jturrubiates

NEED TO KNOW:

– Toros host Las Vegas Lights FC on March 12 for home opener, sponsored by H-E-B.

– RGV will play 34 regular season games (17 home and 17 away).

– Toros will face off against three teams for the first time; Birmingham Legion FC, Detroit City FC and Tampa Bay Rowdies.

EDINBURG, Texas (Monday, Jan. 9, 2023) – Rio Grande Valley FC announced today its 34-game schedule for the 2023 USL Championship regular season. The club enters its eighth season in the USL, Wilmer Cabrera enters third consecutive season as Head Coach and Sporting Director, his fourth overall at the helm dating back to 2016.

The club opens play at H-E-B Park on Sunday, March 12 as they host Las Vegas Lights FC, the first of a three-game home slate. The Toros then welcome Oakland Roots SC back to Edinburg for a Sunday, March 19 showdown at H-E-B Park. The first home stand of the season will close out with a meeting featuring another West coast opponent, Monterey Bay Union FC, on Friday, March 24.

Rio Grande opens their April schedule on the road against two Eastern Conference opponents. The first stop takes the Toros to the Motor City to take on Detroit City FC on April 4, marking the first ever meeting between the clubs. The Toros remain in the northern region as they head to Pittsburgh to take on the Riverhounds at Highmark Stadium on April 15 to close out the first road trip of the season.

Memphis 901 FC travel to meet RGV FC at H-E-B Park in the only home match of the month of April on Saturday, April 22. The Toros then hit the road for a quick trip to Monterey Bay Union FC to close out the season series against the side on Saturday, March 29.

The May calendar features an attractive matchup on ‘Cinco de Mayo’ against New Mexico United in South Texas as the sides clash for the first time in the 2023 season. Midway through the month, RGV FC welcomes the Tampa Bay Rowdies to H-E-B Park on Saturday, May 20 for a first ever meeting between the sides.

Late spring action brings another attractive first-ever meeting for the Toros as they host Miami FC for the first time on Saturday, June 10, bringing another crucial inter-conference matchup to Edinburg. The second and final home game of June brings Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC to H-E-B Park, the first meeting between the sides since the Toros suffered a first-round loss to the Switchbacks in the 2022 USL Playoffs.

Summertime for RGV FC keeps the Toros busy as they travel for three out of five dates in July, including a road meeting with El Paso Locomotive on July 15, marking the first Copa Tejas matchup of the season for RGV FC. The month culminates with the series finale against EL Paso, this time at H-E-B Park on July 29.

August turns up the heat as RGV FC face four top seeded teams from the 2022 season. Lynn Family Stadium again hosts the matchup between Rio Grande Valley and Louisville City FC, 2022 USL Championship finalists, on August 12. Wilmer Cabrera sets his sights on rival side San Antonio FC, current USL Championship title holders, for the first time in the 2023 campaign as they set foot in Toyota Field on August 16 before returning home for a three-game home stand to close out the month. Phoenix Rising (August 19) and San Diego Loyal (August 26) keep the pressure on Rio Grande in back-to-back matches before the Toros lock heads with San Antonio FC at H-E-B Park for the first time in the season on August 30.

Birmingham Legion steps into H-E-B Park on September 17 as the Toros host their only home game of that month, which features four road games. Aside from the home matchup with Birmingham Legion, Rio Grande faces two other Eastern conference opponents in September; Hartford Athletic (September 9) and Indy Eleven (September 24).

The regular season closes out with just two matches in October for RGV FC, both at home. Sacramento Republic FC will travel to South Texas for a showdown with the Toros on Saturday, October 7. The schedule closes out with Eastern conference member Loudon United at H-E-B Park on Saturday, October 14.

At the conclusion of the regular season, the top eight teams in each conference will qualify for the 2023 USL Championship Playoffs with dates to be determined later. The first overall seed in each conference will receive a bye to the Conference Semifinals of the playoffs. The bracket will be reseeded following the Conference Quarterfinals to ensure the first overall seed in each conference plays against the lowest-seeded remaining opponent.

The USL Championship Playoffs will remain a single-elimination format, culminating in the 2023 USL Championship Final on a to-be-determined date between Nov. 9 and Nov. 13, 2023.

More details on the 2023 USL Championship season, including kick off times and broadcast schedule will be announced in the coming weeks.

 The full 34-regular season game schedule is available above, exact match times pending.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (May 5, 2022) – Rio Grande Valley FC (3-6-0) fell short against Colorado Springs Switchbacks (8-1-0) at Weidner Field on Thursday evening. The Toros sparked a comeback surge late in the match but the early damage proved to be too much as the Switchbacks earned their eighth win of the year.  

In the closing minutes of the first half, Elvis Amoh found a slow bouncing loose ball inside the penalty area. He controlled and took a right footed shot to the bottom left corner of the net, past a diving Tyler Deric at the 44^th minute, 1-0.

RGV FC limited the Switchbacks to four shots, one on target in the opening half white managing to find three shots of their own to pose danger to the Colorado side.

Colorado Springs made it 2-0 at the 51^st minute as Zachary Zandi took a direct shot at goal from the far-left end of the wing. The ball curled into the 6-yard box and bounced through traffic, ending in the back of the net. The goal stunned RGV after a well-controlled first half defensively.

Frank Lopez entered the match in the 56^th minute, reaching his milestone 100^th USL appearance.

At the 64^th minute, the score sheet hit 3-0 in favor of the home club after an own goal following a bad bounce off the body of Luka Malesevic who was tightly defending inside the center of the box. The play developed from a deep cross from the right side of the field.

Colorado Springs conceded a penalty at the 73^rd minute after Kharlton Belmar committed a clear hand ball inside the penalty area. On the ensuing try, Emilio Ycaza missed as Jefferson Caldwell made the diving save to the bottom right corner of the arc. The shot was Ycaza’s first career try from the penalty spot.

Frank Nodarse scored the first goal of the match for RGV FC on a corner kick play. Nodarse snapped a well-placed header into the back of the net to bring life to the Toros attack in the 75^th minute, 3-1.

Wahab Ackwei sniped a headed ball into the back of the net for RGV on another corner kick play as he was left unmarked in the 79^th minute, 3-2. The goal marked the first professional goal for the Ghanaian defender, and his first with RGV.

The Switchbacks were left with 10 men at the 80^th minute as Triston Hodge was sent off on an open play foul on Frank Lopez, who was making a break-away one on one. Despite the late mismatch, Colorado hung on to their lead and closed out the home match with a victory.

Both goals tonight came off set pieces for RGV FC, a positive for the Toros after emphasizing the need to capitalize on set piece tries. Rio Grande has now scored eight goals in the last six USL Championship matches.

RGV FC focus on Monterey Bay FC next, on the road. The first ever meeting between the sides will be on May 14^th following a short rest for the Toros. For more match day information, visit www.rgvfc.com.
————————

#  JOIN THE PACK #