The Swope Park Rangers fell to a 4-1 defeat against Rio Grande Valley FC on Saturday night at the UTRGV Soccer and Track Complex in Edinburg, Texas. Two goals from Memo Rodriguez put the home side 2-0 up before Daniel Salloi netted his third goal of the season for SPR. After pushing hard for an equalizer in the second half, RGV struck twice late on through Rob Lovejoy and Emilio Garcia to make the final score 4-1.
The Rangers (3-4-1, 10 pts.) began the game well and created the first opening in the ninth minute. After patient build-up through the midfield, the ball was played through to Salloi whose shot was held by Calle Brown in the RGV goal.
Four minutes later, the Toros (4-2-2, 14 pts.) opened the scoring. Rodriguez received a pass from Jose Escalante on the right side of the area, and he finished across Zac Lubin to make the score 1-0. In the 26th minute, Rodriguez added his second from the other side of the box, this time off a feed from TJ Casner.
SPR found a route back into the game five minutes before the break. After neat play down the right between Jimmy Mulligan and Kris Tyrpak, the latter hit a low cross toward Salloi who controlled, set himself and rifled into the top corner with his left foot to make the score 2-1 and notch his team-leading third goal of the season.
The game opened up in the second half, with the Rangers pushing numbers forward in search of an equalizer and RGV hitting on the break. First, Lubin was forced into a save to deny Casner from close range before Tyrpak directed a Kevin Oliveira corner narrowly wide. In the 77th minute, Oliveira lined up a free kick from 25 yards out, but his curling effort flashed wide of a sprawling Brown and the RGV goal.
In a flurry of action in the final few minutes of the game, Amer Didic saw a header saved by Brown before Lubin was called into action to deny Lovejoy. The Houston Dynamo loanee Lovejoy was not to be denied much longer, as moments later he slid a low finish past Lubin off a Christian Lucatero pass to make the score 3-1.
Lubin was again forced into a save in stoppage time to make a reflex stop down low to prevent Ivan Magalhaes from getting on the scoresheet, but Emilio Garcia completed the victory for RGV moments later after another assist from Lucatero.
Next Match
- The Swope Park Rangers are back in action next Saturday, May 28 when they travel to California to face Sacramento Republic FC at Bonney Field. Kickoff for that game is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. CT and will be available via live stream on SportingKC.com.
Swope Park Rangers vs. Rio Grande Valley FC
May 21, 2016 – UTRGV Soccer and Track Complex (Edinburg, Texas)
Swope Park Rangers 1, Rio Grande Valley FC 4
Scoring Summary:
RGV – Memo Rodriguez 1 (Jose Escalante 1) 13’
RGV – Memo Rodriguez 2 (TJ Casner 4) 26’
SPR – Daniel Salloi 3 (Kris Tyrpak 1) 40’
RGV – Rob Lovejoy 3 (Christian Lucatero 1) 89’
RGV – Emilio Garcia 2 (Christian Lucatero 2) 90+
Misconduct Summary:
RGV – Jose Escalante (Yellow Card) 45’
SPR – Kevin Oliveira (Yellow Card) 49’
RGV – Kai Greene (Yellow Card) 51’
RGV – Charlie Ward (Yellow Card) 81’
Swope Park Rangers: Zac Lubin; Jimmy Mulligan, Tommy Meyer, Amer Didic, Christian Duke ©; Ualefi, Tomas Granitto (Nansel Selbol 62’), Kevin Oliveira; Kris Typrak (Johnny Grant 70’), Daniel Salloi (Mark Anthony Gonzalez 68’), Tyler Pasher.
Substitutes Not Used: Jon Kempin, Oumar Ballo, Jacob VanCompernolle, Will Little.
STATS: Shots 8, Shots on Goal 3, Corners 6, Fouls 10
Rio Grande Valley FC: Calle Brown; Kai Greene, Kevin Garcia ©, Ivan Magalhaes, George Malki (Bradley Bourgeois 64’); Jorghino James (Zach Steinberger 67’), Charlie Ward, TJ Casner (Christian Lucatero 87’); Memo Rodriguez (Emilio Garcia 72’), Kyle Murphy, Jose Escalante (Rob Lovejoy 61’).
Substitutes Not Used: Devin Perales, Leo Ayala.
STATS: Shots 12, Shots on Goal 7, Corners 4, Fouls 11
Referee: Victor Rivas
Assistant Referees: Billy Hale and Baltazar Peral Hana
Fourth Official: Arturo Ibarra
Attendance: 2,065
Weather: Clear and 90 degrees
