San Antonio FC played to a 1-1 draw in regulation time against Club Santos Laguna (Liga MX) in front of a sellout crowd of 8,007 fans in the club’s first-ever international friendly. Santos went on to defeat SAFC 4-3 in penalties.

“This game was an important part of our season,” said SAFC Assistant Coach Andy Thomson. “Obviously, it was an international friendly, but it was the first for our club. I think the players did very well. They worked as a unit and were compact, and we couldn’t ask anything more from them. It was a pleasure to play such a prestigious opponent.”

SAFC opened the scoring in the 18th minute when midfielder Billy Forbes dribbled past a defender and buried a low shot past Santos goalkeeper Carlos Acevedo. Forbes currently leads San Antonio FC with six goals and four assists in USL play.

Santos leveled the score in the 68th minute Emiliano Armentaros found the end of a pass from Oscar Manzanarez and sneaked it past Diego Restrepo to make it 1-1. Restrepo earned SWBC Man of the Match honors after recording seven saves on the night, as well as saving one penalty during the shootout.

The match marks the second-highest attendance at a San Antonio FC match this season and third overall. SAFC has now recorded four sellouts at Toyota Field in franchise history, including its Toyota Field record-setting attendance of 8,466 during the team’s inaugural home opener on April 9, 2016.

San Antonio FC will return to league action on Friday, July 14 as they host OKC Energy FC at Toyota Field at 8 p.m. in the week’s USL Game of the Week. The match will be broadcast nationally on ESPNU.

Scoring Summary:

SAFC: 1-0, Billy Forbes 18’

Santos: 1-1, Emiliano Armentaros (Oscar Manzanarez assist) 68’

Penalty Kick Summary: Santos 4-3 SAFC

Santos: Jose Abella (saved)

SAFC: Billy Forbes (saved)

Santos: Ulises Davila (scored)

SAFC: Ryan Roushandel (scored)

Santos: Uriel Antuna (scored)

SAFC: Devin Vega (scored)

Santos: Djaniny Tavares (miss)

SAFC: Victor Araujo (saved)

Santos: Jesus Angulo (scored)

SAFC: Greg Cochrane (scored)

Santos: Diego De Buen (scored)

SAFC: Cyprian Hedrick (saved)

Disciplinary Summary:

SAFC: Yellow Card (Sebastien Ibeagha 44’)

SAFC: Yellow Card (Rafa Castillo 59’)

SAFC: Yellow Card (Stephen McCarthy 65’)

SAFC: Yellow Card (Cyprian Hedrick 74’)

SAFC: Yellow Card (AJ Ajeakwa 79’)

Santos: Yellow Card (Jesus Angulo 90’)

Attendance: 8,007

SAFC Starting XI: GK: Diego Restrepo; D: Cyprian Hedrick, Sebasiten Ibeagha, Stephen McCarthy, Greg Cochrane; M: Maxi Rodriguez (Mark O’Ojong 45’), Devin Vega, Rafa Castillo Ryan Roushandel 73’), AJ Ajeakwa, Billy Forbes; F: Aly Alberto Hassan (Victor Araujo 68’)

Substitutions Not Used: Lee Johnston, Victor Araujo, Shawn Chin, Ben Newnam, Michael Reed, Kris Tyrpak

Postgame Notes: