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Everything on the Line in South Texas Derby

By GRANT CZUBINSKI – USLSoccer.com Contributor, 09/23/16, 6:33PM EDT

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Rivalry clash sees stakes raised for both Rio Grande Valley and San Antonio


Photo courtesy Darren Abate / San Antonio FC

Prior to the start of the 2016 USL season, Rio Grande Valley FC and San Antonio FC were clubs that existed more or less on paper. Both clubs had yet to take the field in a meaningful league contest and were diving head first into their inaugural USL seasons. Now, six months later with one game left in the 2016 regular season, both clubs are on are not only on the cusp on the playoffs and aiming for a USL championship, but are gearing up for the fourth edition of the South Texas Derby.

Heading into Saturday’s regular season finale at Toro Park, both teams are currently in position to qualify for the playoffs. The outcome of the game will have a substantial impact on both clubs moving forward; Rio Grande Valley FC can clinch first place in the West with a win and dropped points by Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC and Sacramento Republic FC, while San Antonio FC needs three points to ensure its spot in the playoffs. Add in the budding rivalry and that it could be the final time the two Texas USL representatives will meet this year, this weekend’s affair may the biggest game in both club’s young histories.

But despite what’s at stake and the pressure surrounding the game, both clubs are approaching it levelheadedly.

“We’re going to treat it like any regular season game,” said San Antonio Head Coach Darren Powell. “Obviously, we know the significance of it, but at this point in the season you want those meaningful games. We understand the meaning of this game and know what’s at stake, but we’re just going to prepare like we would for any other game.”

RGVFC and SAFC kicked off the South Texas Derby on May 7th. In a highly anticipated matchup at Toyota Field, the two clubs put on a show that lived up to the pre-match hype. 

With the game deadlocked 0-0 at halftime, Rio Grande Valley broke the tie in the 69th minute thanks to a goal by second-half sub Rob Lovejoy. Following the opening goal, play opened up and the Toros added a second goal minutes later, only for San Antonio to erase the 2-0 deficit and tie the game 2-2 in the 84th minute on a Shawn Chin goal. If San Antonio’s comeback did not provided enough excitement for both clubs and fans, Lovejoy struck again in stoppage time to snag a 3-2 victory for the visitors.

The result laid the foundation for the nascent rivalry and ensured that future South Texas Derby games would be enthralling affairs.

Over the course of the next two meetings between the two Texas clubs in late May and early June, the rivalry between RGVFC and SAFC only grew. After the abundance of goals in the second half of first game between the two Texas clubs, RGVFC and SAFC’s next two games mirrored the first half of the inaugural South Texas Derby as both clubs battled intensely in largely defensive contests. The second game ended 0-0, while RGVFC captured the South Texas Derby crown by winning the third game 1-0.

It’s been three months since the two clubs last met, and both have experienced the rigors of the USL season and grown over that time. With the added games under their respective belts, both teams are ready to resume the rivalry as the playoffs loom.

“RGV are a good team,” said Powell. “We have to learn from those previous games. Some of the lessons we learned from those games we will, obviously, focus on the practice field and use those wisely to hopefully help us prepare for Saturday’s game.

“Since our last meeting, there’s been a lot of games played. I think both teams probably learned a lot about each other during that time frame, and I think we’re playing a lot better soccer this time of year than we were when we met earlier in the year, but I’m sure they can probably say the same. I think it’s going to be a very intense game, like the previous games.”


Photo courtesy Darren Abate / San Antonio FC

As the pressure and hype surrounding the game continues to build, both teams remain focused on the task at hand.

“I think the team is feeling good,” said Rio Grande Valley FC midfielder and minutes leader Charlie Ward. “After the Orange County game, I think we’re all positive. Every game we’re positive, to be honest. We have the same game plan every game, we’re all focused, we respect every team, but we also listen to [Head Coach] Wilmer [Cabrera] every game and try to implement the style that we have. We’re all focused on this weekend. We’re just looking to try and win the league.”

Guaranteed a home playoff contest, but a point behind both the Switchbacks and Republic FC for the Western lead, the Toros have been in strong form throughout the second half of the season. The club’s eight-game shutout streak helped push it up the standings, while Dzenan Catic’s game-winner in a 1-0 win against Orange County last Saturday made him the fourth player with six goals this season for the team.


Photo courtesy Rio Grande Valley FC

While the Toros are aiming for first, San Antonio is looking to hold onto eighth place in the Western Conference. With Portland, Orange County and Real Monarchs all hoping to see SAFC drop points, the pressure to win on the road is ratcheted up for Powell’s side as it looks for a playoff berth in an overall successful first year.

If the history between the two clubs offers any indication of what Saturday’s game will bring, it should be a back-and-forth battle. Couple that history with everything that is at stake, from instate bragging rights to the Toros having a chance to both help themselves and hurt their rivals, Saturday’s game has the potential to be not only the biggest meeting between the clubs to date, but also one that fans from both sides will remember for years.

“They’re going to come to our place to win, and, obviously, we can see that they need to win to get into the playoffs,” said Ward. “We need to win to win the league, if results go our way, so I think it evens out. We’ve wanted to win the league from the minute go, and I am sure that San Antonio wanted to get into the playoffs from the minute go, so it is a massive game for both teams. We’ll do everything we can for the fans, for Wilmer, and all of us as a team too.”

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