April 30, 2023 – United Soccer League Championship (USL) – San Diego Loyal News Release
San Diego Loyal SC’s Tumi Moshobane in action
(San Diego Loyal, Credit: San Diego Loyal SC and USL Championship)
SAN DIEGO – San Diego Loyal SC played to a 2-1 loss against visiting El Paso Locomotive FC Saturday night at Torero Stadium.
Tumi Moshobane scored for the homeside that pushed up its lines, had a series of scoring chances throughout the match and rallied late in the USL Championship match but couldn’t find the equalizer.
Instead, the loss was the first at home for SD Loyal this season, snapping a four-match undefeated streak. It was also the second league loss for the club in 2023 as it finished a busy month of April where it played in seven matches. SD Loyal was coming off a midweek Third Round U.S. Open Cup match at Seattle Sounders FC, where the club fell 5-4 in extra time to the Major League Soccer side. Saturday’s meeting against El Paso was the third match in seven days for Head Coach Nate Miller’s squad.
El Paso got on the scoreboard first when Ricardo Zacarias gave the visitors a 1-0 advantage in the 13th minute. Zacarias took a pass from Liam Rose, dribbled into the penalty area and sent a shot that deflected off SD Loyal defender Kyle Adams and curled over goalkeeper Koke Vegas.
Tumi Moshobane tied the match 1-1 with a low-rolling left-footed shot off a quick run that started with a pass from Nick Moon in the 61st minute. Moshobane sifted through a pair of defenders before firing his shot, beating El Paso goalkeeper Benny Diaz. It was Moshonane’s first goal of 2023 and his club-leading 18th with SD Loyal.
El Paso would find the game-winner four minutes later when Denys Kostshyn charged into the penalty area on a give-and-go play with Luis Solignac to beat Vegas with his shot and seal the scoring.
SD Loyal will now look to bounce back on the road when it travels up I-5 to face Orange County SC next Saturday, May 6 (7 p.m.). The club returns home on Saturday, May 13 to take on Rio Grande Valley FC Toros. Tickets to the upcoming home match from Torero Stadium are available now at sdloyal.com/tickets.
GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN
ELP – Ricardo Zacarias (Liam Rose), 13th minute: Zacarias sent a shot that deflected off Kyle Adams and into the SD Loyal net. SD 0, ELP 1
SD – Tumi Moshobane (Nick Moon), 61st minute: Moshobane dribbled past defenders and sent in a left-footed shot. SD 1, ELP 1
ELP – Denys Kostshyn (Luis Solignac), 65th minute: Kostshyn scored with a…