MORAGA, Calif. – Midfielder Eduardo Blancas had unluckily hit the crossbar on a set-piece try to nearly give The Town FC the lead toward the end of the first half, and was eager to redeem himself to help his team prevail.
Then, in the 84th minute, he did just that. On another free kick — from outside the 18-yard box — Blancas fired a rocket shot to the top part of the net to beat the outstretched reach of North Texas SC goalkeeper Michael Collodi, who was eyeing his second straight clean sheet. The goal gave the Napa, California native his third score of the season, which now leads The Town FC.
The Town FC would cling on to their slim lead for the remaining limited portion of the match to take a dramatic 1-0 victory at Saint Mary’s Stadium against a premier North Texas SC team toward the top of the table.
“We played pretty good the whole game, I feel like we deserved it,” said Blancas. “Especially being at home, the fans here, it’s always good to get the three points.”
Blancas’ goal preceded an eventful first half that saw both Collodi and Town FC netminder Jacob Jackson make several saves to keep the match level. Jackson started in the place of usual goalie Mikolaj Bieganski, who had played the previous seven games. Jackson’s stout Town FC debut further showed the team’s depth at the position, as he stayed resilient and made acrobatic saves when called upon.
“The club has decided to make an investment in the goalkeepers, which is obviously great for the first team and the second team,” said head coach Daniel DeGeer.
DeGeer’s decision to start Jackson would be proven to be a wise one as the 24-year-old made six saves and earned a clean sheet when it was all said and done. North Texas SC entered the bout as the final undefeated team and the victor of MLS NEXT Pro Team of Matchweek 8, and prior to Sunday’s loss, North Texas SC’s last fall in regulation came last season on Sep. 3, 2023.
North Texas SC came out swinging to begin the game with solid chances and multiple shot opportunities from Enes Sali. But the Arlington club just couldn’t seem to poke a hole in The Town FC’s last line of defense, and the Bay Area side registered their first regulation shutout since Apr. 20.
Both teams previously met back on Apr. 6 in a battle that ended in a thrilling finish, as The Town FC conceded a late equalizer and narrowly lost in a shootout. But on Mother’s Day, The Town FC flipped the script thanks to polished defense and late-game clutch ability. Considering that The Town FC have struggled with complacency down the stretch, winning in suspenseful fashion showed the team’s considerable improvement in holding the fort down late.
The Town FC were already facing adversity before the game began as midfielder Will Richmond and forward Roka Tsunehara were sidelined with injuries, and defender Aaron Edwards was reduced to a substitute because of his own wounds. But even against a surging team, The Town FC’s defense stepped up when it mattered most and collected their first-ever win at Saint Mary’s Stadium.
Both sides also entered as league co-leaders in yellow cards and had their fair share of penalties throughout the match, setting up a chippy, physical end to the crucial game. The victory moves The Town FC to 13 points on a 3-2-3 record, which sits them right above the playoff line. North Texas SC remain in the thick of the playoff race with 16 points and a 3-1-4 record.
The Town FC’s next opponent — LAFC2 — will be another tough one. LAFC2 are second in the Western Conference with 17 points but have seen mixed results on the road, so The Town FC will aim to take another win on their East Bay home pitch to continue rising up in the standings. The upcoming game will be The Town FC’s last of the homestand.
LAFC2 will venture north to face The Town FC on May 19 at 5 p.m. at Saint Mary’s Stadium and will be broadcast globally on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
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MATCH INFORMATION
2024 MLS NEXT Pro Season
The Town FC 1 – 0 North Texas SC
Saint Mary’s Stadium
Sunday, May 12, 2024
Scoring Summary:
TTFC (1-0) – E. Blancas 84’
Misconduct Summary:
TTFC – E. Blancas (Caution) 23’
TTFC – E. Mendoza (Caution) 26’
NTX – T. Pondeca (Caution) 38’
NTX – D. Garcia (Caution) 41’
TTFC – C. Medina (Caution) 48’
NTX – M. Molina (Caution) 73’
NTX – N. Mendonca (Caution) 77’
The Town FC: J. Jackson (GK), R. Ibarra, C. Walls, S. Bilter, O. Verhoeven (A. Cano – 90’), C. Medina (C), E. Mendoza, B. Leroux, R. Lynch (J. Donnery – 68’), E. Blancas, A. Chow (J. Spivey – 90’ + 1’)
Substitutes not used: A. Edwards, J. Nicolson, J. Spivey, D. Fregoso Bautista
SHOTS: 15; SHOTS ON GOAL: 5; FOULS: 10; CORNER KICKS: 5; SAVES: 6
North Texas SC: M. Collodi (GK), N. Gordon (C), T. Humphrey, I. Parker, T. Pondeca (N. Mendonca – 68’), M. Molina (M. Westergren – 81’), A. Zanne, D. Garcia, P. Fonseca (A. Ramirez – 73’), T. Scott, E. Sali
Substitutes not used: D. Pepi, V. Darub, L. Orejarena
SHOTS: 12; SHOTS ON GOAL: 6; FOULS: 16; CORNER KICKS: 6; SAVES: 4