can't let teams get free shots on him because your refs are afraid. On the night, Jorge still created three chances before coming off in the 78th minute.

Lucio Berron- 6.5

Berron came on at HT and immediately stabilized the midfield. We controlled the 2nd half, and that was thanks to Berron simply being in the right spot. He was also fantastic on the ball, which has been something he's improved dramatically in. He misplaced just 1 pass in that 2nd half. We need him and Mikey to stay completely healthy the rest of the season.

Cristian Parano- 5.5

Parano got some rest but had to be brought on at HT due to how atrocious we were to close out that first half. He came on and played on the left, which was a change. He created 1 chance and got off a few shots. I thought it was a good performance, just a shame it came when we were already down 3-0.

Emil Cuello- 5

Cuello came on in the 63rd for Buckmaster, and he stayed on the right. Even out of position, he was a big upgrade on what we had out there, and he created 1 chance.

Diogo Pacheco- 4

Pacheco came on in the 71st and didn't make much of an impact, despite us having the majority of the ball. No shots, no chance creation, but he did at least try to carry the defense and drew a foul. He was even able to play with a CF, so I can't even blame that. It was just 19 minutes, so I won't be too harsh, but we need him to be a sub off the bench who can make an impact. That doesn't look like a role he's suited for.

Luke Haakenson- 5

Haakenson came on and played as a CF for Patino. It's not sexy when he comes on, but it looks effective, and that is what we want from a situational sub. He got off a shot (and probably should have scored) and did little else.

Takeaways

That 25 minutes was really deflating, but I would caution us from overreacting. We've seen this kind of thing before from this group, and it seems to happen when they have a busy schedule. Fatigue can't be an excuse but I saw that performance against Louisville and the guys looked physically exhausted; then they had to play down a man for 50 minutes in the midweek game.

I'd also say that El Paso were a little lucky. This wasn't a situation where they outplayed us and dominated the game. They took advantage of a rotated squad (specifically that midfield) who played passively and poorly in that first half. They also came in and decided that they were going to kick and hit until the ref stopped them, knowing our guys would be exhausted. Credit to them for that, and the result sucks, but I'm not going to overreact just yet. We also had a stonewall penalty denied when the El Paso defender literally stuck his arm out to stop the ball. We were very unlucky to be down 3-0 at HT; on balance, it probably should have been 2-1 at worst. At that point, I think the 2nd half plays out very differently.

What I will say is that there is no reason to see some of the older vets anymore. Souahy and Barbir are making costly mistakes, and I'd rather see opportunities go to Angel Mercado. In the midfield, I wouldn't give up totally on Calov, but that is a MLS franchise's secondary prospect. Landry Walker is a better prospect than Calov ever was (or will be). If we're going to develop a young player, why not our own? Especially when he is the profile of midfielder this team needs. The organization needs to trust its own. Mercado, Walker, and Urrutia (who made the bench last night) should get the first opportunity. If they fail or aren't ready, then go out and loan in someone like Calov (there are dozens of players like him playing in MLSNP).

SAFC has addressed the forward spot with Ricol. It now needs to address the midfield depth. Whether that be loaning in someone else who can properly replicate what Berron brings to this team or playing the young guy we've spent years developing in the Academy.

Another big home game as SAFC looks to keep the Copa Tejas in the 210. Despite the rivalry, this is still a huge league game. We still currently sit in 2nd in the West, but New Mexico United has 3 games in hand and is just 2 points back. I would expect we get some rotation considering the travel and minutes we've put on the first choice, but Llamosa seems to be locked in right now.

Starting XI

Batrouni

Souahy-Suarez-Taintor

O'Connor Ward-Maldonado-Calov-Flores Blanco

Sorto-Patino-Jorge

Backline is tricky because I am worried about Mitch/Alex playing this many minutes, but I don't think we can risk rotating both of them right now. Suarez only played 33 minutes midweek and will be suspended for the semifinal, so I'm keeping him in the team.

I'd like to rotate Buckmaster in here, but we haven't seen him in months, so I'm not sure he's available. Calov has been a late-game sub in both games this week, so I think he's in line to start here next to Mikey.

Front 3 is even harder to predict. Jorge/Parano are in incredible form, but we have to manage them properly to keep them healthy. I'd rotate Parano for Sorto and see if Santi can give us 60 active minutes. We do have a new CF that we brought in today, so we might see him off the bench.

Opposition Analysis

El Paso had a really rough 6 weeks where they won just 1 game, but they have recovered nicely. They've won 3 of 4 games, though none of them have been sexy, and all three wins came against pretty mediocre teams. Because of their strong start, they still sit 5th in the West.

El Paso isn't really impressive, and them cooling off was pretty predictable if you remember my preview from our first matchup. Rubin was finishing at an unsustainable level early and has cooled significantly. That doesn't mean things can't turn back in their favor at some point, and they have the players (especially the attackers) who can take advantage of any relaxed play.

Rubio Rubin has 10 league goals, and there are signs that he's regaining the form he had in the Spring. He has scored twice in the last 4 games, so the CBs will be busy to make sure he doesn't have a sliver of space. He had an incredible finish against us in that first match.

Defensively, El Paso is going to press and then look to play direct (amazingly, so many coaches and rival fans complained about Marcina, but at least a dozen franchises are running variations of his principles that he brought to the USL). We have struggled with that at times (most notably when Tiago was out injured), but El Paso isn't especially athletic like those teams that cause us the most problems.

Prediction

I think we're going to have another choppy game. El Paso will remember the meeting back in April where they fell behind 2-0 and erased it before losing to a Parano last-minute winner. I think we'll see a 1-1 draw for the 2nd weekend in a row.

