For the third time this season, the Rio Grande Valley FC Toros followed a loss with a win, cruising to a 3-0 victory over Oklahoma City Energy FC Saturday the UT RGV Soccer Complex. Jose Escalante, Kyle Murphy and Eric Bird each scored and goalkeeper Callum Irving recorded his first professional shutout after the Toros played the final 30 minutes with 10 players following a red card. With the win, the Toros are within three points of the top of the Western Conference standings and snapped OKC Energy FC’s eight-game unbeaten streak.
After falling to Swope Park Rangers 3-0 Wednesday night in Kansas City, the Toros scored twice before halftime and once in second-half stoppage time for a comfortable win in their first meeting with OKC Energy FC. The Toros are unbeaten in their last four home games (3-0-1) and 6-3-4 overall (22 points) in their debut season. RGV FC is tied for third place in the West with La Galaxy II, three points behind conference leader Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2.
Escalante, a Honduras U-20 international, opened the scoring, taking a pass from George Malki and curling a shot that deflected off a defender and over goalkeeper Cody Laurendi for a 1-0 lead.
It was the third goal of the season for Escalante, now tied for the team lead with Memo Rodriguez and Rob Lovejoy.
Murphy scored his first professional goal five minutes before halftime, capping an impressive nine-pass buildup by RGV FC by collecting a pinpoint entry ball from Rodriguez with a decisive turn away from two defenders near the penalty spot. The former Clemson University forward finished past Laurendi for his first goal of the season.
Escalante was issued a red card in the 59th minute after appearing to land with his foot atop OKC defender Cyprian Hedrick. On the play, Escalante dribbled through midfield and Hedrick slid to win the ball as Escalante tried to jump over the sliding defender. Escalante cleared Hedrick with his landing foot, but his back left foot struck Hedrick and the referee immediately showed red to the Toros attacker.
Bird entered the match in the 90th minute and became the second Toros player on the night to score his first professional goal. Charlie Ward slipped a pass to Bird near the top of the box and the University of Virginia product cut past a defender before driving a left-footed finish inside the left post from 20 yards to seal a 3-0 win. Bird is the 11th player to score for the Toros through 13 games this season.
Irving made his second start of the season and the Canada youth international made six saves for his first shutout as a professional player. His performance helped the Toros hand OKC FC only its second loss of the season.
Toros newcomer Eric Verso made his professional debut, entering in the 71st minute for TJ Casner for his first appearance after signing with the club earlier in the week. Verso returned from a stress fracture in his foot, his previous competitive game was the 2015 NCAA men’s soccer championship game last December, in which he scored and added an assist as Stanford University won 4-0 for its first national championship.
Next up, the Toros travel to the West Coast for the first time since April to face Sacramento Republic FC for the first time on June 18 at Bonney Field. RGV FC returns home for two games in four days beginning June 22 against Arizona United SC.
Rio Grande Valley FC (6-3-4; 22 points) vs. Oklahoma City Energy FC (4-2-4; 16 points)
June 11, 2016 – UT Rio Grande Valley Soccer Complex – Edinburg, Texas
Scoring Summary:
RGV – Jose Escalante 3 (unassisted) 14
RGV – Kyle Murphy 1 (Memo Rodriguez 2) 41
RGV – Eric Bird 1 (Charlie Ward 1) 90+
Rio Grande Valley FC: Callum Irving; Kai Greene, Kevin Garcia ©, Ivan Magalhaes, George Malki (Taylor Hunter 83); Charlie Ward, Emilio Garcia (Eric Bird 87); TJ Casner (Eric Verso 71), Memo Rodriguez (Jorginho James 64), Jose Escalante (ejected 59); Kyle Murphy
Disciplinary Summary:
Jose Escalante (ejection) 59
Summary of Dynamo Academy alumni in Saturday’s game:
Memo Rodriguez started and played 64 minutes and recorded his third assist in his 13th appearance of the season. The El Campo, Texas native has three assists in the last four games and three goals in 783 minutes this season.
Charly Flores entered just before stoppage-time for his third appearance of the season.
*Note: The Dynamo and RGV FC have a hybrid affiliation, with the Dynamo in control of all technical aspects of the soccer operation, including the construction of the roster and the coaching staff. Meanwhile, the McAllen, Texas based Rio Grande Valley Vipers run the business operations, including the current construction of a 9,400 seat soccer stadium that will resemble Houston’s BBVA Compass Stadium.
