EDINBURG, Texas (October 18, 2019) – Rio Grande Valley FC (11-15-8, 41 pts.) concludes 2019 USL Championship season with a win over Portland Timbers 2 (10-16-8, 38 pts.) on Saturday night at H-E-B Park, 2-1.
The season finale kicked off with a left-footed strike by Deshane Beckford in the 15th minute. Beckford drove in the ball and sent a shot from outside the box to the bottom left corner of the goal past Jake Leeker, 1-0.
Four minutes later, Timber 2 equalized when Harold Hanson sent a back pass to Todd Wharton. Wharton then chest it down and sent it to the top center of the goal past Ben Willis, 1-1.
In the 39th minute, Beckford sent a pass to Carlos Small where he then took a right footed shot from outside the box but was saved by Leeker. Houston Dynamo loanee, Michael Salazar, reached for the deflection but sent the shot up high and wide to the right.
In the 42nd minute, Kevin Rodriguez tested Leeker once again when he sent a left-footed shot from the center of the box but sent it too high. One minute later, Salazar sent a headed pass back to Small following a corner. Small placed it to the bottom right corner earning the lead for the Toros, 2-1.
During the 63rd minute, Salazar sent a through ball to Isidro Martinez where he then shot from the right side of the box sending the ball past the keeper but hit the right post. Nearly three minutes later, Juan Carlos Obregon Jr. sent a shot from a difficult angle on the right side but was saved in the top center of the goal.
The Toros were looking to score their third goal of the night before the final whistle. Salazar had a right footed shot from the center of the box in the 84th minute but the shot was saved.
Conor Donovan had one final attempt for RGV FC when following a set piece situation, he headed the ball from the center of the box but sent it high and wide to the right.
Overall, the Toros ended the night with 15 total shots, 10 on target and 52.6 percent of possession. The squad also won more than 64 percent of duels and averaged 86.2 percent in passing accuracy. Meanwhile, Timbers 2 totaled 12 shots, five on target and had 83.4 percent in passing accuracy.
Obregon Jr. led the offense with four total shots and three on target. Martinez totaled three shots, two on target and one-second assist along with three key passes.
Willis ended his night with four saves and three clearances. Donovan totaled five clearances, one tackle and one block. Dynamo loanee, Eric Bird, totaled eight tackles and one interception.
To see more matchday information, visit https://www.rgvfc.com.
Attendance: 4967
Scoring Summary: RGV FC – Beckford 15’ (Assist by Bird), Small 43’ (Assist by Salazar, Martinez).
T2 – Wharton 19’ (Assist by Hanson).
Misconduct Summary: RGV FC –
T2 – Hurtado 17’ YC, Ornstil 33’ YC, Hanson 48’ YC, Diz Pe 93’ YC.
T2– Leeker, Smith, Dis Pe, Ornstil, Hanson, Farfan, Ferguson (Duran 88’), Wharton, Sierakowski, Hurtado (Kobayashi 67’), Calixtro.
Subs: Lyon, Sanchez, Lopez.
Stats: Shots: 12 Shots on Goal: 5 Saves: 8 Fouls: 14 Corner Kicks: 5 Offsides: 2.
RGV FC – Willis, Samuels, Adams, Donovan, Coronado, Beckford (Obregon Jr. 45’), Rodriguez (Jackson 80’), Bird, Martinez, Salazar (Cabrera 88’), Small.
Subs: Garza, Chavero, Junqua, Castellanos.
Stats: Shots: 15 Shots on Goal: 10 Saves: 4 Fouls: 6 Corner Kicks: 4 Offsides: 6.
# SOMOS TOROS #