After a chaotic game, SAFC finally breaks the Miami FC curse and wins 2-1 to advance to the League Cup semifinals (they were drawn against Louisville City at Toyota Field). In true SAFC fashion, it had to be done in the most bizarre way possible. I was pleasantly surprised that Llamosa is taking the competition seriously with a strong lineup.

Joey Batrouni- 8

Joey was called into action several times and had to make at least two great saves. When we went down to 10-men kept the backline together. His ability to read the game allowed us to still play forward. It was an excellent performance from Joey.

Alex Crognale- 7

It is at least in part a credit to Alex that we did not need to make a defensive sub after going down to 10-men. He played well in terms of reading the game defensively. He had fewer responsibilities on the ball as Mikey was dropping deeper to help out with Tiago out, but was still efficient in what he was asked to do.

Tiago Suarez- 4

That is tough. Tiago was the first player sent off due to the ridiculous coach's challenge that USL is experimenting with. I hate that call being given as a straight red; I hate it even more that it came because a ref wanted to be the first to make that kind of decision. Tiago was playing well for the 33 minutes he was on the field.

Mitch Taintor- 7

It wasn't a sexy performance from Mitch, but it was still impressive. We spent about 40 minutes down a man, but it didn't matter. Mitch fought like hell with some really good defending in the box. His passing wasn't as effective with us not being able to stretch the field, but his willingness to look for those options kept us from being pinned in.

Akeem O'Connor Ward- 6.5

Credit to Akeem because he had to sit way deeper once we went down to 10, and he defended really well. On the ball, he didn't have as much of a chance to get forward, but that was more of an issue with our team tactics than his performance.

Mikey Maldonado- 7

Mikey (and Lucio) took on a much bigger role with the red card, and they delivered. Mikey only misplaced 1 pass, and dropping him deep so we could still build up was crucial. Some of Mikey's best work comes out of possession, though; he reads the game really well and always seems to be in the right place. Whether that be to receive the ball to help us play through a press or to cut out passing lanes.

Lucio Berron- 7

Lucio had another good game. He had just a 66% pass completion, but I thought he made good decisions on the ball. His best asset, though, is his energy and toughness. Despite us being down a man, Miami was unable to control the game. That was due to Lucio's (and Mikey's) ability to read the game and clog the middle. Miami doesn't do well with the ball anyway, but even with a man advantage, they were forced to play direct and play low-percentage balls. Berron also created a good chance in the box with a nice slotted ball to Pacheco.

Emil Cuello- 6

Cuello came back into the lineup at LWB. Interestingly enough, after the red card, Cuello was pushed even higher than normal. He essentially operated as a LW, and I think it was a brilliant move from Llamosa. Because we have such a strong spine, we didn't have to go into a shell and still pulled Miami apart. Cuello didn't have a ton of impact on the ball in that left half-space, but just his presence was important. Cuello came out in the 80th minute for Nelson.

Cristian Parano- 9

My goodness, what a player. Parano is in some kind of form. His first goal was clinical with a CF-style run into the box and a beautiful finish. The 2nd goal was Peak Parano. Another great run from Cristian, and Jorge found him with a peach. He still had a lot of work to do to finish it. Despite the goals, his ability to drive at defenders creates so much space for everyone else that even having a man advantage can't really help. Parano came out in the 80th minute for Nicky.

Diogo Pacheco- 5

Pacheco again got the start at CF, and I do appreciate his runs. He's not a CF, and dropping to 10 men certainly didn't help him, but he works. He should have probably had a goal with that Berron chance. The most impressive thing is the work rate. He defends on set pieces and presses with a purpose. When you're surrounded by elite players, that is sometimes all you need.

Jorge Hernandez- 8

Another 2 assists for Jorge. The first was a pretty standard (for him) ball, but that 2nd assist was unreal. In total, 5 chances created on the night while also dropping deep to help in the midfield. His ability to get on the ball and set defenses up is unmatched. Unreal player. He was subbed out for Calov at the tail end of the game.

Dani Barbir- 4

Woof. We haven't seen much of Barbir, and we saw why last night. As soon as he came on, our defense became unsettled, and it resulted in him losing his marker and allowing a goal. It wasn't all bad, as he did settle down and mostly defended well. Hopefully it was just him knocking some rust off.

Nelson Flores Blanco- 5.5

Nelson came on for Cuello in the 80th minute at LB. He played deeper than Cuello but still managed to occupy forward space. He scored an offside goal; Jorge should have shot himself, but I do appreciate Nelson making that run to support.

Nicky Hernandez- 6

Nicky came on in the 80th minute, and I thought he really helped us settle the game down. Miami had just scored, and the game was starting to get stretched. Nicky played on the right-hand side and stabilized the game (I really like a 3-man midfield, and we saw it with Mikey/Berron/Nicky). Wasn't anything flashy, but being tidy on the ball as he played us forward a few times and defending down the wing were really valuable at that stage of the game.

Curt Calov- N/A

For the 2nd game in a row, Calov came on as a super late sub with no real chance to have an impact.

Takeaways

The red card decision made it a discombobulated game, but SAFC seemed to have found its swagger. Parano and Jorge are an unreal pairing, and there are very few teams who could lose a CB to a red card and not be forced to replace him in the lineup. Credit to Llamosa for having the stones to go for it, knowing there would be no way we'd hold out for an hour.

SAFC will now host Louisville City on September 8th at Toyota Field. Hopefully SAFC runs some promotions to get fans in the stands for it. This team deserves a great atmosphere.