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SAFC Hoping Time on Road Will Boost Side

By NICHOLAS MURRAY - nicholas.murray@uslsoccer.com, 04/26/18, 3:24PM EDT

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Team has spent week in California ahead of USL Game of the Week in Vegas


Photo courtesy Kiel Maddox / Fresno FC

FRESNO, Calif. – San Antonio FC has tried to make Northern California a home away from home this week, with the club having remained in California after this past Sunday’s game against Fresno FC to allow for reduced travel and a chance to bond on the road ahead of Friday night’s USL Game of the Week against Las Vegas Lights FC at Cashman Field (11 p.m. ET | Match Center | ESPN3).

With the side looking to bring an end to Lights FC’s undefeated start to the season, SAFC has enjoyed the added time together away from the field that will hopefully pay off as the side visits the entertainment capital of the world for the first time.

“It’s always good to get the guys on the road together and spend a bit of time with one another,” said SAFC Head Coach Darren Powell. “Obviously staying in Fresno has allowed us more time to train, so we’ve been able to prepare well for Friday’s match.”

SAFC picked up a point against the Foxes in Sunday’s 0-0 draw as goalkeeper Diego Restrepo recorded a six-save shutout, which in turn secured the shot-stopper a place in the USL Team of the Week announced on Tuesday. The clean sheet was Restrepo’s second of the season, taking his overall total to 14 since he established himself as the club’s starter early in 2017.

Going from Sunday’s outing to Friday night has made for a slightly tighter schedule over the past week, but Restrepo believes SAFC is in good shape to end its four-game winless streak and begin a push back up the Western Conference standings.

“Obviously the quick turnaround makes it a bit more difficult, but we just need to stay mentally prepared and make sure we train well,” he said. “We’ve worked on our game plan and we’re focused, so now we need to make sure we execute it properly on Friday and get a positive result.”

San Antonio will be without Kris Trypak for its visit to Vegas, however, after the club announced it had mutually agreed to part ways with the attacking midfielder to allow Tyrpak to pursue other opportunities on Thursday. Tyrpak had led SAFC this season with nine shots and sat second in key passes with eight, so with his departure there is now some pressure is on the club’s attacking group to unlock Las Vegas’ defense after being held scoreless in its past two outings.

“We have to focus on what we’re going to do, put our game plan in place, and go out there on Friday and try to execute it,” said Powell. “The surroundings are different, but wherever we are, there are two goals at the end of a rectangle that we play in and we just need to make sure we go out and execute what we want to do throughout the course of the match.”

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