San Diego Union-Tribune (Sunday)
FESTIVE LOYAL OPEN A SECOND CAMPAIGN
San Diego Loyal opened a new United Soccer League Championship season in front of an energetic sellout crowd of 5,671 at Torero Stadium on Saturday night.
San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria tossed a coin to establish first half playing direction, “The Locals” cheering section was packed and making noise well before kickoff and the Loyal donned new uniforms.
The Loyal added to the festive atmosphere with a 1-0 win over Detroit City FC on a cool, misty night.
San Diego finished with a 55 percent to 45 percent edge in possession and a 4-2 edge in shots on goal.
The goal was scored by second-year defender Jackson Simba in the 42nd minute of the first half and it was an impressive one.
After a deflection caromed his way following a shot by Kyle Adams, Simba whipped his right foot and with the ball never hitting the ground, one-timed a shot past Detroit keeper Nate Steinwascher.
Loyal goalkeeper Koke Vegas finished with two saves and earned the shutout after registering six clean sheets last season.
His most impressive save came in the 52nd minute when he dove to his right and poked away a shot off the foot of Skage Simonson.
Detroit’s best scoring chance came in the 69th minute when Tommy Mccabe slipped a pass across the box to an onrushing Connor Rutz but Rutz was just a tick late to get to a ball that he may have pushed into an open corner of the goal.
The night featured several firsts for San Diego: Nate Miller’s first game as a USL head coach in place of Landon Donovan, who turned over the reins and is titled executive vice president of soccer operations.
“We weren’t as dominant with the ball as we would have liked but we did create some good scoring chances but it’s a good starting point,” Miller said. “We were missing a couple of key guys but had some excellent performances.”
It was San Diego native (Sweetwater High School) Joe Corona’s first time playing a regular-season match as a pro for his hometown team.
And it was the first time offseason additions Elliot Collier, Blake Bodily and Adrien Perez were in uniform for a regularseason match as members of Loyal SC.
Something worth tracking early on will be how Miller’s squad replaces last season’s two leading scorers: striker Kyle Vassell (14 goals, two assists) and forward Thomas Amang (11 goals, two assists).
Second-year player Evan Conway started up top against Detroit next to Perez in a 3-5-2 formation.
Conway, who played on the wing last season and tallied nine goals with two assists, is shifting to Vassell’s striker role while Tumi Moshobane (six goals, seven assists last season) will be in an attacking midfielder role.
Conway and Moshobone were active against Detroit but neither managed a clean scoring chance.
The Loyal played without two would-be starters. Midfielder Alejandro Guido (Chula Vista) and defender Grant Stoneman had to sit due to red cards they received during last season’s playoff loss to Oakland.